The Fighting Matters crew gathers to discuss how Russian martial arts, such as Systema and Sambo, have been linked to far-right ideology and are being used by Russia as a tool for propaganda, recruitment, and spreading disinformation in foreign...

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan of BJJ Mental Models and Jesse Walker of Rough Hands BJJ confront one of the most urgent challenges in martial arts today: the normalization of extremist rhetoric, abuse, and unethical behavior wi...

Stephan Kesting and Jeff Shaw are joined by Tyson LaRone (the "Warrior Philosopher" from TikTok) to look at the rise of fascism in modern times. Tyson shares his insights on the characteristics of fascist regimes, drawing parallels between hist...

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan of BJJ Mental Models and Jeff Shaw of Bellingham BJJ uncover the forgotten history of Jiu-Jitsu in America, and how none other than President Theodore Roosevelt played a pivotal role in its rise.<...

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan of BJJ Mental Models and Jeff Shaw of Bellingham BJJ examine the sweeping consequences of Trump’s newly passed “Big Beautiful Bill,” and how it threatens the future of Jiu-Jitsu in America.

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Stephan Kesting of Grapplearts and Jeff Shaw of Bellingham BJJ sit down with clinical psychologist, author, and BJJ black belt Dr. David Ley to challenge everything you think you know about gender.Is...

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models is joined by Jesse Walker of Rough Hands BJJ and attorney/mediator Andrew Burcham for a deep dive into the legal minefield of free speech, particularly how it intersects wit...

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models is joined by Stephan Kesting (Grapplearts), Jesse Walker (Rough Hands BJJ), and the incomparable Giles Garcia (Ronin Grappling) for a raw, unscripted deep dive into the poli...

Stephan, Jesse, and Shelby are joined by Eva Schubert from the popular Villains and Virgins Podcast to discuss tactics used by all authoritarian states regardless of whether they are theocratic, fascist, or communist in nature.  They exami...

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models is joined by Jesse Walker of Rough Hands BJJ, Mike Mahaffey of Old Bastard BJJ, and mental health advocate David Figueroa-Martinez to challenge the outdated definitions of m...

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models sits down with Mike Mahaffey of Old Bastard BJJ and Jesse Walker of Rough Hands BJJ for a raw conversation about why it matters—now more than ever—for Jiu-Jitsu practitioner...

We're doing this episode in light of Ben Askren's battle with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models sits down with Jeff Shaw of Bellingham BJJ and Dr. C...

Neo-Nazis are infiltrating Jiu-Jitsu—and most of us don’t even know it’s happening.In this episode of Fighting Matters, we’re joined by investigative journalist Mack Lamoureux to expose the rise of “active clubs”: decentralized extremis...

Luke Thomas just appeared on The Daily Show with Jordan Klepper to talk about how the UFC has become a tool of radicalisation for the MAGA movement, so we invited him onto Fighting Matters to dig a little deeper. You can watch the original segm...

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan and Stephan Kesting are joined by scientist and author Kristi Charish to investigate how Jiu-Jitsu became a hotbed for pseudoscience, supplement scams, and influencer grifts.We explore how...

Jesse Walker, Jeff Shaw, and Steve Kwan are joined by longtime martial artist, educator, and activist D’Juan Owens. