Gracie Jiu Jitsu Rocks! podcast

Justin Faiferlick, owner of Faiferlick Martial arts and Gracie Ft Dodge in Ft Dodge, IA, is a 7th degree black belt martial artist and a Gracie Jiu Jitsu blue belt. He is a career Air Force veteran, a husband, father, and grandfather. Justin is currently battling stage 4 malignant melanoma cancer. In this episode Justin discusses his military career, his martial arts journey, his family, and courageously shares his current situation and what he wants his legacy to be. Please share this episode and help increase awareness of this devastating condition. Please donate to Justin and his family at venmo @justin-faiferlick  

Professor Brian Glick is BJJ black belt under John Danaher and Renzo gracie. He is a world renowned instructor and coach, and John Dananher's longest running student. In this interview he discusses the culture shock of Moving to NYC at 17,  his introduction to Gracie Jiu Jitsu, his introduction to John Danaher at Renzo's academy, what the the environment was like at Renzo's academy in the early days and how he persevered through the crazy times, witnessing Jiu Jitsu's growth, the fact we all have doubts and struggles in Jiu Jitsu and feel like giving up at times, one huge important thing that he learned from John Danaher,  why being an apprentice to a master teacher  is so beneficial, his (very interesting) thoughts on training  (how, when, how much etc) and skill acquisition, how a Master Renzo was an innovator and why he's been able to produce so many high level successful people, a memory of Master Renzo and what makes him so special, something about him that people may not know, his instructional videos, and more…

Thomas Rozdzynski is a 3rd degree black belt, owner of the ROL academy of Jiu Jitsu, Co-Owner of the ROL Radio podcast, and creator of ROL TV. In this interview Thomas talks about the challenges of immigrating to the US as a teenager and how it developed his resiliency, the importance of doing hard things, the evolution of “fluffy Thomas”, training with Carlosin Gracie Sr, his journey through the Chicago-land Jiu Jitsu scene and how it changed over time, how starting a film company led to opening his academy, transitioning from day job to full time academy owner, the business of Jiu Jitsu and running a successful academy,   what makes a quality instructor, making sure to attract the right people to your academy (for yours and their sakes), the most effective teaching/training methods, why people quit Jiu Jitsu, what TAC Fit is and why he loves it, what inspires him and who's had the most impact on his life, and more!

Nick Koumalatsos is a world renowned men's coach and mentor.  He's a husband, father, veteran advocate, former marine raider, and reconnaissance marine, founder of the Raider Project, Philanthropist, YouTuber,  host of the Always Forward podcast. He's the founder of the Agoge program, the Modern Day Knight, the Squire program, and more. In this episode he talks about his troubled childhood and the impact of no positive masculine role models, what led him to joining the USMC and the long road (process) he went through to get in, the challenges of transitioning back to civilian life, The emotional baggage we all bring with us,  what led him to Jiu Jitsu and getting out of his comfort zone to start, and what the journey has been like for him, the biggest issues men are facing today and how men need to stand up, his coaching and mentor programs including The Agoge, Modern day Knight project, Squire program (father and son event), etc.

Master Carlos Machado is back on the show to discuss all things he's been up to lately, his recent 60th birthday, staying balanced as he ages (including carnivore diet, red light therapy, blue blockers, mindset, etc), staying present in the moment, what it was like back in the day in Brazil training with his cousins and brothers, what Rolls, Rickson were like, Carlson's influence, Grandmasters Carlos and Helio and their relationship - and how  their individual personalities shaped Jiu jitsu, his perspective on what the different belt level represent and what the goal should be for each level, Carlos Gracie's motivation for developing the Gracie diet and lifestyle, Sound mechanics, the biggest lesson Jiu Jitsu has taught him, the people who inspired him the most, and what he wants his legacy to be. Don't miss it and don't forget to like and share!    

“Imagine not needing over the counter meds to get through training sessions.“ ~Kevin Lucas Kevin Lucas, Co-owner of New Hope Regeneration, discusses what stem cells are and what they do, the five things that have changed the course of human history, how allopathic medicine has missed the boat in the US, using Jiu Jitsu analogies to understand stem cells, how receiving stem cells stimulates regeneration and wakes up your body's own dormant stem cells, how they affect your immune system, dispelling some of the myths about regenerative cells,  the 3 leading causes of death in the US,  your stem cell bank account, PRP (platelets) are not the same as Stem cells, what makes his company New Hope Regeneration different, why “healthy mothers healthy babies” is so important with stem cells, his work in the Jiu Jitsu community and why it's so important for Jiu Jitsu practitioners, ,his multi time world champion brother, the Mr Olympia and Subversive Combat Jiu Jitsu events, his work with veterans, Seals Future Foundation, stem cells and TRT,  his health/medical background and why he got into regenerative therapy, why having the right mindset and expectations with Stem cell therapy is important, his martial arts background and how he found Jiu Jitsu, his faith, and more!  

