Forever White Belt

In this episode, I sit down with Clay Mayfield, a Pedigo Submission Fighting black belt under Heath Pedigo and the founder of Triangle Academy. Clay shares his inspiring journey from being homeschooled to becoming a respected black belt and academy owner.

We discuss the importance of finding the right training environment, building a strong community, and balancing the demands of competition, business, and personal growth. Clay opens up about overcoming injuries, the lessons he’s learned as both a coach and competitor, and how he’s cultivated a positive, supportive culture at his gym.

From belting criteria and youth development to the impact of judo on modern Jiu-Jitsu, Clay offers deep insights into what it takes to build not only great athletes but great people.

Links

https://www.trianglefranklin.com/

https://www.instagram.com/claymayfield_bjj/

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In this episode, we are joined by none other than Heath “The Ref” Massery, ADCC referee, PGF referee, and one of the most knowledgeable voices when it comes to understanding the rules that shape elite-level Jiu Jitsu.

In this episode, we dive deep into the art of optimizing your Jiu Jitsu for competition. Heath shares insights from his unique perspective on the mat—what competitors often overlook, the must-know rules that can make or break a match, and the strategies that separate high-level grapplers from the rest. Whether you’re a competitor looking to sharpen your edge, a coach trying to better prepare your athletes, or just a fan who wants to understand the hidden layers of the sport, this conversation is packed with essentials you won’t want to miss.

Links:

@heath_the_ref

https://www.heferee.com/

https://linktr.ee/HeathTheRef

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In this episode, we are joined by the insightful and candid Bird Wiltse. Known for his unique approach to teaching and his journey through the highs and lows of the sport, Bird shares his experiences from competing on the world stage to his passion for creating instructional content. Join us as we explore the art of Jiu-Jitsu, the evolution of techniques, and the personal stories that have shaped Bird's path.

Links:

BJJ Fanatics

https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/instructional-videos/fighter_sathya-wiltse?list=1

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/BirdWiltsebjj

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@birdwiltsebjj

IG https://www.instagram.com/birdwiltse20/

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In this episode, host Adolfo Foronda speaks with Matt Kwan, a black belt and owner of On Guard Jiu-Jitsu Academy, about the recent CJI 2 (Craig Jones Invitational) event. They discuss the production quality, match dynamics, standout performances, and the controversies surrounding the event, including tiebreaker rules and referee decisions. Kwan shares insights on the women's competition, including standout athletes and the challenges faced by competitors, such as injuries. The conversation also touches on Kwan's current endeavors and the importance of feedback for future events.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/onguardbjj/

https://www.instagram.com/theeverydayjiujitsupodcast/

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https://linktr.ee/foreverwhitebelt

https://www.instagram.com/dojochimp/ @dojochip

Welcome to Forever White Belt, where we dive into the dynamic world of Jiu-Jitsu with the insightful Christos Papadelos. A PGF athlete, money maker, and 3x ADCC Open Champion, Christos is also the creator of the Enigma Jiu Jitsu grappling events and EnigmaJiuJitsu.tv. Training under the legendary Jon Danaher and Gordon Ryan at Kingsway Jiu Jitsu in Austin, TX, Christos shares his unique perspective on the sport, the art of grappling, and the entrepreneurial spirit that drives him. Join us as we explore the intricacies of technique, the evolution of his game, and the future of Jiu-Jitsu.

links:

https://www.instagram.com/cpapadelos/

https://linktr.ee/CPapadelos

https://www.instagram.com/enigmajiujitsuofficial/

https://www.enigmajiujitsu.tv/

https://linktr.ee/EnigmaJiuJitsu

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This episode's guest is one of the most exciting names in competitive grappling right now—Max Hanson. A Canadian BJJ Black Belt under Dante Leon, Max represents Pedigo Submission Fighting and is currently considered one of the top 170 lbs. grapplers in the world. His resume includes major titles at IBJJF No-Gi Pans, No-Gi American Nationals, The Enigma Invitational, The Sapateiro Invitational, Midwest Finishers, and more.

In this episode, Max opens up about preparing for CJI 2 and shares insight into what it’s like to train under the unique coaching of both Dante Leon and Heath Pedigo—two titans with very different yet complementary approaches to the game.

We delve into Max’s perspective on techniques, navigating rule sets, and how to approach drilling effectively. Max is not only an elite athlete but also a brilliant communicator—his Instagram breakdowns and Patreon are quickly becoming must-follows for anyone looking to level up their nogi game.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/maxhansonbjj/

https://www.patreon.com/Maxhansonbjj

https://www.instagram.com/westsidebarbellofficial/

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Instagram @foreverwhitebeltshow.

