This episode examines cult-like behavior in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gyms: how hierarchy, leader worship, cliques, and business practices can create unhealthy dynamics, and how humility, mutual respect, and cross-training act as green flags.

Hosts share red and green flags to watch for, real scenarios and Star Wars analogies, and offer practical advice for evaluating your gym and protecting your own well-being.

On this episode of Fighters Drinking Coffee, Nakapan Phungeforn from Beta Academy joins the hosts to discuss three decades in the D.C. martial arts scene, blending stories from jiu-jitsu, judo and kudo with candid takes on competition, gym culture, and memorable moments like a notorious "dojo storm."

They cover training strategies, rule changes and preparing for the New York Open veterans judo division, plus real talk about recovery, sleep, supplementation, business mentorship, and how martial arts shapes life both on and off the mat.

Follow Nakapan's journey on Instagram: @nakapanmma

Adam Forster joins Fighters Drinking Coffee to talk European competition experiences, creative brand building, and his unique, often viral submission style known as "Adam Forster Bullshit". He shares stories from the London Open and Euros, the grind of competing across the UK, coaching and content creation, and how his art background and freelance illustration feed into his jiu-jitsu persona.

The episode mixes playful gym politics, Star Wars-themed rivalry theories, sponsor shout-outs, and plans for upcoming superfights — a lively look at the modern jiu-jitsu subculture through Adam’s perspective.

Find Adam on Instagram @adamforsterbjj

And show him and his sponsors some support

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Tim Dawson of High Noon BJJ joins Fighters Drinking Coffee to talk jiu-jitsu culture through Star Wars metaphors, rivalries like Gordon Ryan vs. Craig Jones, and wild conspiracies from Jar Jar Sith theories to MKUltra.

They also cover Tim’s coaching win at trials, community and politics—discussing civil liberties, government power, and why real conversation beats online division.

Find more of Tim on Instagram: @timdawsonbjj and @Highnoonbjj

In this episode we ask whether jiu-jitsu takes itself too seriously, exploring the two cultural camps: the hyper-serious, macho side, and the silly, meme-driven side; and how figureheads like Gordon Ryan and Craig Jones fuel that divide.

We discuss the idea that promoters may be manufacturing controversy (WWE-style), or that the split has been masterminded by a hooded evil figurehead looking to control the entire sport. We also discuss the role of social media in growing jiu-jitsu’s pop culture, and the simple takeaway: it’s a goofy sport, so have fun and don’t take it too seriously.

We ask you the listeners: Who is jiu-jitsu's Obi-Wan Kenobi? Who is Mikey Musumeci in this analogy? 

Join us on this fun ride through the silliness of our sports pop culture scene.

In this episode we explore creativity and self-expression in jiu‑jitsu — using the "jazz" analogy and discuss utilizing the constraints led approach to bridge the space between techniques. We discuss how drills, repetition, and playful constraints help practitioners discover timing, leverage, and their own style on the mat.

The hosts cover coaching strategies, balancing competitive rigidity with fun experimentation, adapting over time, and practical ideas like goal-driven rolling and card-based drills to force creativity while still building competition-ready skills.

New Year’s episode where the hosts share concise jiu-jitsu resolutions: pursue greater professionalism as coaches and competitors, add new techniques and finishing mechanics, and build a training/competition calendar to peak for major tournaments.

They also outline podcast goals — grow the audience, engage listeners via Discord and possible Patreon, revive archival episodes, and commit to consistent, higher-value content throughout 2026.

On this episode of Fighters Drinking Coffee we walk through a practical year-in-review for the 2025 competition season: tracking matches, wins and losses, submission patterns, weight cuts, training timelines, and key turning points.

We show how to turn those data points into actionable changes — adjusting training, mitigating injury and burnout, planning weight classes, and building targeted drills to reproduce strengths and fix weaknesses.

Whether you compete or just want to measure your progress in class, this episode gives a simple process to analyze your year, set smart goals, and make a clearer plan for 2026.

Hosts recap their trip to the 2025 IBJJF World No-Gi Championships in Las Vegas, sharing match breakdowns, surprising referee calls, upsets, and standout performances from friends and teammates.

They discuss preparation, travel and weight-cut tips, lessons about avoiding leaving results to the referee, and takeaways for future competitions.

Raf Esparza of the Grappling Hour joins Fighters Drinking Coffee to talk training, pro-wrestling influence, and how spectacle and fan experience can grow jiu-jitsu. He shares stories from Subversive and Survivor Series, media and performance coaching for athletes, and ideas for building entertaining grappling events.

They also discuss creative segments like Roast Raf and tape study, the importance of personality and promotion in combat sports, and where to find his work.

Support Grappling Hour here: https://www.patreon.com/grapplinghour

Buy Grappling Hour merch here: https://www.rafesparza.com/merch

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Thank you!