“Helio Gracie was a general. He was a father, and instructor. He was the most amazing man I met in my life. He was the toughest man I ever met” Master Pedro Sauer returns to discuss The Sauer Protection Institute, His 2 new non profits (teaching kids Jiu Jitsu, and computer skills, and preserving the rivers/jungles),  how simple things make a big difference, the jungle he planted, how we fight for things to come, His Anniversary and birthday, how our relationship with Jiu Jitsu changes as we age, longevity, tapping early, the benefit of cross training with other schools, why Grandmaster Helio used to call him Santa Clause, importance of an open mind, thoughts on take downs for street and sport, only doing as much as necessary in a street altercation, his take on modern competition BJJ and modern MMA, updates on his association, why respecting everyone is so important and how this affects the school environment, our lives, and our families, Giving people grace and keeping the doors open for them to return to your academy, using the notion of the skeleton in teaching Jiu Jitsu and how he came up with it, how kids live up to their labels, what he's most happy about and proud of right now in his life…..and more  

  “I'm not afraid of getting punched in the face. That's my love language” Dan Joseph, Dan Zia Joseph is a BJJ practitioner, Army veteran, and author of Backpack to Rucksack: Insight into Leadership and Resilience by Military experts. In this interview he discusses How his buddy got him into BJJ, his navy seal friends influence on him, joining the Army at 32 years old, training at Dean Lister and Jocko's academy, how BJJ philosophy Carries over to the rest of life. Battling anxiety, what Jiu Jitsu taught him about himself and how it forced him to deal with past trauma, how training blindfolded developed his game, the staggering impact of veteran suicide, his friend Eric's impact on his JJ during the pandemic, facing the “boogie man” of  fear, having your stress “beat” out of you by people you trust, why there are no bad positions in Jiu Jitsu, being there for and listening to veterans, why he wrote the book, deferent types of leaders and how they affect their people, his mentors' impact on him, the importance of resilience, the concept of the ruck sack, and more! Listen on all major podcast platforms or at GracieJiuJitsuRocks.com.

An “Active attempt to be humbly aware of how limited my knowledge is” lets me be a student in the truest sense.  ~Chris Haueter Chris Haueter is a  6th degree Black belt, member of the dirty dozen and founder of Combat Base. He is an insightful and skilled teacher as well as a gifted artist.  In this interview he discusses Reassessing your game as you get older, what the slogan Think street, Train Sport, Practice Art means,kKeeping an open mind and maturing in your attitude and perspective, being an amateur scientist, artist, and historian, staying humble, the Hegelian dialect mode, being conditioned how to age, Importance of free speech (and what it means), knowledge vs disinformation, scientific method and inquiry, the dunning kruger effect, the theory of 3s, environment vs will, how the rules of a competition influence how an art is practiced/performed, how GI and No Gi compliment each other, his love for cultural anthropology, the analogy of Rock and Roll to Jiu Jitsu's development, traveling the world teaching, how society views older people, being part of the Dirty Dozen, JKD,  Rigan Machado and Rickson Gracie's impact on him, his wife Melissa and how they met, having fun in Jiu Jitsu…  

“In combat simplicity succeeds and complexity kills.” Lt Col. Jason Mills Jason Mills is a Pedro Sauer Brown belt and a Certified Gracie University instructor. He recently finished his military career and will be the new manager of Gracie Sacramento  (a new CTC) in the Sacramento area of CA. In this interview he discusses his military career, how he found Jiu Jitsu and his Jiu Jitsu philosophy, hard vs soft training, the importance of mastering the basics at a high level, the instructors who've had the biggest impact on him, how Helio emphasized the self defense mindset and how Professor Sauer, Ryron and Rener are carrying it forward, advice for people starting Jiu Jitsu, other martial arts he practices, his favorite book and the meaning it has for him and his life, and more…. Listen on all major podcast platforms or at GracieJiuJitsuRocks.com    

Marty shares his journey and experience of becoming a certified Wim Hof Method instructor

