In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models sits down with Mike Mahaffey of Old Bastard BJJ and Jesse Walker of Rough Hands BJJ for a raw conversation about why it matters—now more than ever—for Jiu-Jitsu practitioners to speak out.

Why do so many people say “keep politics out of the gym”? What does it really mean to use your platform responsibly? And how can community, not conflict, be the most powerful form of resistance?

From running inclusive gyms to dealing with trolls, threats, and the myth of “virtue signaling,” this episode is a call to action for anyone who believes that Jiu-Jitsu should stand for something more than just fighting.

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👥 Featuring:

Mike Mahaffey – ‪@oldbastardbjj‬
Jesse Walker – ‪@roughhandsbjj‬
Steve Kwan – ‪@bjjmentalmodels‬

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🧠 Topics We Cover:

• Why speaking out doesn’t hurt your business—sometimes it builds it
• How to use privilege as a force for good
• What “virtue signaling” really means (and why it’s a lazy critique)
• How to build a gym that welcomes everyone
• Why moderating your community isn’t censorship—it’s care
• What to do if you’re “just a white belt” but still want to help

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📖 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Fighting Matters and the Hosts
01:02 Addressing Criticism in Martial Arts Advocacy
05:07 Personal Experiences and Advocacy in BJJ
11:06 Creating Inclusive Spaces in Martial Arts
15:39 The Impact of Speaking Up on Business and Community
20:47 Countering Virtue Signaling Criticism
26:32 The Importance of Resistance and Community Building
32:48 Finding Your Voice in the Community
38:14 The Importance of Intention
52:02 Courage to Speak Up
56:24 Building Connections and Community

We're doing this episode in light of Ben Askren's battle with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models sits down with Jeff Shaw of Bellingham BJJ and Dr. Clayton Green, a board-certified dermatologist and microbiologist, to dig into one of the scariest health threats in combat sports: MRSA.

Why are otherwise healthy grapplers winding up hospitalized with life-threatening infections? Why does doing “everything right” still not guarantee safety? And what can we learn from modern medicine to actually prevent this from happening?

With pro athletes like Ben Askren and John Moxley getting sidelined by staph—and regular gym-goers like Jeff fighting it off with IV antibiotics—this conversation goes beyond hygiene to tackle culture, misinformation, and the war between science and bro science.

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👥 Featuring:

Dr. Clayton Green – Dermatologist & Microbiologist
Jeff Shaw ‪@BellinghamBJJ‬
Steve Kwan ‪@bjjmentalmodels‬

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🧠 Topics We Cover:

• How MRSA actually works (and why it’s deadly)
• Why your gym might still be dangerous, even if it’s clean
• The science behind colonization and contamination
• Best practices for prevention and decolonization
• Why “doing your own research” is making you sick
• What science communicators can learn from pro wrestling

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📖 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Staph Infections in Combat Sports
02:44 Understanding Staph and MRSA: The Basics
05:33 The Ecology of Staph: Colonization and Transmission
08:30 Identifying Staph Infections in Gyms
11:17 Best Practices for Prevention and Hygiene
13:56 Antibiotics and Treatment: What You Need to Know
16:37 Decolonization: Challenges and Strategies
19:28 Prophylactic Antibiotics: Risks and Considerations
22:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
25:39 The Importance of Advocacy in Medicine
28:12 Understanding Staph Infections and Their Risks
37:15 Probiotics and Antibiotics: What You Need to Know
44:20 Communicating Science Effectively to Combat Misinformation
51:51 The Goalkeeper Syndrome in Society
53:09 The Impact of Denialism on Health
54:25 The Importance of Vaccination and Public Health
56:57 The Role of Emotion in Persuasion
58:25 Urgent Care and Access to Healthcare
01:03:14 The Privilege of Health and Misinformation
01:06:48 The Challenges of Chronic Illness and Research
01:10:35 Community Outreach and the Medical Profession

Neo-Nazis are infiltrating Jiu-Jitsu—and most of us don’t even know it’s happening.

In this episode of Fighting Matters, we’re joined by investigative journalist Mack Lamoureux to expose the rise of “active clubs”: decentralized extremist groups using martial arts like Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai as recruiting tools for white supremacist and neo-Nazi causes.

Mack spent nearly a decade reporting on far-right extremism for VICE News and now works with the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, tracking extremist movements around the world. He explains how these groups organize in secret, how they weaponize the power of community, and how they’re already competing in tournaments and running covert training groups in cities across North America.

This conversation is a wake-up call for anyone who thinks Jiu-Jitsu is immune to radicalization—and a roadmap for how we push back.

