MMA as self-defense
 

I'm a guy who is 5'10 and 170. I've been interested in learning some self-defense, I am really into mma but I have never stepped into an mma gym. My question is if you join a gym will you get to train purely for self-defense reasons or will the trainers pressure you into fighting? I'm extremely physically fit but I have had problems with people inciting physical violence towards me and I figured it's time to learn to defend myself. My worry is I'm fit and strong enough that they will pressure me to compete if I have any potential.

Most gyms won't do that. Go try a place out if you like it stay if you don't leave. Bjj will definetly help your self defense and it can also hurt you on the street. The best thing to do on the street is walk away if you can. It can help you if your taken down and also help if you need to take someone down and control them on the ground. I'd be real careful about taking someone down if you got into it on a street corner. You never know if he has friends with him that are going to be willing to deliver their shoes to your head if your controlling him on the ground.

honestly if you are looking for a self defense style look at a style called krav Maga

the reason mma doesn't translate well to street because on the street there are no rules on the street and there are weapons.

krav will teach you more ruthless moves in order to end a fight as soon as possible as well as how to react when a weapon comes out such as a knife. Plus krav wont teach you any fancy submissions that you dont need on basic ones that are good for street like a rear naked choke or something like that.

That said I dont take it because its 100 dollars a month.