Dr. Peter Warshawski, Lifelong martial artist, Periodontal dental surgeon, fitness enthusiast, and recent author,  discusses his new book: Blows, and why he wrote it, overcoming all the childhood negative programming and discovering his power, Becoming a periodontal dental surgeon, what to look for in a great dentist, the importance of dental hygiene has on other areas of health including cardiovascular health, the importance of food and nutrition, being diagnosed with RA, how he met his wife Audry and the gift she is to him, the importance of self care and resilience, the role that BJJ has played in his life and who have been the biggest influencers on his BJJ including Henry Akins, why boxing is so important to him and the role James Lights Out Toney has had on him, what he wants his legacy to be, and why anyone can achieve great things with the right mindset  

Todd Fox, Security & Expert and 3rd BJJ Black Belt, is a former Marine, law enforcement officer, BJJ black belt, and Author. After his military service, he began his career in EP (Executive Protection) and has spent the past two decades providing executive protection and safety services to high level clients including  some of the most recognizable names in music and movies including Guy Ritchie, Madonna, Motley Crue, nine inch nails, Janet Jackson, and Tool, to name a few.  He holds three black belts in uniquely different arts. He is a former NHB/MMA fighter, as well as a black belt U.S. National Champion, U.S. Open Champion and Pan American Medalist in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He continues to actively train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai.  In this interview we cover a wealth of topics including his current situation and what protective/security services has been like for him,  the importance of building relations, working with Matt Damon on the Bourne Identity set, waking Madonna up on 9-11, most rewarding and most challenging aspects to his work,  why he joined the Marine Corps and what it taught him, fighting bare knuckle and NHB back in the day, his martial arts journey including training with Rodrigo Vaghi, his time with Rickson Gracie, living with and training with Henry Akins, sharing the mat with Sean Patrick Flanery, and how Renzo Gracie impacted him and his Jiu Jitsu, advice to new Jiu Jitsu practitioners, Security safety advice for the general public..in the areas of driving/road rage, airport/airplane, walking in a city (the 3 Cs), and firearms. We discuss his approach to learning  languages, and the books he's written including his soon to be released book for Jiu Jitsu instructors wanting to teach law enforcement officers ( and the multitude of things they need to know), and much more.   

Sean Patrick Flanery, world renowned actor and 4th Degree BJJ black belt, discusses new movie Nefarious and all that went into doing it, his gratitude for his long movie career, training at Rafael Lavato Jr's academy while filming the new movie, practicing Martial Arts since age 9, his deep obsession for Jiu Jitsu and why it will be the biggest part of his legacy,  training at Rickson's academy, Henry Akins' impact on him, his movie Born a Champion and how it came to be, his book Jane 2, meeting his wife and what drew him to her, the three questions that define old school JJ, adding realism to your training, the value of the the early UFCs, the most important things for kids to learn in Jiu Jitsu, the defend-escape-positional control-submission hierarchy, why Jiu Jitsu is unintuitive and a re-learn is needed, the early days at Rickson's academy, why Renzo is the greatest person in Jiu Jitsu and the incredible impact he's had on him, his faith and the importance it has for him, the importance of delayed gratification and why discomfort is key to growth and, how the way you live is “your thank you letter,” and more!

Charlie Vinch, BJJ black belt, expert striker and owner of Budo Martial Arts Studio in Ewing, NJ discusses his recent  Brazil trip and tips for those traveling to Brazil, training at the world renowned Chute Boxe academy and meeting Wanderlei Silva and others, his extensive martial arts journey, getting his Black belt from the Migliarese brothers and what he's learned from them, his academy and philosophy, the importance of building technical foundation before adding power, what part emotions play in learning and development, the benefits of studying/training multiple martial arts, transitioning from fighter to instructor, goals for 2023 and lessons learned 2022, his thoughts on realistic training and what's needed for someone to be great in striking, No Gi, GI, street self defense, and much more!

Matt Wahlstrom is a Tom DeBlass Black Belt, Entrepreneur, small biz owner,  licensed realtor, Crazy off road racer, inventor, and creator of the  lifestyle clothing brand, Epic Roll Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In this interview Matt discusses the Importance of balance in life, his BJJ journey, what fighting MMA taught him, training with Eric Silver and mario Yamasaki, landing at Team Renzo Gracie-team Tom Deblass (Silverbacks), how Jiu Jitsu has evolved, his thoughts on Tom Deblass, the challenges and what he learned from working in the corporate fitness world, how his young son helped him make a major career decision, living and running a business in Nashville, working in real estate and what it takes to be successful, starting the lifestyle clothing brand Epic Roll, his fitness and baby bottle product and the intricacies of the patent process, important lessons he's learned from Jiu Jitsu, goals and what it takes to achieve them, his crazy off road racing adventures, and more!

