In this Presidents Day episode, Fighting Matters connects two explosive stories: Gordon Ryan’s inappropriate DMs and the growing fallout from the Epstein file releases. We debate accountability, conspiracy culture, institutional corruption, and whether justice can survive political power. The conversation turns to Jiu-Jitsu’s own culture, red flags in gyms, and what responsibility communities have when systems fail.

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👥 Featuring:
• Stephan Kesting — @stephankesting (Host)
• Mike Mahaffey — @oldbastardbjj (Host)
• Jesse Walker — @roughhandsbjj (Host)

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🧠 Topics Discussed:
• Gordon Ryan DM controversy
• The Epstein file releases and redactions
• Conspiracy culture vs. evidence
• Civil vs. criminal accountability
• Power dynamics in martial arts
• Red flags when choosing a gym

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📖 Chapters:
00:00 — Presidents Day cold open
02:17 — Gordon Ryan controversy
03:30 — The Epstein files breakdown
21:27 — Justice, collapse & consequences
32:03 — Jiu-Jitsu governance debate
52:03 — Would you recommend Jiu-Jitsu to women?
01:01:50 — Closing thoughts

In this episode of the Fighting Matters podcast, hosts Steve Kwan and Jesse Walker are joined by Joshua Peters: martial arts instructor, former school teacher, and current candidate for Anne Arundel County Council. They explore why local politics matters, how martial arts and civic duty intersect, and why “keeping politics out of Jiu-Jitsu” is a myth. This is a conversation about courage, participation, and standing up for your community.

🔗 Links Mentioned:
• Joshua Peters Campaign — https://friendsofjoshuapeters.com
• Combat Principles MMA — https://combatprinciplesmma.com
• Run for Something — https://runforsomething.net

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👥 Featuring:
• Steve Kwan — https://bjjmentalmodels.com
• Jesse Walker — https://roughhandsbjj.com
• Joshua Peters — https://friendsofjoshuapeters.com

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🧠 Topics Discussed:
• Why local politics is more powerful than you think
• The overlap between martial arts and civic responsibility
• Running for office without “main character syndrome”
• Virtue signaling, participation, and public courage
• Supporting your community beyond the mat

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📖 Chapters:
00:00 — Introducing Joshua Peters
05:35 — From teaching to running for office
11:30 — Why local government matters
18:42 — Losing, competing, and civic courage
24:25 — Politics inside the Jiu-Jitsu gym
29:49 — “Keep politics out of Jiu-Jitsu?”
35:14 — What it actually takes to run
43:35 — Virtue signaling and public participation
01:03:00 — How to get involved locally

In this episode of Fighting Matters, hosts Stephan Kesting and Jeff Shaw are joined by Tyson LaRone (The Warrior Philosopher) to unpack the renewed push for Alberta separatism, its connections to Trump and MAGA, and the growing influence of U.S. political forces in Canadian domestic affairs.

🔗 Links Mentioned:
• Fighting Matters Linktree — https://linktree.com/fightingmatters

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👥 Featuring:
• Stephan Kesting — https://www.grapplearts.com
• Jeff Shaw — https://bellinghambjj.com
• Tyson Larone — https://www.tiktok.com/@thewarriorphilosopher

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🧠 Topics Discussed:
• The Alberta Prosperity Project and separatist rhetoric
• U.S. political influence and destabilization narratives
• Economic myths around equalization and the “Alberta advantage”
• Oil, foreign ownership, and who actually benefits
• Grievance politics vs. evidence-based policy
• Why martial arts spaces are vulnerable to political radicalization

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📖 Chapters:
00:00 — Introductions & Alberta separatism overview
01:40 — How real is the threat of separation?
07:20 — U.S. politics, propaganda, and destabilization
12:40 — Economic myths and equalization explained
31:40 — The “Alberta advantage” under scrutiny
52:20 — American corporate interests and oil profits
01:03:00 — Parallels with Ukraine and foreign interference
01:04:50 — Martial arts, gurus, and political influence

This interview is an excerpt from Dark Martial Arts History, an 8-part audio documentary chronicling the history and rise of extremism in martial arts like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA. The rest of the documentary is available on BJJ Mental Models Premium, but this piece is relevant to current events, so we're publishing it here for free.