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In this episode, I'm joined by Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, brilliant thinker, and true renaissance man, Drew Weatherhead. You may know him from his hilarious and insightful Because Jitsu page, his mind-expanding book "Fractures," or his world-class instruction on DrewJitsu Online, but there’s so much more to Drew than that.

Drew and his family live as digital nomads, traveling the world while he continues to teach, create, and share his unique perspective on Jiu Jitsu and life. In this conversation, we delve into his approach to learning and teaching, the philosophy that drives his success, and why his ability to make complex ideas accessible has earned him a reputation as one of the most engaging instructors in the field.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/drew.weatherhead/

https://www.instagram.com/because_jitsu/

https://linktr.ee/because_jitsu

https://www.instagram.com/drew.w.author/

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Drew-Weatherhead/author/B0CZKXYX4C

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Instagram @foreverwhitebeltshow.

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In this episode of the show, I’m joined by Shawn Melanson — a Jiu-Jitsu black belt, highly respected instructor, and the owner of Precision Jiu Jitsu in New Hampshire. Known for his incredibly refined and effective teaching style, Shawn is a coach’s coach — a technician with a deep understanding of wrestling for BJJ integration and a powerful advocate for intelligent grappling.

Shawn has become a go-to resource on BJJ Fanatics, where his instructional series, such as Precision Wrestling for Jiu Jitsu and Precision Attacks and Sweeps from Butterfly, Half, and Knee Shield, have helped practitioners around the world elevate their game. In this conversation, we talk about the evolution of his style, how wrestling has shaped his Jiu-Jitsu, his approach to coaching, and what it means to develop high-percentage techniques that hold up under pressure. We also dive into training culture, competition prep, and modern grappling.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/shawnmelanson160/

https://precisionjiujitsunh.com/

https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/instructional-videos/fighter_shawn-melanson?list=1

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#brazilianjiujitsu #jiujitsu #grappling #bjj #nogi

In this episode, I’m joined by one of the most original and dynamic minds in Jiu-Jitsu today — Daniel Schuardt.A black belt competitor and coach currently training under John Danaher with the New Wave / Kingsway team in Austin, Texas, Daniel is the perfect blend of high-level athlete, thoughtful instructor, and unapologetically weird internet personality — and I mean that in the best way. He's also the head coach at Precision MMA in Australia.

Daniel has competed around the globe, recently grabbing headlines with a dominant AIGA win. But what really sets Daniel apart is his ability to make the complicated stuff digestible — and hilarious. Whether he’s explaining guard retention, breaking down strategy, or posting bizarre memes, Daniel keeps it real. His Instagram, @daniel_the_manchild, is a must-follow for anyone serious about learning while laughing.

In this episode, we get into competition mindset, teaching methodology, training in the Danaher room, making Jiu-Jitsu more human and less dogmatic, and why being curious and creative on the mats can be a superpower.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/daniel_the_manchild/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/precision_mma_official/⁠

⁠https://www.precisionmma.com.au/⁠

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Instagram @foreverwhitebeltshow.

Go buy your Forever White Belt swag at teespring.com/forever-white-belt.

Linktree https://linktr.ee/foreverwhitebelt

In this episode, I sit down with one of the most brilliant minds in the world of Jiu Jitsu—Malachy Friedman. Widely respected as a true scientist of the art, Malachy is a black belt whose innovative approach to coaching, technique, and strategy has earned him admiration across the global Jiu Jitsu community. Many of us have looked up to him for years, not just for his depth of knowledge, but also for the generous, passionate, and authentic energy he brings to everything he does.

Malachy shares insights into his evolution as both a martial artist and a coach, detailing his journey through the worlds of MMA and Jiu Jitsu. We dive into the challenges of content creation, the unique demands of coaching in both sports, and his ongoing work to develop a comprehensive MMA instructional library.

We also explore the leg control meta and the importance of personalized coaching that truly resonates with students. Malachy unpacks the nuances of performance, creativity, and the ever-evolving strategies of grappling, highlighting the balance between control and expression, between specialization and adaptability.

From studying legends like Fedor to the role of seminars and sharing knowledge with the next generation, I hope this conversation captures some of what makes Malachy Friedman so respected, not just as a coach, but as an artist, a thinker, and just a great guy.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/malachyfriedman/

https://www.madlabbjj.com/

https://www.skool.com/mmamastermind

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Instagram @foreverwhitebeltshow.

Go buy your Forever White Belt swag at teespring.com/forever-white-belt.

Linktree https://linktr.ee/foreverwhitebelt