Priit Mihkelson is a BJJ black belt and world renowned instructor. He is known for his innovation of Jiu Jitsu techniques and strategies, and his think outside the box philosophy. In this interview Priit discusses his current travels/seminars, his popular Defensive Jiu Jitsu and how it got started and has evolved, trenches and transitions, how his work is misunderstood, training to keep from getting into positions/submissions vs training from worst positions, his Viking heritage and his upbringing in Estonia, his martial arts journey, his involvement in the BJJ Globetrotters camps, misconceptions of Jiu Jitsu, his family, and much more….

Professor  Ryan Young, 3rd degree Kama Jiu jitsu Black Belt, discusses his current Annual Thanksgiving food basket drive, why he loves Texas, starting his journey in Hawaii and his time with Relson, Rickson's impact and influence on him, his Jiu Jitsu philosophy, running techniques through the self defense screen, is GJJ a complete martial art, staying out of the red zone, injuries in Jiu Jitsu, his family, not waiting to start one's Jiu Jitsu journey, Dave Kama, and the powerful impact he's had on his life, and more!

 Karel “Silver Fox” Pravec, 4th degree Renzo Gracie black and owner of Silver Fox BJJ  discusses coming from Czechoslovakia and escaping to the to US, his introduction to Jiu Jitsu, training with Renzo and his relationship over the years, opening his own school and what it takes to succeed, His YouTube channel and live troubleshooting streams, his relationship with Firas Zahabi and appearing on the tri star gym channel, his favorite sub and/set up, the submission continuum, how you can continue to improve even if you're the best guy at your gym, comparing old school JJ and the modern game, how Jiu Jitsu has come full circle, self defense vs competition, advice for older practitioners, the last time he was out of your comfort zone, what success means to him and more

Professor Bernado Faria is a 5X BJJ champion, owner of Bernardo Faria BJJ academy, and Co-founder of BJJ Fanatics. In this episode he discusses where he grew up and how he got started in Jiu Jitsu, training with instructors Ricardo Marques, Fabio Gurgel, and Marcelo Garcia,his mindset and training leading up to his championships, his favorite technique and set up, the most important thing needed to be successful in competition, developing mental toughness, his academy core values and mission, BJJ Fanatics - how it got started and how it's grown to be what it is today, some of his favorite BJJ Fanatics instructors and what makes them so good, how to partner with BJJ fanatics, his upcoming camp, what makes his such a nice guy, his parents'  influence on him and his attitude, choosing happiness and the power of positivity, being authentic, biggest changes he's seen in Jiu Jitsu over the years, Mark Zuckerberg doing Jiu Jitsu, the parallels of Jiu Jitsu and life, and more!

In this episode we celebrate the life of 4th degree Pedro Sauer Black Belt Professor Keith Owen through the eyes of his family,  affiliates,  fellow instructors, the people who loved him. Keith Owen was an incredible man. He was an incredible teacher, mentor, friend, husband, father, and an amazing human being who impacted so many people's lives. He left this life too early but he was a true example of the belief of “it's not how many years you live but the amount of lives you touch while you're here.”    Featured in this episode are Ari Kay, Rob Magao, Carrigan Owen, Josh Arentz, Karlton Rowe, Todd Richards, James Foster, Alex Owen, Jeff Walther, Mark Cukro, Master Pedro Sauer, and Shirlane Owen (and clips of Keith himself).

Mark Schultz, olympic gold medal wrestler, UFC veteran, and Pedro Sauer black belt discusses Why he purposely threw the last match of the 1988 Olympics, Foxcatcher movie and why he didn't like it, His book - Foxcatcher and the real story of Foxcatcher, His epic match with Rickson, How he got into UFC 9, Why he only fought in one UFC, Pedro Sauer's epic fight against Lance Batchelor, What he learned from Master Sauer, His thoughts on Rickson's fighting style, Cornering Tank Abbot in the UFC, His thoughts on wrestlers in the early UFCs, and much more!

Jamie Marich, Ph-d and Anna Pirkl, LMFT, authors of Healing Trauma with Jiu Jitsu, discuss what trauma is and how common it is, the toll it takes on our lives, how trauma shrinks our worlds, the link/relationship between addictions and trauma, importance of physical play, moving from victim mentality to warrior activist, the range of response in Jiu Jitsu and why Jiu Jitsu is can be so effective in healing trauma, what instructors should know about trauma and the trauma informed attitude, and more!

