1984
First contact with combat sports
It all starts with the film “Enter the Dragon” with Bruce Lee. Mirosław Okniński signs up for his first classes.
Founder and head coach
Mirosław Okniński
Over forty years in combat sports. He organised the first official MMA bout in Poland and still runs classes on the mat today.
Over forty years in combat sports. He started at a time when mixed martial arts had no competitions in Poland, no structures and nobody to learn from.
He organised the country's first official MMA bout, the MMA Polska tournament series, the Amateur MMA League and the professional PLMMA league. In 2014 he led the Poland national team at the first IMMAF World Championships in Las Vegas.
For several years he taught MMA to police officers at the Police Training Centre in Legionowo.
Today he runs classes at Akademia Sportów Walki Wilanów, from children's groups through to preparing fighters for competition.
Record
Key achievements
- Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, awarded on 19 March 2010 by Mario Sukata
- First place at the IBJJF European Championship, Master 2, brown belt, ultra heavy
- Member of the Polish MMA Hall of Fame, Heraklesy 2012
- Coach of the Poland national team at the first IMMAF World Championships, Las Vegas 2014
- Founder of the Vale Tudo Grudziądz and Vale Tudo Warszawa clubs and of the professional PLMMA league
- Organiser of the first official MMA bout in Poland
Timeline
Step by step
1993
The first UFC event, watched in Germany
While staying in Germany, Mirosław Okniński watches the first UFC event on television. It changes the way he thinks about training. The advantage comes not from a single discipline, but from combining several of them well.
1998
First encounter with MMA
Mirosław Okniński enters the mixed martial arts scene. At that point there is not a single structure for the discipline in Poland.
1998
Vale Tudo Grudziądz is founded
His first own club, later known as Okniński MMA Grudziądz. The programme covered MMA plus elements of boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wrestling.
2000
The Vale Tudo Warszawa club is founded
The foundation of the entire later MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu scene in Warsaw. At the time there are no competitions in the country, no leagues and nobody teaching the sport methodically.
The Gwardia Warszawa years 2002
The first official MMA bout in Poland
Organised by Okniński alongside a bodybuilding fair in Warsaw. Grzegorz Jakubowski faces Temistokles Teresiewicz, with Okniński refereeing. After 45 minutes the bout ends in a draw.
The full story of this fight
The cage set up in the middle of the hall 2003
The MMA Polska tournament
A tournament series under the MMA Polska banner. Competitors include Maciej Kawulski, Antoni Chmielewski and Michał Materla. Seven editions are held over 18 months.
The crowd right up against the fence Early years
The first two editions of ALMMA
The Amateur MMA League is set up on Mirosław Okniński's initiative, and the first two editions are organised by his club at the Gwardia Warszawa venue. It gave fighters somewhere to gain competition experience before moving into professional MMA. ALMMA is today the longest running recurring MMA event in Poland.
The old MMA group European Championship
IBJJF European Championship
First place in Master 2, brown belt, ultra heavy. In the official IBJJF results the club is listed as Mma Poland.
2010
Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
The rank was awarded on 19 March 2010 by Mario Sukata.
2012
PLMMA is founded
The founding of a professional mixed martial arts league.
2013
Polish MMA Hall of Fame
Inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Heraklesy 2012 gala.
2014
The first IMMAF World Championships
Mirosław Okniński was the coach of the Poland national team at the first IMMAF amateur MMA World Championships in Las Vegas. The five person squad won three medals: silver for Aleksandra Milczarek, silver for Marcin Kalata and bronze for Karol Linowski. The finals were held during the UFC Fan Expo at Mandalay Bay.
- 5team members
- 3medals
- 2 + 1silver and bronze
Fighters
He has coached fighters in UFC, KSW, ONE and OKTAGON
People training here now come first, then the history. For each one we give the kind of relationship, the period they worked together and, separately, what happened after it ended.
- KSW
- Babilon MMA
Szymon Kołecki
Trains at the Academy
Worked together: since 2016, over nine years, still ongoing
One of the longest and steadiest working relationships. He built his whole MMA career under Mirosław Okniński and still trains with him.
