Jiu Jitsu Files

What does international grappling look like behind the scenes? Eric will let you know in File 17.

What happens when you take a Jiu Jitsu tournament, flip a coin to decide whether a match is points or submission-only, and build the entire event around the competitors and community?

In File #16, Joey and Eric break down the Lake Arrowhead Open — from the idea behind the tournament to what actually happened when the brackets started running.

We get into the unusual rule format, professional refereeing, SmoothComp, dividing responsibilities, last-minute no-shows, and the little production decisions that turned a local tournament into something that felt like a show.

But the biggest story wasn't a bracket or a medal.

It was the community.

Parents, kids, coaches, wrestlers, teammates, volunteers, and local businesses all helped turn the Lake Arrowhead Open into something bigger than a tournament.

This episode is our breakdown of what worked, what we learned, what we'd change, and why we believe great Jiu Jitsu events should be about more than finding out who wins.

This is Jiu Jitsu Files #16.

What happens when you don't know the ruleset until you step onto the mat?

In File No. 15, Joey and Eric sit down the night before the Lake Arrowhead Jiu Jitsu Open to talk about the idea behind the tournament—and why every match begins with a coin flip.

Points or submission only. You don't know until the coin lands.

They get into building a ruleset that rewards complete grapplers, the advantages of wrestling, guard pulling, submission attacks, competing against teammates, and why being able to adapt matters more than specializing in one style of competition.

They also talk about what goes into building a Jiu Jitsu tournament in a small mountain community and creating an event that feels different from everything else out there.

Different rules. Different strategies. Same goal: find out who can adapt.

What does it look like to build your life around Jiu Jitsu?

In File No. 14, Joey and Eric sit down with Andrew Murillo—Owner of 10th Planet Murrieta, PGF Referee, and founder of King of Subs—to talk about turning a passion for Jiu Jitsu into a career, an academy, tournaments, and a life.

They go back to the early days of training together, living together, teaching privates, throwing events, and figuring things out as they went—and how those early experiences eventually grew into something much bigger.

Andrew also talks about building King of Subs, running an academy, creating better systems, experimenting with new rulesets, and the reality of trying to make a living doing what you love.

This is the Jiu Jitsu dream—and the work it takes to actually live it.

In File No. 13, Joey and Eric talk about why efficiency matters more than brute force, how different grappling styles have shaped modern Jiu Jitsu, and why the way you train has to evolve as you get older and more experienced.

They also get into real-world situations where Jiu Jitsu made a difference—and why having the ability to control someone doesn't mean you always need to use it.

Running a Jiu Jitsu academy involves much more than teaching Jiu Jitsu.

In File No. 12, Joey and Eric talk about the things nobody prepares you for when you open a gym—from floods, power outages, and construction problems to injuries, parents, etiquette, scheduling, finances, and all the random problems that somehow become your responsibility.

They also cover teaching, managing different personalities, building the right culture, and adapting when things don't go according to plan.

It's a conversation about the lessons you learn when you go from knowing Jiu Jitsu to figuring out how to actually run a Jiu Jitsu academy.

File 11 is a fast, funny, deeply personal look at the people, philosophies, and bizarre stories that built the LA Jiu Jitsu Club into what it is today.

In File No. 10, Joey and Eric go back to their wrestling days at Moorpark College and talk about how those experiences helped shape the competitors—and people—they eventually became.

They share stories about Coach Paul Keesaw, the grind of college wrestling, wins, losses, setbacks, and the mental side of competition. They also talk about how lessons learned in the wrestling room carried over into Jiu Jitsu years later.

From struggling in high school to competing at higher levels and chasing Team USA, this File is about sticking with something long enough to find out where it can take you.

In this File, Joey and Eric break down a lesson that shaped their careers: say yes to the smaller jobs before you're ready for the bigger ones. By helping other people build, run, and support the things they wanted to do, they learned every part of the process firsthand. That experience gave them the confidence and knowledge to later launch their own projects with fewer surprises and a stronger foundation. It's a conversation about humility, preparation, and why the best way to lead is often to start by supporting.

Gym etiquette can make or break your Jiu Jitsu experience. The smallest habits - showing up on time, wearing the right gear, knowing when to speak up or shut up, and reading the room - can be the difference between getting welcomed in or quietly marked as “that guy.”

In File No. 8, Joey & Eric break down the written and unwritten rules of Jiu Jitsu — they also get into the differences between old-school traditions and today's more relaxed Jiu Jitsu culture, and why understanding the room you're walking into matters.

Essential listening for new students, visiting practitioners, parents, and anyone who wants to be a better teammate, a better guest, and a better representative of their school.