In the sixth episode of Dark Martial Arts History, hosts Ben Van Doren and Eva Schubert are joined by longtime Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu educator and commentator Stephan Kesting. The conversation explores how conspiracy thinking, social-media incentives, and institutional silence have normalized authoritarian and extremist rhetoric within MMA and BJJ. The panel discusses the role of major platforms, the responsibility of fans and businesses, and the challenges practitioners face when harmful ideologies appear inside gyms themselves. Rather than treating extremism as an external threat, this episode asks what the martial arts community has tolerated, and what it must confront moving forward.

Learn from Stephan online at Grapplearts:
https://www.grapplearts.com

Follow Stephan Kesting on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/stephan_kesting

Follow Ben Van Doren on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/deepbluebrazilianjiujitsu

Follow Eva Schubert on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/evaschubert


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The allegations against Andre Galvao, and subsequent collapse of Atos, have sent shockwaves through the Jiu-Jitsu world. In this episode, Steve Kwan and Jesse Walker unpack the allegations against Atos leadership, the victim statements that triggered a mass exodus, and why this moment feels different from past scandals. We explore abuse of power in martial arts, why competition success can’t excuse ethical failure, and what real accountability could look like, beyond statements and social media posts.

🔗 Links Mentioned:
• Fighting Matters Linktree — https://linktr.ee/fightingmatters
• Fighting Matters Substack — https://fightingmatters.substack.com
• "You’re Picking Your Jiu-Jitsu Gym Wrong" (Jesse Walker) — https://roughhands.substack.com/p/youre-picking-your-jiu-jitsu-gym

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👥 Featuring:
• Steve Kwan — @bjjmentalmodels
• Jesse Walker — @roughhandsbjj

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🧠 Topics Discussed:
• Allegations against Atos leadership and the resulting collapse
• Why this scandal triggered a rapid, unprecedented response
• Abuse of power and hierarchy in martial arts culture
• DARVO, victim silencing, and why convictions aren’t the only standard
• How gyms, athletes, and platforms enable bad actors
• Rethinking what "the best" Jiu-Jitsu gym actually means
• Economic pressure and collective action as accountability tools

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📖 Chapters:
00:00 — Why this episode had to happen
02:45 — Victim statements and breaking news
05:10 — Why this collapse feels different
09:25 — Predators, power, and Jiu-Jitsu culture
15:55 — Choosing gyms: competition vs. ethics
20:15 — Why legal standards aren’t enough
26:18 — Accountability beyond statements
33:10 — Platforms, money, and moral responsibility
43:55 — What real action could look like
47:45 — Where the community goes next

The idea of “keeping politics out” is no longer tenable, especially in Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts communities. Against the backdrop of escalating political violence, institutional breakdowns, and global instability, we explore the civic responsibility of gym owners, coaches, and athletes, and why silence increasingly amounts to complicity.

🔗 Links Mentioned:
• Fighting Matters Linktree — https://linktree.com/fightingmatters
• Fighting Matters Substack — https://fightingmatters.substack.com
• This Is Why We Fight (Jeff Shaw course) — https://bjjmentalmodels.com/fight

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👥 Featuring:
Steve Kwan — https://bjjmentalmodels.com
Stephan Kesting — https://www.grapplearts.com
Jeff Shaw — https://bellinghambjj.com

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🧠 Topics Discussed:
• Why “keep politics out of Jiu-Jitsu” is a thought-terminating cliché
• Political violence, accountability, and the role of video evidence
• Fascism, despair, and overreaction as a martial arts analogy
• Civic responsibility for gym owners and community leaders
• Why neutrality increasingly favors the status quo

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📖 Chapters:
00:00 — Welcome & January 2026 reality check
04:40 — Political violence and media narratives
13:30 — Why apolitical stances are collapsing
24:00 — Global consequences and U.S. credibility
31:00 — “Keep politics out of Jiu-Jitsu” examined
45:10 — Martial arts, pressure, and overreaction
54:40 — What regular people can actually do
57:20 — Final thoughts and calls to action

Mother, poet, and US citizen Renée Good was shot by ICE on January 7, closely followed by the shooting of ICU Nurse and US citizen Alex Pretti on January 24th, apparently by members of the Border Patrol. Both Renée and Alex were immediately denounced as "domestic terrorists" by the US administration and an army of bots has been circulating a deluge of easily debunkable falsehood about the two victims.