Rickson discusses  writing his book, how his philosophy about fighting has changed through the years, learning to fight without emotion, Representing the Gracie legacy, His early fights in Japan, the spirit of the samurai, being treated like a God in Japan, cold exposure, meditation and his fire ceremony during his fight prep, the incredible power of breathing/ breathwork, the importance of visualization, achieving “empty mind”, If he ever felt like he failed at anything, what he feels is his greatest accomplishment, cooperative versus aggressive environments for teaching/learning jujitsu, technology's impact on people, The people that really need Jiu Jitsu, Ichi wan Ichi go - savoring the moment being present with no regrets, thoughts on modern BJJ, what's next for him and what is mission is now, etc

In this interview Ricardo discusses his academy and how it got it's name, the special things going on in addition to Jiu Jitsu out of his academy, working with wounded veterans and some modalities that have helped him, what he learned from Navy frog men, the KB1 foundation working with PTSD and suicidal ideation, the incredible variety of high level people he's trained with that have impacted his Jiu Jitsu,  his career in the Navy, his medical career, his wife Heidi who is also a black belt, his family, his business advice for academy owners, the importance of a mentor, his Jiu Jitsu philosophy including his competition philosophy and strategy,  the biggest impactors in his life, and knowing the totality of Jiu Jitsu.

Randy McElwee is a Pedro Sauer Black Belt and owner / director of GRACIE® Jiu Jitsu Athens - Team Pedro Sauer at American Black Belt Academy in Athens, GA He also serves on the board of directors for the Pedro Sauer association. In this interview he discusses various subjects including going into the Army and straight to Special Forces; what it took to get through SF training and biggest lessons he learned in SF; early days of Jiu Jitsu and piecing things together with the old VHS tapes;  bringing Rorion in and learning Jiu Jitsu philosophy from him; getting his blue belt from Royce; driving 2 hours one way to train early in his jiu jitsu journey; Pedro Sauer's impact on him;  opening and running his academy; the importance of spending time with his son and how Jiu Jitsu facilitates that; leadership, and the significance of a team; importance of realistic weapons training; serious but fun training; Going Commando-discovering your warrior type; feeling fear but not letting it own you; biggest impacts on his life; and the joy he's experienced through Jiu Jitsu, and more…

EP 144 Rick Ellis is a Roy Dean Black belt and founder of The Art of Skill. In this interview he talks about being a musician in his youth; his nomadic lifestyle; early days at Roy Dean's academy and Roy's effect on him; training with Luis Heredia in Maui;  training with Alexey Cruz in Maine; where the name 3rd Way Jiu Jitsu came from; the inner challenges; success and self growth of opening a new academy; collaborating with Roy dean on his original you tube videos; what JJ has given him, and more!

Ray Griffin, Pedro Sauer Black Belt and owner/head instructor of Griffin Jiu Jitsu Academy in Orem Utah, discusses his journey, including starting with karate and his grandfathers' advice, How UFC 1 affected him, starting and training JJ with Pedro Sauer in Utah, his family and the parallels of  JJ and parenting, his academy and how it really is a family affair, empowering women,  situational awareness and self defense, importance of firearms training and safety, Griffin tactical, working in real estate and how Jiu Jitsu comes into play in this space, and his thoughts on getting older in Jiu Jitsu and how Jiu Jitsu is for everybody, and BJJ vs Gracie Jiu Jitsu, and more!

Ryron Gracie returns for a lively and interesting discussion. In this interview he discusses morning routines, his family and their recent move), cold plunges, the 32 principles (how they came about and the importance of them in learning and being efficient in Jiu Jitsu), Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) and the recent HBO show, sexual predators in jiu Jitsu, and more….

Miles Lukas, BJJ Black Belt, Certified Wim Hof instructor, & owner of Breath Fitness. In this interview we discuss his Jiu Jitsu journey-including training with Jerry Brewer, Phil Migliarese, Steve Maxwell, Relson Gracie, Ralph Gracie, Kurt Oseander, etc.; training with the heavy weight group at Dave Camarillo's school and its effect on his development; training with Eduardo Tellis; matching the intensity of the training partner; Wim Hof breathing for competition anxiety; Fight to Win competition; learning from Rickson; breathing and breath-work; comparing Wim Hof and Rickson breathing; how important breathing is for BJJ; being connected to the earth's energy, etc.