While they worked together
- KSW wins over Mariusz Pudzianowski and Damian Janikowski
- Babilon MMA champion in two divisions at once: 93 kg and 93+ kg
- UFC
- OKTAGON MMA
Krzysztof Jotko
Worked together for years
Worked together: 6 years
One of the most important long term students. They entered the UFC together.
While they worked together
- Entered the UFC with an unbeaten 14-0 record
- A UFC fighter for years, with 11 wins in the promotion
Later, after they stopped working together
- Won the Tipsport Gamechanger 2026 tournament
- OKTAGON MMA middleweight champion
- KSW
Łukasz Jurkowski
Started out here
Worked together: the start of his career, before the first KSW tournament in 2004
One of the most important figures of the early years of Polish MMA. He trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu with Mirosław Okniński and attended the first events he organised.
While they worked together
- His first Brazilian jiu-jitsu training with Mirosław Okniński
- Competing at the first events organised by Okniński
Later, after they stopped working together
- Won the first KSW tournament on 27 February 2004, beating three opponents in one night
- The first KSW tournament champion
- The first fighter inducted into the KSW Hall of Fame
- 22 bouts for KSW, plus fights in Croatia, the Netherlands, Russia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and the USA
- UFC
Michał Oleksiejczuk
Worked together for years
Worked together: about 3 years, until November 2021
Mirosław Okniński was his head coach during an important stage of his UFC career.
While they worked together
- A 4-2 record in the UFC while they worked together
- Wins over Gadzhimurad Antigulov and Shamil Gamzatov
Later, after they stopped working together
- A UFC fighter for years
- UFC
- FEN
- Dana White's Contender Series
Cezary Oleksiejczuk
Worked together for years
Worked together: about one to two years, until November 2021
He developed and prepared for bouts as a fighter of Akademia Sportów Walki Wilanów under Mirosław Okniński. The coach also cornered him during earlier wins.
While they worked together
- The FEN welterweight title, won on 27 November 2021 at FEN 37 after a unanimous decision over Aigun Akhmedov
- A submission win over Jacek Bednorz at Armia Fight Night 7 in 2019, with Mirosław Okniński in the corner
Later, after they stopped working together
- Repeatedly confirmed his standing as a leading FEN fighter
- A win on Dana White's Contender Series
- A UFC contract in 2025
- His first UFC win in December 2025
- UFC
- OKTAGON MMA
- FEN
Robert Bryczek
Worked together for years
Worked together: about 2 years, until November 2021
He prepared at the club under Mirosław Okniński.
While they worked together
- FEN champion
- Bouts in OKTAGON MMA
Later, after they stopped working together
- A run of knockouts in OKTAGON MMA
- Won a title eliminator
- A UFC contract
- A win over Brad Tavares in the UFC in 2025
- KSW
- FEN
Marian Ziółkowski
Worked together for years
Worked together: 8 years
He built the foundation of his career with Mirosław Okniński. He has said himself that the coach had a great deal of influence on the fighter he became.
While they worked together
- Years of development in KSW
- PLMMA champion
- A bout for the FEN championship title
Later, after they stopped working together
- KSW lightweight champion
- Successful defences of the KSW title
- KSW
Antoni Chmielewski
Worked together for years
Worked together: worked together for years, from 2003
One of Mirosław Okniński's first important fighters. It was his influence that moved him from judo to MMA.
While they worked together
- Won the KSW 2 tournament
- A figure of the early KSW years
Later, after they stopped working together
- 50 professional MMA bouts in total
- KSW
- FEN
Marcin Naruszczka
Worked together for years
Worked together: worked together in several stages, with breaks
An experienced MMA fighter, an important part of whose career was tied to Mirosław Okniński and the Academy. He represented the Academy at FEN events among others.
While they worked together
- Representing the Academy at FEN events
- PLMMA middleweight champion
- Champion of the German promotion Respect FC
- Bouts in KSW and in promotions in Poland and abroad
- ONE Championship
Michał Pasternak
Worked together for years
Worked together: worked together over many years with breaks, ending in 2025
Their work together covered a large part of his professional career.
While they worked together
- The first Pole signed by ONE FC
- Fought Roger Gracie for the inaugural ONE light heavyweight world title in 2016
- KSW
- Dana White's Contender Series
- FEN
Bartosz Szewczyk
Worked together for years
Worked together: about one to two years, until 2021
Mirosław Okniński took part in his move into professional MMA at an early stage of his career.