In this episode of Fighting Matters BJJ black belt Stephan Kesting is joined Tyson Larone, the Warrior Philosopher, to explore why this is all happening, who benefits from this, where is it likely to go, and how does it potentially end. We turn over every rock from the Epstein Files to suppressing the midterm elections to World War III.

Follow Tyson on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@thewarriorphilosopher and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewarriorphilosopherig

And please share this episode with someone it would help.

Racism, extremism, and exclusion aren’t abstract problems in martial arts. They show up in real gyms, affect real people, and shape who feels safe on the mats. In this episode of Fighting Matters, hosts Mike Mahaffey and Jesse Walker are joined by Deon Thompson and Stephen Hall for a candid, deeply personal conversation about how racism and hate groups intersect with Jiu-Jitsu culture, why “staying neutral” is not an option, and what responsibility coaches carry when they teach people how to fight.

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🔗 Links Mentioned:
• Fighting Matters Linktree — https://linktr.ee/fightingmatters
• Ohio Brasa Jiu-Jitsu (Deon Thompson) — https://ohiobrasajiujitsu.com
• Bioniq Brass Band (Stephan Hall) — https://www.instagram.com/bioniqbrassband

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👥 Featuring:
• Mike Mahaffey — @oldbastardbjj
• Jesse Walker — @roughhandsbjj
• Deon Thompson — @thompsonjiujitsu
• Stephen Hall — @bioniqbrassband

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🧠 Topics Discussed:
• Racism and extremism in Jiu-Jitsu gyms
• Why this isn’t “just politics”
• Gym culture and accountability
• Belt promotions as endorsements of character
• Representation, safety, and who feels welcome
• Why silence enables harm
• The ethical responsibility of coaches

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📖 Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction
02:10 – Why racism in Jiu-Jitsu can’t be ignored
08:30 – Extremist groups and combat sports
16:45 – Gym culture and leadership responsibility
25:10 – Promotions, character, and accountability
34:40 – Representation and who feels safe on the mats
45:20 – Why neutrality enables harm
57:30 – What coaches must be willing to confront
1:08:00 – Final thoughts and closing remarks

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan and Stephan Kesting unpack the political chaos of early 2026 and its real-world consequences for martial artists. From international instability and economic shocks to propaganda, media capture, and rising authoritarianism, they discuss why “keeping politics out of jiu-jitsu” is no longer possible... and what individuals can actually do in moments like this.

🔗 Links Mentioned:
• Fighting Matters Linktree — https://linktr.ee/fightingmatters
• BJJ Mental Models — https://bjjmentalmodels.com
• Grapplearts — https://grapplearts.com

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👥 Featuring:
• Steve Kwan — @bjjmentalmodels
• Stephan Kesting — @stephankesting

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🧠 Topics Discussed:
• Why global politics now directly affect martial arts
• Authoritarianism, distraction, and media manipulation
• Economic collapse, inflation, and gym sustainability
• Voting with your dollars and leaving toxic gyms
• Building unlikely coalitions in existential moments
• Why silence and “staying apolitical” is no longer neutral

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📖 Chapters:
00:00 — Opening and Stephan’s rant
03:30 — Distraction politics and global instability
08:20 — Checks, balances, and institutional failure
15:00 — Elections, force, and fear
24:40 — Canada, China, and economic survival
39:00 — Why martial artists can’t ignore this
46:30 — What individuals can actually do
56:10 — Coalitions, Rogan, and strange bedfellows
01:04:40 — Voting with your dollars
01:07:15 — Final thoughts and calls to action