Dave Kama, 5th degree Rickson Gracie black belt and head of Kama Jiu Jitsu. Dave is one of the very few people to have trained under Master Rickson and have all his belts awarded to him by Rickson, blue belt through black belt. Dave Kama also #2 of the “Dirty Dozen”, a moniker given to the first 12 non-Brazilians to earn the coveted black belt. In this episode he discusses his stat in BJJ, the early days in Rorion Gracie's garage, challenge matches, training with Rickson, starting his own academy, the importance of finding the right teacher for your style of learning, what new practitioners should focus on, his thoughts on older practitioner training, and more!

Roy Marsh, founder of Roy Marsh Jiu Jitsu and owner/head instructor of Gracie Schwarzwald, discusses his early days in NC with TEAM ROC; his move to Germany, and what that’s been like; his philosophy including competition type focus and self defense focus, why the ability to control your opponent is so important, information gathering while rolling, why he never sets timers at his school;  his instructional videos; people who’ve had the biggest impact on his BJJ and life, and much more

Sensei/Coach Erik Paulson is a champion fighter, world renowned instructor/coach, and founder of Combat Submission Wrestling. He discusses how he stayed productive this past year, transitioning from fighter to coach, changing universal energies, UFOs, being ready when the creative juices come, writing dvd project on a napkin on an airplane, changes he’s made in his association and programs, not living in fear, combining catch wrestling in his jj program, how he developed his scarf game (including the fat man choke), his intensive private sessions, his business coaching for school owners, sensei Uri Nackamura and Shooto, Pankration for kids, CSW and His current projects, how his break fall ability saved him during a bike accident, Combat Athletic Conditioning program, and more  

Featuring 2020 Episode Clips from Evandro Nunes (The Lion and when to let him out), Matt Thornton (training with Rickson, Chris Hauter, fundamentals as universal concepts), Ricky Lundell (starting BJJ as a kid with Pedro Sauer, the time he “fought” Pedro’s daughter Taissa), Scott Nelson (Emotional Intelligence and its impact on his life and Jiu Jitsu), Clark Gracie (GM Carlos, GM Carley and how the term Gracie Jiu Jitsu came about), Ryron Gracie (Summary/Recap of the meet the listeners 2 episode)......

In This episode we talk about challenges, triumphs and lessons learned in 2020. Joining me for this episode I have Pedro Sauer Black Belts: Randy McElwee Gracie Jiu Jitsu Athens (Athens, GA) Mark Cukro Integrated Martial Arts (concord, NC) Alan Baker  Atlanta Martial Arts Center, (Woodstock GA) Dan Berry Integrated Martial Arts of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT) Chaz Valentine Bushin Martial Arts (Williamsburg, VA) Rondel Benjamin Gracie Jiu Jitsu Trinidad/Tabago Andy Bryant Gracie Jiu Jitsu Commerce (Commerce, GA)

Richard Bresler is back on the show. Bichard is a 6th degree black belt and Rorion Gracie’s first US student. In this interview he discusses his new book, Worth Defending: How Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Saved My Life, and the process of writing it with Scott Burr; stories of the original UFCs, receiving his black belt; biggest influences on his life;  Pedro Sauer’s impact on him and the Professor Sauer - Oleg Taktorov connection; having Rickson as his bodyguard in Brazil; What’s next for him……

Jim Kelly, Pedro Sauer Black Belt, and owner and head instructor of Cincinnati Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, discusses his life growing up, his time in the Marine Corps (forced recon), his martial arts journey, including discovering BJJ while looking for Tae Kwon Do, stick fighting at The Gathering with the Dog Brothers, training with Paul Vunak, The “martial arts bum community,” Mark Denny, Shawn Owens; “Challenging” Jake Johnston;  competing at the Mundials in Brazil; The magical early days with Pedro Sauer and the crew (where he met Alan Hopkins, Jeff Curran, Rockson Gracie, Flavio and Silva Bhering, Matt Strack, Jorge Jiminez, Ricky Lindell);  Learning to be broad minded, finding your own style and  understanding the “why” things work from Pedro Sauer; What he learned from Rickson; training with Scott Smith; most important aspects of self defense; bringing realistic methodologies in training; keeping emotion out of fighting; His girlfriend and the wonderful story of how they met and their story over time….