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👥 Featuring:

Mack Lamoureux – Investigative Journalist
Jesse Walker ‪@RoughHandsBJJ‬
Mike Mahaffey ‪@OldBastardBJJ‬
Steve Kwan ‪@bjjmentalmodels‬

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🧠 Topics We Cover:

• What are active clubs—and how do they recruit?
• How extremist groups use martial arts to radicalize
• Why community is both a powerful tool and a dangerous weapon
• The terrifying overlap between fight culture and fascism
• What coaches and gym owners can do to fight back

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📖 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Conversation
01:28 Understanding Active Clubs
05:11 Recruitment Tactics of Active Clubs
08:33 Training for a Race War
10:50 The Nature of Active Clubs
13:31 Community and Cult-like Tactics
15:29 Evolution of Active Clubs
20:41 Decentralized Structure and Terrorism
23:08 Identifying Active Clubs
26:27 The Power of Community Influence
31:14 Normalization of Extremism in Jiu-Jitsu
33:20 The Ethical Decline in Society
35:43 Understanding the Overton Window
41:13 The Role of Community in Combatting Extremism
49:46 Mental Health and Coping with Dark Subjects
54:48 The Power of Local Influence

Luke Thomas just appeared on The Daily Show with Jordan Klepper to talk about how the UFC has become a tool of radicalisation for the MAGA movement, so we invited him onto Fighting Matters to dig a little deeper. You can watch the original segment on Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePbMNq8m7Jw

Follow Luke Thomas on his Morning Kombat show here: https://www.youtube.com/c/MorningKombat

And check out Luke's Substack here: https://lthomas.substack.com/

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan and Stephan Kesting are joined by scientist and author Kristi Charish to investigate how Jiu-Jitsu became a hotbed for pseudoscience, supplement scams, and influencer grifts.

We explore how a culture of male insecurity and anti-intellectualism has opened the floodgates to misinformation—fueled by algorithm-chasing gurus and podcast personalities more interested in profit than truth. From testosterone fads and supplement sponsors to sunning your testicles (yes, really), we unpack the deep societal forces that make grapplers uniquely vulnerable to snake oil.

If you’ve ever been told that breathing through one nostril will double your growth hormone, this episode is for you.

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👥 Featuring:

Kristi Charish – Scientist & Novelist
Stephan Kesting ‪@StephanKesting‬
Steve Kwan ‪@bjjmentalmodels‬

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🧠 Topics We Cover:

• Why Jiu-Jitsu is especially vulnerable to pseudoscience
• The myth of the supplement “quick fix”
• How science actually works (and why grifters hate it)
• Why confidence sells better than expertise
• The parasocial trap of podcast influencers
• What “adaptogens” actually mean (hint: nothing)

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📖 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
01:06 Kristi's Science Background and Transition to Fiction
04:25 The Challenge of Science Misinformation
10:03 The Role of Influencers in Misinformation
16:02 Regulation of Supplements vs. Prescription Drugs
24:03 Understanding Scientific Research and Publication
38:32 The Nature of Expertise and Certainty in Science
46:54 The Risks of Superfoods and Supplements
48:46 Trust in Science and Misinformation
50:19 The Dangers of Distrust in Institutions
53:13 The Impact of Influencers on Health Perception
01:02:47 Misinformation Targeting Young Men
01:09:44 The Dangers of Male Beauty Standards
01:19:27 Improving Science Literacy in Society

Jesse Walker, Jeff Shaw, and Steve Kwan are joined by longtime martial artist, educator, and activist D’Juan Owens. Together, they examine how self-defense training often overlooks the realities of abuse, how martial arts culture can enable victim blaming, and what it really means to create a safe, accountable training environment.

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👥 Featuring:
 • D’Juan Owens – Martial artist, educator, activist
 • Jesse Walker – @RoughHandsBJJ
 • Jeff Shaw ‪@BellinghamBJJ‬
 • Steve Kwan ‪@bjjmentalmodels‬

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🧠 Topics We Cover:

• Why most self-defense seminars miss the mark
• The myth of the stranger in the alley
• How martial arts culture can enable abuse
• The importance of teaching consent and boundaries
• What it means to build a safer gym culture

