Most gyms protect their reputation by hiding what happens on the mat. We've taken the opposite approach. The camera is on, the ratios are capped, the coaches are vetted, the doors are open. This page is the full account.
Every adult on payroll at KD MMA — head coach, assistant, front-desk staff who interact with members — clears the same baseline before they touch the floor. No exceptions, no grandfather clauses.
All coaches complete a California Department of Justice LiveScan fingerprint check before their first class, re-run if employment lapses for more than 60 days. Records on file at the gym.
American Red Cross or American Heart Association CPR certification, renewed every 24 months. At least one CPR-certified adult is present every operating hour at every location.
SafeSport-equivalent online training completed before working with minors, renewed annually. Coaches in our kids programs complete an additional in-person session led by an outside reviewer.
No fresh-belt instructors teaching technique they just learned. Every head coach has at least five years of training experience in the discipline they teach — Karen has 25+. Founder Karen Darabedyan personally interviews and observes every coach before they're added to the schedule.
We stream because we're safe. A live feed is an open door — and the simplest way to keep coaches and members honest about how the gym actually runs.
California is a two-party consent state. All members sign a video acknowledgment at enrollment. Cameras are posted at every entrance. If we ever take the stream down, we'll tell you why on this page — not silently.
The standard for a four-year-old in our kids program is the same standard we'd want for our own kids. Specific, written, enforced.
No more than 8 children per adult coach on the mat — tracked at the start of every kids class; class is capped or split before the ratio is. No private session with a minor without a second adult present — applies to private lessons, evaluations, and any closed-door interaction. Non-negotiable. Locker rooms are gender-separated, no phones, no coaching staff inside.
Photo/video consent for minors is opt-in only, collected on a form separate from the liability waiver, and reversible at any time by emailing trial@kdmma.com. Until consent is signed, your kid does not appear identifiably in any public stream, photo, or marketing material — even if they're physically in a class being filmed. Parents are always welcome to observe in person or via the public live stream.
Full first aid kit, ice packs, splints, and an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on-site at all three locations, inspected monthly.
Any suspected head impact stops training immediately. For adults: training paused, monitored, medical referral if symptomatic. For minors: parent/guardian notified by phone the same day, mandatory medical clearance before returning to contact training. Written incident report filed.
KD MMA carries general liability and professional liability insurance covering all three locations. Any injury beyond minor soreness gets logged. After any significant injury, return to live training requires a doctor's note or, for minor cases, a coach evaluation.
If something at the gym doesn't sit right with you — a coach interaction, a member's behavior, a policy that wasn't followed — we want to hear about it.
For serious conduct concerns, ask the front desk to put you in touch with Karen directly; he responds personally. For anything you'd rather report without your name attached, write to our dedicated address — read by Karen and the operations lead, no one else. For criminal conduct, child-safety concerns, or anything urgent, contact local law enforcement directly, or the California DOJ child abuse hotline at 1-800-540-4000.
No member will lose access, be charged differently, be treated differently in class, or face any negative consequence for reporting a concern in good faith — whether internally or externally, anonymously or by name. If you believe you've been retaliated against, escalate to Karen directly.