Scott Burr is a black belt professor and the first person to earn the rank of black belt from legendary BJJ pioneer Professor Steve Maxwell.  He also holds black belts in Kodokan Judo and the Kuk Sul Do, and is a MaxwellSC-certified Pro Trainer, holding Level 1 and Level 2 certifications in both the MaxwellSC Kettlebell and Bodyweight Training systems. Scott is the author of the numerous books on strength & conditioning and martial arts books, and In recent years has had the opportunity to train with and learn directly from Master Rickson Gracie. In this interview we talk about his history in martial arts, including MMA training and going from Jiu Jitsu to Judo; his relationship with Steve Maxwell; his books, and how he got into writing; his current projects including Robert Drysdale’s book - Opening Close Guard and Richard Bresler’s book -  Worth Defending;  his invention-the Knot Lock; training with Rickson Gracie, his Jiu Jitsu philosophy, and more

Ryron Gracie Returns to surprise callers with a phone call. Listeners called include Jarod Zieffling, Greg Nelson, James Guynn, Danial Raza, Joel Ambrosia, Loren Files, and Jean Soares

Evandro Nunes is an instructor at Gracie University HQ. He’s a highly successful former competitor, winning numerous high level competitions, including world championships. He is a genuine, authentic, and highly insightful person, and this was a very interesting interview. In This interview he discusses what the Lion is and when to let it out, lessons learned in Jiu Jitsu, favorite submission and aspect of Jiu Jitsu, what gives him a sense of Joy in his life, thoughts on Spirituality, Self Care-what it really means, Peak experiences, Impactful books, favorite movies, Life regrets,  and more! Don’t miss it!

EP 130   Clark Gracie is the grandson of Grand Master Carlos Gracie and oldest son of GM Carley Gracie. He is a BJJ world champion and a world renowned instructor.  In this episode we discuss how  he’s coping with the current covid 19 situation and his thoughts on moving forward, his philosophy on training, sport vs competition focus, building “insurance,” academy culture, creativity in Jiu Jitsu, what makes him so successful in competition, balancing the pressure with becoming the best you can be, most common mistakes in competition prep, importance of mindset, putting yourself in bad positions intentionally, his new BJJ Fanatics video program- Automatic Omoplata System, growing up as a Gracie, his grandfather GM Carlos Gracie and his father GM Carley Gracie and the impact they had on him, where the term Gracie Jiu Jitsu came from, the evolution of BJJ, Gracies that don’t do Jiu Jitsu, his girlfriend and son, what he’s most proud of and most grateful for, and more…..

Mike The Cop is a police officer, Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and public figure/entertainer who makes videos to entertain people and build good relations between law enforcement and the community. He’s also the author of You Can’t Make This Stuff Up. In this interview we discuss the recent incident where an officer was kicked onto train tracks, what led him into law enforcement and what’s best thing about being LEO, the biggest challenges of being LEO, the importance of social media on perceptions about law enforcement officers, why he started Jiu Jitsu and the  biggest lesson learned through it, how much training officers get and why don’t they train more on their own, his thoughts on bad cops, his videos, mass shootings, what the movies and TV get wrong and right about police work, citizens’ arrests, his podcast Tales of Valor, and what the Sheepdog Nation is and more….

Scotty Nelson BJJ pioneer. He formed  OTM, one of the first successful JJ websites and technique platforms back in 1997, and has traveled the world contributing to BJJ in a multitude of ways. He’s a blackbelt under Jeff Glover and has had a huge impact on various aspects of BJJ and MMA. In this interview we discuss. In this interview we discuss his cancer hospital chipsa-what it is and how he got involved in it, complementary therapies and treatments,  Gerson diet, stem cells, The power of integrative medical care, Mind Body Medicine, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and the impact it’s had on his life, his relationship with Henry Akins, living in Brazil in the early days of BJJ/MMA, his GI company/brand-Lucky GI and the innovations he made in that industry, something that had a huge impact on his life, the need to change with the times, what he’s most proud of and what he wants to be remembered for, and there’s also a cameo from one and only Jeff Glover...

Matt Thornton is the founder, CEO and Head coach of Straight Blast GYM (SBG) International. He has trained countless martial artists and coaches, and has worked with some of the best MMA fighters, grapplers and combat athletes in the world.  In this interview we discuss several subjects including his start in martial arts, serving in the Army, his size (6’8” and if it ever affected/dictated  his martial arts style), his challenge match with Fabio Santos, meeting Rickson Gracie the first time, the biggest thing about martial arts (and Jiu Jitsu) that people just don’t get, Randy Couture’s impact on SBG, training under Chris Haugter, Aliveness, having solid fundamentals, the importance of connection, the value and weakness of traditional martial arts, Henry Akins’ recent move to SBG, and Henry’s impact on his training, his unique approach to teaching seminars, the most interesting book he’s read in the past year, being a father as a younger man and being a father as an older man, and more! After the interview stick around for the

Professor Ricardo Almeida is a Renzo Gracie black belt, a retired UFC and Pride FIghter, and founder of Ricardo Almeida BJJ Academy. In this episode he discusses the power of Jiu Jitsu in people's lives and who Jiu Jitsu  is for, overcoming fear through Jiu Jitsu , how to get through this current self isolation situation, growing up with his brothers Flavio and Andre, the early days in Brazil and competition between schools, matches that stand out, Carlis Gracie JR s impact on him, fighting MMA in Pride and UFC, best American Jiu Jitsu guys right now and best Jiu Jitsu guys in MMA, being a MMA judge and challenges for judges, being a father and how Jiu Jitsu helps  kids with autism and kids in general, his relationship with Renzo Gracie and the impact it’s had on his Jiu Jitsu and life, training as you get older, and more. 