While they worked together
- The move into professional MMA
Later, after they stopped working together
- FEN light heavyweight champion
- An appearance on Dana White's Contender Series
- A KSW contract and his first win in the promotion in 2025
- KSW
Mariusz Pudzianowski
Short preparation period
Worked together: from 2009 to March 2010, less than a year
Mirosław Okniński was the head coach preparing him to move into MMA.
While they worked together
- His MMA debut at KSW 12
- A win over Marcin Najman on debut
Later, after they stopped working together
- A long career in KSW, developed with other coaches
- KSW
Tomasz Sarara
Short preparation period
Worked together: 2020, a short period of preparation for his MMA debut
One of the most decorated Polish heavyweight kickboxers. In 2020 he trained at the Academy and began preparing for his professional MMA debut under Mirosław Okniński.
While they worked together
- Started preparing for the move from kickboxing to MMA
- First Brazilian jiu-jitsu sessions and MMA sparring at the Academy
- OKTAGON MMA
Worked together for years
Worked together: at least five years, from before his 2020 debut until 2025
He prepared at the club throughout that whole period.
While they worked together
- His first wins in OKTAGON MMA
- Fought Martin Buday for the OKTAGON MMA heavyweight title
Uniformed services
On the mat with the police and the army
Mixed martial arts is not only a sport. Over the years Mirosław Okniński has also taught it to people who need these skills in their work.
01
Police Training Centre in Legionowo
From September 2004 he ran weekly sessions for the teaching staff of the police intervention team at the Police Training Centre in Legionowo, the instructors who train new police officers. In November 2004 the head of the Preventive Service Department thanked him for it in writing.
„For several years I ran MMA classes for police officers at the Police Training Centre in Legionowo, and I am proud of it.”
Source: Letter from the Police Training Centre, 15 November 2004. Quote: interview with mma.pl, October 2019
02
Combat 56 and Major Arkadiusz Kups
Many years of training cooperation with Major Arkadiusz Kups, creator of Combat 56, a Polish close-combat system that began in the early 1990s in the 56th Special Company. On the 30th anniversary of his work on the system, its creator thanked the coach with a commemorative plaque.
„In thanks for many years of training cooperation and the exchange of martial arts experience.”
- Combat 56 commemorative plaque, opens in a new tab
- Adam Okniński, Major Arkadiusz Kups and Mirosław Okniński, Combat 56 training, opens in a new tab
Source: Combat 56 commemorative plaque. On the system: combat56.pl
03
Police, army, Border Guard
Over his career he has also trained police and army officers, as well as officers of Border Guard special units.
„I trained Police and Army officers and Border Guard special units.”
Source: Interview with mma.pl, October 2019
Discount for uniformed services
Police officers, firefighters, soldiers and special services officers get 25% off monthly passes.
Learning from the best
Seminars, trips and an international environment
The knowledge the Academy rests on was gathered in training sessions and seminars with fighters and coaches from around the world.
Seminar with Joe Moreira 
Training with Yusup Abdusalamov 
Meeting Khabib Nurmagomedov's father 
Photographs from the years of work
Brazilian jiu-jitsu training, the early years 
Mirosław Okniński on a trip abroad
Today
He runs classes at the Academy in Wilanów, from children's groups through to preparing fighters for competition. The same methodology that took shape around the first MMA competitions in Poland is today the basis of an ordinary Tuesday session.
In the media
How Mirosław Okniński is described
Mentions from combat sports outlets. Each one comes with a link where it can be checked. The quotes are in Polish, the language they were published in.
„Prekursor MMA w Polsce, a także jeden z najlepszych trenerów w historii”
MMA.pl
Oskar Szymański
Article
See the source, opens in a new tab„Prekursor MMA w Polsce urodzony 23 lipca 1969 roku w Toruniu.”
Fightime.pl
Article
See the source, opens in a new tab„Mirek Okniński: historia prawdziwa prekursora i trenera polskiego MMA”
Elite Mentality
Cyprian Majcher
Podcast episode title
See the source, opens in a new tab