This spring, Tyson Kilbey embarked on a new adventure.
Kilbey became interested in martial arts at a young age, starting classes at only 5 years old. After watching his first Ultimate Fighting Championship as a kid with the other students at his martial arts studio, seeing the success of UFC fighter Royce Gracie — who is now Kilbey’s instructor today — ultimately sealed the deal, pushing him in the direction of jiu jitsu.
So really, the studio that now belongs to Kilbey is a long time coming. But even so, Kilbey said it has felt “absolutely incredible” to watch it all finally come together.
His new Olathe jiu jitsu studio, Tyson Kilbey Jiu Jitsu, officially opened its doors in April.
Tyson Kilbey Jiu Jitsu opened at 15837 S. Mahaffie St.
- The studio occupies a space just off 159th Street and Ridgeview Road in Olathe.
- The space was previously used as warehouse storage for a clothing store.
- The studio generally offers classes from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday.
Tyson Kilbey Jiu Jitsu offers programming for all ages
Tyson Kilbey Jiu Jitsu offers jiu jitsu classes at various ability levels for both children and adults.
Though there are outliers, Kilbey said the age range for students at the studio tends to be between 5 and 11 years old for kids’ classes, and 12 years old and above for adult classes.
The studio’s classes are primarily co-ed — though Tyson Kilbey Jiu Jitsu also offers an eight-week self defense course for women only.
Students can also opt for one-to-one private instruction in place of group classes.
Though Kilbey appreciates martial arts as a whole, the specific appeal of jiu jitsu is its focus on defeating an opponent without necessarily dominating or seriously injuring him.
“What makes jiu jitsu unique is that virtually every other martial art is most analogous to fighting fire with fire,” he said. “Whereas jiu jitsu uniquely is best described as fighting fire with water. It’s nicknamed the ‘gentle art.’”
Kilbey’s background in teaching jiu jitsu goes back even farther
Alongside a more than 25-year career in law enforcement (most recently as a deputy for the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office), Kilbey also spent the past 15 years teaching jiu jitsu through partnerships with schools and other organizations.
Kilbey has a black belt ranking in jiu jitsu, which he earned under the instruction of UFC champion Royce Gracie.
“I’ve really built a team and a community of like-minded people,” he said. “It seemed like the stars were just aligning.”
In just the first couple of weeks of being open, Kilbey said he gets the sense that the studio’s following will continue to grow, eventually leading to a need for expansion in Johnson County. But for now, the focus is on bringing the new Olathe studio to life.
“It’s literally the living of a dream come true — something that you always think about, but now it’s actually here and we’re doing it,” he said.
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