Are we teaching martial arts… or just teaching moves? Parents sign their kids up for BJJ, Karate, and MMA for discipline, respect, confidence, and focus. But those don’t show up on the mat — they show up at school. In this episode of Social Gelo with Angelo, I sit down with Sunny Ramos, a martial arts instructor who believes our job doesn’t end when class is over. We talk about why instructors should care about their students’ grades, behavior, and attitude outside the gym, where the line between coach and mentor really is, and how small conversations can create big changes in kids’ lives. If you teach martial arts, have kids in martial arts, or run a school, this conversation will make you rethink what it truly means to be an instructor. Are you building fighters… or shaping human beings?

🥋⏱️ Why does it take years to earn a black belt in Karate or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu… while the military can produce functional fighters in months? In this episode, we break down function vs mastery vs rank, how fighting skills were taught historically, and why modern martial arts training takes so long. This isn’t about trashing martial arts or glorifying the military—it’s about understanding purpose, design, and expectations. If you’ve ever questioned what a black belt is supposed to mean, this conversation is for you.

JKD history. FMA reality. And the uncomfortable gap between fantasy and function. I sit down with Dwight Woods (JKD Dialogues Podcast) to break down JKD history, why JKD guys often end up training FMA, where that makes sense, and where things go sideways when weapons training replaces realism. Control vs destruction, MMA pressure testing, and what Kajukenbo gets right. Not a call-out. A reality check.

In this episode of Social Gelo with Angelo, I sit down with Angie, Alice, Dollie, Girlie, April, and Amy — the daughters of Shizu Allen Abad — to talk about legacy, lineage, and the living history of the Abad Method. We discuss who Shizu Allen Abad was as a martial artist, a father, and a leader, and how his work contributed to the Kajukenbo community. The conversation covers the Abad Method’s role within Kajukenbo, what Allen Abad brought to the art, the belt colors and system he used, and how his approach reflected the era in which he was teaching. We also explore Allen Abad’s connection to what was happening in the Kajukenbo scene during the 1980s, his life inside and outside the dojo, and how his family lived, trained, and grew alongside the art. Most importantly, this episode highlights how his daughters continue to preserve and carry forward the Abad Method today. This is a conversation about family, history, and how a martial arts legacy stays alive through the people who carry it forward.

People confuse martial arts, self-defense, and combat sports like they all lead to the same result. They don’t. And if you train without knowing the difference, you might think you’re preparing for one thing… while actually getting ready for something completely different. On this episode of Social Gelo with Angelo, I break down the real distinctions between these three categories and explain where Kajukenbo actually fits in today’s world — not the 1950s version, but how it functions now. Also mentioned in this episode of Social Gelo with Angelo: Why “self-defense” gets misused as a buzzword How rule sets change technique and mindset Why Kajukenbo can’t be boxed into one category The question every student should be asking: “What are we training FOR today?” This isn’t about which is better. It’s about clarity, honesty, and purpose in your training. 💬 Question for you What are you training for right now? ➡️ Martial Arts ➡️ Self-Defense ➡️ Combat Sports Drop your answer in the comments — let’s talk.

Most martial arts instructors think waivers protect them. They don’t. In this episode, I sit down with Anthony Miele — a Kajukenbo black belt and practicing attorney — and Timothy Bruce to talk about the real legal issues instructors face when running a martial arts program. We cover waivers, injuries, kids classes, parents, legal risk, policies, documentation, common mistakes, and how instructors should think long-term about protecting themselves, their schools, and their families. If you’re running a martial arts program, this episode is required listening.

In this episode of Social Gelo with Angelo, I sit down with Claude Lawson — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Kajukenbo black belt, and long-time martial arts practitioner — to break down one of the most controversial debates in modern martial arts: 👉 Did Sambo become the system Kajukenbo always wanted to be? We dive into: The historical roots of Sambo and Kajukenbo Why both systems were designed for real fighting How competition shaped Sambo into a proven combat sport Why Kajukenbo’s tournament culture drifted into point fighting The MMA connection: Fedor, Khabib, Islam vs. Liddell, Glover, Pereira The role of The Pit and John Hackleman in modern Kaju lineage What Kajukenbo can learn from Sambo without losing its soul Cultural and logistical barriers to full-contact Kaju competition Why training methods matter more than style labels Whether “old school Kaju” still exists the way people claim it does This isn’t about starting beef — it’s about being honest about how martial arts evolve, what actually works under pressure, and how we can push systems like Kajukenbo into the future without watering down the art. Whether you're a Kaju brotha or a Sambo athlete, this conversation is going to challenge the way you think about “realistic” martial arts. 🔥 Social Gelo with Angelo — breaking down martial arts culture, combat realism, and the history behind the fighters. 📍 If you’re ever in Kasai City, Japan, come check out Level Up Gym. DM for training details. 👊 Subscribe for more martial arts deep dives, history talks, and interviews with fighters, coaches, and black belts.

In this episode of Social Gelo with Angelo, I sit down with Ilona Halbuna — daughter of Senior Grand Master Joe Halbuna — to talk about her father’s incredible legacy in Kajukenbo and how he helped bring the art from Hawai‘i to the mainland United States. We dive into: • The history of the Halbuna lineage • SGM Joe Halbuna’s role in spreading Kajukenbo • Family memories and training stories • The evolution of Kajukenbo over the years If you’re a martial artist, especially in Kajukenbo, this is a powerful conversation about preserving lineage, honoring our roots, and understanding the pioneers who shaped the art we train today. 👊🏽 Subscribe for more martial arts history, interviews, and training insights!

In this episode of Social Gelo with Angelo, I sit down with Taybren Lee — a judo black belt, BJJ black belt, grappling coach, and JJIF-affiliated instructor with deep experience in both traditional and modern Jiu-Jitsu — to break down how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has changed over the decades. What started as a conversation about why it took me 18 years to get my brown belt turned into a deep dive into the entire evolution of the art. I also share how I see all of this from my Kajukenbo perspective, since I came up in a system that blends striking, grappling, and self-defense. We get into: 🥋 Why practitioners used to stay at the same belt for 10–20 years ⛔ Old-school rules that didn’t allow coaching unless you were a black belt ⚔️ How people now coach after one year — good or bad? 🧠 How Jiu-Jitsu shifted from a fighting art to a sport-focused system 🤼 The underplayed influence of catch wrestling on early Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 🕵️ Some of the lesser-known parts of BJJ’s early history 📜 Carlos Gracie’s controversial role and the politics behind the scenes If you're into BJJ, martial arts history, or you’ve ever wondered what really happened to Jiu-Jitsu, this episode goes deep into topics most people don’t talk about.

In this episode, I sit down with two East Coast Kajukenbo black belts, Andy Hansen and Tom Campbell, and we break down how their martial arts backgrounds connect back into the Kajukenbo family tree. Both of these guys come from the lineages that trace through Karazenpo, Shaolin Kempo, Fred Villari, and the United Studios of Self-Defense (USSD) era. They explain how Kajukenbo made its way from the West Coast to the East Coast, how different branches evolved, and how certain instructors claimed to go to China and return as “Kung Fu masters.” We talk about what’s real, what’s questionable, and ultimately—what does any of that really mean for you as a martial artist? Tom Campbell also shares his experience as a former American kickboxing world champion, adding a real fighting perspective to the conversation. If you’ve ever been confused about Kempo, Kajukenbo, Shaolin Kempo, Villari’s, USSD, or how all these systems connect, this episode clears it all up. 👉 Like, subscribe, and drop a comment if you want more episodes diving into Kajukenbo history and the martial arts world.