The Village Mixed Martial Arts Institute was founded by Sifu Doug Pierre in Manhattan, New York in the mid to late 1980s. Initially, Sifu Doug was teaching Karate in various community centers, parks, and friend's schools with no real place to call their own. Living on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, he was surrounded by drug use and selling, which was prevalent on the block. With tenacity the block association was able to shut down one building and replace it with a garden, but there was another building where drug use and selling continued. Homesteading was becoming popular with abandoned buildings, so Sifu Doug researched, to learn the process. The building at 188 East 3rd Street was occupied by transients, but Sifu Doug decided to move into the ground floor space and start teaching Karate, which used to be a glass-fix it place on one side and a auto repair shop on the other.

Sifu faced many challenges, including attempts to extort money and threats of violence. Despite this, he persevered and eventually took over the building on July 7, 1984. However, it took 13 years and two groups of people to demolish and rebuild the building before the school officially opened in June 1996.

The Village Mixed Martial Arts Institute offers a variety of classes, including Combat Tai Chi Chuan, Arnis-Kali-Eskrima, Force 12 Systems (women only), Karate, grappling, and kickboxing. The Institute  has turned out five world champion stick fighters and continues to produce talented martial artists. Sifu Doug credits their belief in a higher power, their discipline and hard work in martial arts training, and the support of others for their success.