Black Belt Banter Podcast

Professor Steve Adams returns to the podcast to talk about staying sane during COVID, maintaining life goals, and opens up about how Jiu Jitsu helped him become who he is today.

Leo Perrucci, owner of Forza Combat Sports, sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about his life practicing martial arts, his love of Muy Thai and Kickboxing, gives us the history of his gym and how he got started in coaching.

Blake Hayes returns to the podcast to talk about COVID and its impact on training, his self defense approach to Jiu Jitsu, and what's going on in the 918.

Matty Welch sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about his nonprofit Monkerpups Corp. which aims to sponsor individuals who need Jiu Jitsu in their lives.

Karl Wolfwood and Jonas Goins sit down with Todd and Clinton to talk about their upcoming submission-only grappling match at FCF 60 and share many laughs while talking shop.

 Kim Blake returns to the podcast to talk about how plant based diet, some special things she does for strength and conditioning, and her plans for the new year.

Returning guest Hunter Colvin comes into the studio to talk about his plans for 2020, getting his black belt in 2019, and talks a little about what his training is like getting ready for competition.

Judo Steve, a black belt in both Judo and BJJ, sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about how he got into Judo when he was young, found Jiu Jitsu while in the Marine Corps, and helps us to understand a little more about Judo.

Andrew Daugherty comes back to hang out with Todd and Clinton to talk about how he got involved with helping Jiu Jitsu in Belize, his time training in Oregon, and gives some great advice about fitting in at gyms.

Brad Barnes, owner and head instructor at Midland BJJ in Texas, sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about how he got started in MMA and Jiu Jitsu, how his gym came to be, and gives some awesome advice to newcomers to the sport of Jiu Jitsu.   https://midlandbjj.com

Bar Belfer, a BJJ blackbelt from Israel, sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about his martial arts journey, his travels around the world, and why he loves Jiu Jitsu.

Triton brown belt and Tulsa fitness guru Jordan Patrick hangs out with Todd and Clinton and talks about how she got started into martial arts, what led her to become a personal trainer, and gives some advice to other girls looking to start Jiu Jitsu.

Freestyle Cage Fighting's Dorothy Faas sits down with Todd and Clinton and talks about how she got started into fighting, her transition into promoting fights, and some behind the scene details of FCF and tips for up and coming mixed martial artists.

Sonny Dalesandro sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about owning our favorite restaurant Dalesandro's, how he got into Jiu Jitsu, and about his soccer career and his involvement with the Tulsa Athletics soccer club.

Randy "Boom Boom" Blake sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about how he got started in martial arts at a young age, defending his ISKA World Heavyweight title, and what his training regimen looks like.

Tyler Murrah, a brown belt out of The Forge BJJ in Edmond, OK, sits down with Todd and Clinton after open mat and talks about how he discovered Jiu Jitsu, how he got started in competing, and some of the things he likes to do to keep himself fresh for competition.

Logan Cunningham, owner of Strike Martial Arts in Jenks, OK, stops by to talk about how he got started in martial arts, why he feels competing is so important, and about how he started Strike Martial Arts.

Powerlifting champion Dennis Cornelius sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about powerlifting, his crazy weight lifting routines, and how he got into Jiu Jitsu.

Micah Stockton, WCF fighter and Factory Grappling Club black belt, sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about how he got started in martial arts, why he started cage fighting, and opens up about his plans for the future.              

David Grayson sits down with Todd and Clinton at the 2019 AGF Arkansas Open in Conway AR, to talk about his lengthy competition career, how he got into martial arts, and a new combat wrestling league.

Karl Wolfwood, a brown belt out of Redline Jiu Jitsu in OKC, sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about how he got into martial arts, his competition and law enforcement experiences, and the upcoming tournaments he is helping to promote.

Michael Graeber, owner of Gracie Humaita in Kansas City, sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about how he got into martial arts, training under Megaton in Phoenix, and how he opened his gym Gracia Humaita.

Local Tulsa BJJ competitor Melissa Mo Simms stops by the studio to talk about how she reluctantly got started into Jiu Jitsu, her drive to compete and better herself, and the deep camaraderie between Tulsa's women of Jiu Jitsu.

Tulsa Tara, from Chubbs and Tara in the Morning on K.HITS 106.9 FM in Tulsa OK, stops by the studio to share how she started her martial arts journey, what being a morning radio DJ host is like, and how Jiu Jitsu has helped her mindset.

This is the episode everyone has been asking for. Todd Ryan, owner of Ryan BJJ and host of the Black Belt Banter Podcast, gets interviewed by Clinton and explains how he got into martial arts, the history of his gym, and how all of this got started. 

Chris Carlino, one of the owners of AGF, hangs out with Todd and Clinton and gives the history of how AGF got started, talks about how he got into Jiu Jitsu, shares some great stories from early days of AGF, and talks about the future of AGF.

This is a special episode of the podcast recorded at the 2019 AGF Tulsa Open. Todd and Clinton set up some mics and nabbed a few unsuspecting guests walking around the event floor. First up is Shelby Williams of Balanced Bodies Massage Yoga BJJ, then Jamie Mickle sits down and tells us how he opened his gym Jedi Jiu Jitsu, followed by Marshall Troy from National Jiu Jitsu in OKC, and last but not least Danny DeMoss who was on the podcast previously gets on the mic (and is accompanied by his clan of medal winning little grapplers) and talks about the merits of getting kids involved in Jiu Jitsu.

Ty Gay, owner of Redline Jiu Jitsu in Edmond OK, sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about how he got into martial arts through music, how Redline got started, and about his philosophy on Jiu Jitsu.

