Alabama is home to only pro jiu-jitsu league in US

When you think of jiu-jitsu, the sanctuary of the BComing Church in Decatur, Alabama, may not come to mind.

But for one week in early November, athletes from around the country assembled here to compete in the fifth season of the only jiu-jitsu league in the United States — the Professional Grappling Federation. Jiu-jitsu is a mixed martial arts discipline focused on ground fighting, grappling, and submissions.

The league is the brainchild of Brandon Mccaghren, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — the most common style seen in competitions — himself.

Decatur is a small, North Alabama city with fewer than 60,000 people. But Mccaghren — a native of nearby Speake, Alabama — saw it as the perfect spot to incubate a growing league dedicated to an MMA discipline that’s experiencing a steady rise in popularity.