Alchemy MMA
A combat Jujitsu system made for fights where strikes are allowed. The goal is control and finishing, not points.
The Four7 System
The method behind every class at Alchemy. Built for real fights, taught so beginners can learn it.
The system, one card at a time
No lapel chokes, no sleeve grips. Everything is trained in shorts and a rash guard, the way a real fight happens.
Leverage, timing, positioning, movement, and control connect striking, grappling, and movement into one way of fighting.
Tested and refined through years of grappling, striking, and MMA in competitive environments.
Because it assumes the other person can hit you, it carries straight into self-defense.
Rank reflects demonstrated skill, understanding, and the ability to apply what you know. Brian holds a Four7 brown belt.
Proven through experience
The Four7 System was developed through years of martial arts training, coaching, and practical application in competitive environments.
Its principles have been tested and refined through grappling, striking, and MMA, emphasizing movement, leverage, timing, positioning, and the ability to adapt under pressure.
The focus isn't simply on memorizing techniques. It's on understanding why they work and developing the ability to apply them.
Where it comes from
Alchemy MMA proudly teaches the Four7 System, developed by Coach Jason Mertlich. Drawing from decades of experience in martial arts, boxing, grappling, and mixed martial arts, Coach Mertlich created a principle-based training system centered on leverage, timing, positioning, movement, and control.
Rather than relying solely on memorized techniques, the Four7 System teaches students to understand the underlying principles that connect striking, grappling, and movement. This approach develops adaptable martial artists who can think critically, solve problems under pressure, and continue learning throughout their martial arts journey.
These principles form the foundation of the curriculum taught at Alchemy MMA and influence how we approach striking, grappling, self-defense, competition, and personal development.
Four7 Training System. Mixed Martial Movement.
How rank works
The Four7 ranking system recognizes a student's developing understanding, technical proficiency, and ability to apply martial arts principles.
Students progress through increasingly advanced levels of grappling, positional control, escapes, submissions, takedowns, and practical application.
As students advance, the emphasis moves beyond learning individual techniques toward understanding why they work, how they connect, and how to adapt them to different situations.
Advancement reflects demonstrated skill, understanding, and the ability to apply these principles in training, not simply the number of techniques memorized.
Brian and Four7
Brian Thomas has spent much of his martial arts journey training under Coach Jason Mertlich and the principles of the Four7 System.
Through years of Jujitsu, striking, and mixed martial arts training, Brian developed a deep appreciation for the principles of movement, leverage, timing, positioning, and control.
Now a brown belt in the Four7 lineage and a former professional MMA competitor with a 9–3 record, Brian brings that experience to Alchemy MMA, where he emphasizes understanding principles over simply memorizing techniques.
How it shows up in class
- JujitsuThe full Four7 ground game: positions, escapes, and submissions.
- MMAFour7 with strikes added, so the ground game holds up in a real exchange.
- Kids JujitsuThe same foundations, taught through games and drills built for kids.