Jayson Dedmon, owner of Conquest Martial Arts in Yukon, OK, sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about how he got into martial arts, how he came to own Conquest, and how being a gym owner has changed his life.

Chris Gazaway, aka X-Cal as he's known in the pro wresting world, stops by the studio to talk about how he got into pro wrestling, his transition into Jiu Jitsu and MMA, and to promote his upcoming MMA fight in Tulsa.

Dr. Jeff Wall, a brown belt from Triton Fight Center, hangs out with Todd and Clinton to promote his upcoming chamber choir event "Choir on Tap," talk about his martial arts journey, and talk about the pro level choir group he leads called Vox Solaris. Check out Vox Solaris and get more info about "Choir on Tap" at www.voxsolaris.net

Todd and Clinton sit down with world champion Justin Rader, owner of Legacy Martial Arts in Edmond, OK to talk about how he got into martial arts at a young age, his mix of wrestling and Jiu Jitsu, and what it's like being a gym owner.

Michael South, owner of National Jiu Jitsu in Oklahoma City, welcomes Todd and Clinton into his gym and talks about how he got into Jiu Jitsu, his other venture the National Jiu Jitsu Association, and martial arts in real life situations.

Tulsa boxing legend Allan "Big Brotha Thunda" Green stops by the studio to hang out with Todd and Clinton and tell about how he got started in boxing at a very young age, share some fight stories, and talk about young fighters coming up today.

Photographer and documentary filmmaker Mac Coplin stops by the studio to talk about the film she is currently working on called "Little Grapplers" which is a documentary about children's programs in BJJ, how she got her start in Jiu Jitsu, and her passion for photography.

Shaw Furukawa and Michael Lindsay from the Tulsa Kendo Club, hang out with Todd and Clinton and explain the basics of Kendo, talk about how they got started into Kendo, and talk about how the Tulsa Kendo Club operates. Kendo is the Japanese martial art where they practice with bamboo swords and wear armor. 

Professor Matthew Holland of Downtown Clinch in Tulsa, OK stops by the hang out with Todd and Clinton and talk about his martial arts journey, how Downtown Clinch got started, and how getting older has effected his game and inspired him to develop "executive Jiu Jitsu."   (side note: the a/c kicked on a few minutes into recording and that's why the sound quality of this episode may be a little off. In the future we'll try to remember to turn off the a/c before recording and sweat it out while we talk.)

Bink Knox hangs out with Todd and Clinton and discusses how getting his son involved in grappling led to him getting into Jiu Jitsu, his tour of all the BJJ gyms in the 918 (Tulsa, OK) area, and how cross training has helped his game. 

Tyler Lee, one of the black belt instructors over at the Factory Grappling Club, comes by the studio to talk about his Jiu Jitsu and MMA journey, his approach to making weight for a fight, and his fight plans for the future.

Rick Bigger, head instructor at Northside BJJ in Collinsville, OK stops by and discusses how he got into martial arts, how his school got started, and shares a crazy story about having to disarm someone trying to shoot him.  Note: We forgot to get a picture with Rick while he was in the studio so this picture is from his website. Rick Bigger is on the right, and legendary BJJ icon Jean Jacques Machado on the left. 

Tulsa Police Officer Shane Pryce stops by the studio to hang out with Todd and Clinton and talk about how Jiu Jitsu has come in handy as a law enforcement officer, gives us the lowdown on narcotics in Tulsa, and tells some crazy cop stories. 

Thomas Williams, owner of Balanced Bodies in Midtown Tulsa and black belt in BJJ, OK stops by the studio to talk about his journey in martial arts, his approach to being a referee, and how his Jiu Jitsu program and Balanced Bodies got started.

Dylan Smith, owner of Shah Mat Jiu Jitsu in Enid, OK, hangs out with Todd and Clinton and talks about his MMA days, a business contest he is hoping to win to help expand his gym, and how Shah Mat Jiu Jitsu got started.

Mike Mullinax, owner of Rogue Jiu Jitsu in Owasso, OK, stops by the studio to talk with Todd and Clinton about his martial arts and Jiu Jitsu journey, how Rogue Jiu Jitsu got started, and what it's like to own a gym. 

Tulsa Police Officer Andrea Morey sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about what it's like being a female police officer, why she got into Jiu Jitsu, and what she feels is the most rewarding part of being a police officer.

Omar French, owner of Omar French Jiu Jitsu stops by the studio to hang out with Todd and Clinton and tell about how he got his start in Jiu Jitsu, traveling around the world, and how having goals is important motivation.

Blake Hayes, founder of Sheepdog Jiu Jitsu, stops by to tell about how he got started in martial arts, what the Tulsa scene was like before there were any black belts around, and how to find value in Jiu Jitsu no matter who you are.

Professor Christian Derr, owner and head trainer at Clinch Martial Arts Academy in Owasso, OK stops in the studio to talk about how he got into martial arts, how Clinch got started, and the many merits of Jiu Jitsu and how it has impacted his life.

Shep Fuller from Team Takedown stops in the studio to talk about his martial arts and law enforcement background, how Jiu Jitsu helped him after getting out of the army, and why every first responder should learn Jiu Jitsu. Shep is offering to help any law enforcement officer who wants to learn martial arts and is even certified to sign off on CLEAT hours.

Clay Marrs, owner of the Factory Grappling Club in Tulsa, OK, stops in to talk about how he got into martial arts, how he started the Factory Grappling Club, and his career serving his community as a firefighter.

Venn Johns sits down with Todd and Clinton to talk about bull riding for PBR, being on ABC's American Ninja Warrior and how he opened his gym BA Ninja Warrior in Broken Arrow, OK after his first time competing on the show, and how he got into Jiu Jitsu.