 Ricky Lundell is FILA world champion, a 2 time Pankration world champion, and a Jiu Jitsu world champion. He’s a former D-1 Wrestler and the youngest person to receive a black belt in Gracie Jiu Jitsu in the US. He is a world renowned wrestling, BJJ, and MMA coach, and 4th degree BJJ Black Belt under Master Pedro Sauer. Ricky is a prominent coach, trainer, and motivational speaker, and is also founder of One Percent Better Every Day ™ . In this episode Ricky discusses starting BJJ as a child including time he “fought” Pedro Sauer’s daughter Taissa), early days with Pedro, how he became the youngest black belt in the US, early MMA (NHB), things that he did to become world champion  (importance of visualization and drilling), early Grapplers Quest days, FILA and Pankration world championships, how ended up on the Iowa State wrestling team and his relationships with Cael and Cody Sanderson, the University of Grappling, working with UFC fighters and champions, taking a personal diagnostic daily, The 1% Better Every Day movement ™ and philosophy and how it can change your life, how personal tragedy forced him to dig deep, how he set out to squat 500 lbs in 500 days (at 149 lbs body weight). Ricky is an incredible human being so don’t miss this episode! 

Michael Heinz is a Jiu Jitsu instructor, yoga & meditation expert, and owner of SBG Texas. In this episode he discusses his jiu jitsu and life journey, living and teaching overseas & how living abroad can help you grow and broaden your perspective, training in Korea under John Frankl, the UFC’s influence on him, his thoughts on competition, training with Henry Akins, his friendship with Rob Wolf, how he was led to move to Texas to open SBG Texas, his hobbies off the mat, and more…

In this episode Marty has a discussion with Professors Keith Owen, Greg Nelson, and Mark Cukro about starting the year off strong and staying strong throughout the year.  They discuss  How not to fizzle out half way through the year; Goals versus Resolutions; The importance of goals and the biggest mistakes in doing goals; Accountability; Leading by example and bringing out the best in others; Helping each other raise our levels; Getting out of our comfort zones; Celebrating our success; When to share your goals and when not to, and much more!

End of the year episode featuring clips from Roger Gracie (what made him so successful and mastering the cross collar choke), Sophia McDermott (being part of the Jiu Jitsu community and advice for people new to BJJ), Physical Culture and BJJ (with Roy Dean, Henry Akins, John Frankl, and Robb Wolf (how BJJ can cause physical  imbalances)), Robert Drysdale (accountability and ego), and Tom DeBlass.

Professor Scott Smith, 3rd degree Pedro Sauer Black Belt and owner of Gracie Jiu Jitsu of Kentucky, is an accomplished martial artist and sought after instructor. In this episode he discusses his thoughts on competition and self defense, the recent Pedro Sauer camp, the major influence people like Jim Kelly and Henry Akins, have had on his Jiu Jitsu, how he initially didn’t like Jiu Jitsu, testing (or not testing) for rank, how he started his school with $385 and grew it to a thriving academy with hundreds of students, his philosophy in working with kids, his family’s role in hs academy, his relationship with Master Sauer and the impact he’s had on his life, and more….

Dr. Gaetano (Guy) Scuderi, is an orthopaedic and spine surgeon and 4th degree black belt under the Velente brothers. He has been a practitioner of martial arts since his youth, with experience in Aikido, Kickboxing, Boxing, Shoot Fighting, Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Judo, Japanese Jūjutsu, and Brazilian Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. He has been a part of the Valente Brothers family for nearly 20 years and He owns Jupiter Self Defense in Jupiter Fl.  In this interview he discusses his martial arts journey, important aspects of self defense, the accident that severely impacted his life, the exciting discovery he made that may change the way the world treats pain conditions, his relationship with the Valente brothers and the impact they’ve had on him, the most common injuries in BJJ and tips to avoid them, what to do if you do get injured, they people who’ve influenced his life the most, and more…...