Credit: Submitted
Veteran combat sports coach Erik Purcell has opened Encoded MMA as a new martial arts and grappling academy in the Fairless Hills section of Falls Township.
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The business at 179 Lincoln Highway is a new chapter for Purcell, who previously owned and operated MPR Endurance/MPR MMA in the area for close to 15 years.
Drawing on decades of experience as an athlete and trainer, Purcell said he designed the new facility to accommodate everyone from first-time beginners to high-level competitors.
“You don’t have to want to fight to train here,” Purcell said. “Some people come to compete, but others come to get in shape, learn self-defense, build confidence, relieve stress or simply challenge themselves.”
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The academy, according to Purcell, offers a range of disciplines under one roof, including jiu-jitsu, wrestling, boxing, Russian sambo, mixed martial arts (MMA), and other combat sports and grappling styles.
Programs are available for adults, teens, and children, catering to varied goals such as competition, physical fitness, self-defense, stress relief, and personal development.
The name “Encoded” reflects an overarching philosophy developed over his years in martial arts.
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Purcell said that athletic success relies on systematic patterns and principles rather than random effort.
The coaching staff focuses on teaching those core concepts, including positioning, timing, balance, leverage, and movement.
The combination of concepts shows how different combat disciplines connect as parts of a larger system, Purcell said.
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Opening at the Lincoln Highway location keeps Purcell in the area where he has spent years building relationships with local athletes, students, and families.
“After running a gym for so many years, I realized that there are two very different things: creating good fighters and creating a great martial arts academy. I wanted to build a place capable of doing both,” he said.
While Purcell also owns property in the mountains of Tennessee—where he develops off-grid infrastructure, including cabins, roads, water, and power systems—he noted that keeping his martial arts business in Bucks County was an important goal.
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Purcell explained that previous athletic experience or high fitness levels are not required to join. He compared waiting to get in shape before joining a martial arts gym to insisting on learning how to swim before taking swimming lessons.
Beyond individual instruction, the academy looks to foster community connections by hosting open mats, seminars, competitions, superfights, and special events, according to Purcell.
One mission is to build an environment where participants from different backgrounds train as teammates to support both youth development and adult physical and mental health, Purcell stated.