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📖 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to D’Juan Owens and His Work
00:50 The Journey into Gender-Based Violence Advocacy
09:22 Teaching Self-Defense and Positive Masculinity
11:00 Understanding Privilege and Victim Blaming
13:06 The Complexity of Privilege and Systemic Issues
18:37 Understanding Privilege and Responsibility
21:20 The Psychology of Self-Defense
22:14 Misconceptions in Self-Defense Training
23:25 The Reality of Assaults
26:56 Accountability and Cultural Norms
28:25 The Fallacy of Both Sides
30:11 Moral Cowardice in Jiu-Jitsu
34:07 The Role of Messengers in Self-Defense
37:04 Setting Boundaries and Consent
42:21 The Importance of Power and Responsibility
48:35 Understanding Risk and Personality in Young Adults
49:32 The Importance of Mixed Gender Seminars
51:20 Creating a Toolkit for Situational Awareness
53:13 The Role of Consent in Self-Defense Training
58:27 Navigating Consent and Communication in Martial Arts
01:01:58 Challenging Toxic Masculinity in Martial Arts
01:09:00 Addressing Misconceptions About Women in Jiu Jitsu
01:13:17 Cultural Sensitivity in Self-Defense Training

🎙️ Jay Rod was removed from B-Team. The community response was just as revealing as the offense.

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan, Jesse Walker, and Jeff Shaw dissect the fallout from the Jiu-Jitsu world after Jacob “Jay Rod” Rodriguez was kicked out of B-Team following revelations of inappropriate behavior. While the gym acted swiftly and decisively, parts of the community rushed to defend him—and that’s where the real conversation begins.

This isn’t about legal definitions or criminal charges. It’s about what kind of culture we’re building on the mats—and why so many in Jiu-Jitsu still treat predatory behavior with a shrug, if not outright support.

The team breaks down the incident, the excuses, and what it says about power, values, and safety in martial arts spaces.

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👥 Featuring:

Jeff Shaw ‪@BellinghamBJJ‬
Jesse Walker ‪@RoughHandsBJJ‬
Steve Kwan ‪@bjjmentalmodels‬

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🧠 Topics We Cover:

• Why B-Team made the right call
• The myth of “he didn’t break the law”
• How power dynamics warp gym culture
• Why community pushback matters more than you think
• The real cost of prioritizing athletes over safety

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📖 Chapters:

00:00 Community Reaction to Jay Rod's Removal
02:48 Understanding Inappropriate Conduct in Jiu-Jitsu
06:07 The Impact of Power Dynamics in Gyms
08:55 Moral Standards vs. Legal Standards
11:42 Consequences and Redemption in the Jiu-Jitsu Community
14:50 The Path Forward for Jay Rod

Historian Daniele Bolelli joins us to define fascism and authoritarianism, break down the historical context of fascism, and explain the alliance between oligarchs and fascist governments, the role of fear and propaganda, and the potential role of martial arts in combatting authoritarianism.  

Catch Daniele's excellent History on Fire podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts or check out his site: https://historyonfirepodcast.com/

Follow him on Substack: https://danielebolelli.substack.com/

And check out his book, On the Warrior's Path: https://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Path-Second-Philosophy-Mythology/dp/158394219X

🎙️ The UFC has become more than a fight promotion—it’s a political statement.

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Jeff Shaw, Stephan Kesting, and Steve Kwan sit down with journalist Albert Samaha to unpack his explosive Washington Post article, “Two Nights in Vegas with the Fan-Bros of the UFC.” What begins as a story about fandom becomes a deep dive into the cultural and political forces shaping fight sports today.

From MAGA hat sightings to Dana White’s unwavering support for Trump, the crew explores how the UFC became a haven for right-wing ideology—and what that means for the young men growing up in its orbit.

This conversation isn’t about partisan politics. It’s about understanding how power, masculinity, and media converge in the cage—and what kind of future we’re fighting for.

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👥 Featuring:

Albert Samaha – Journalist & Author
Jeff Shaw ‪@BellinghamBJJ‬
Stephan Kesting ‪@StephanKesting‬
Steve Kwan ‪@bjjmentalmodels‬

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🧠 Topics We Cover:

• Why the UFC embraced Trumpism
• The blurred lines between sport, spectacle, and propaganda
• How fight sports influence young men’s identities
• The grifter economy and “hustle culture” in MMA
• What responsibility promoters have in shaping culture

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📖 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Conversation
02:55 The Intersection of Sports and Politics
06:17 Understanding the UFC Fanbase
09:14 The Role of Authenticity in Politics
12:04 Masculinity and the Appeal of Simplicity
14:56 The Complexity of Political Messaging
17:54 The Andrew Tate Phenomenon
21:07 Human Stories in Fight Sports
24:12 The UFC's Political Landscape
27:13 Conclusion and Reflections on the Future
33:25 UFC's Controversial Support for Problematic Figures
36:08 The Shift in UFC's Image and Strategy
40:21 The Wrestling Influence on UFC's Marketing
44:36 Free Speech and the UFC's Ethical Dilemmas
47:13 Economic Class and Masculinity in the UFC
01:01:47 Navigating Modern Masculinity and Influencer Culture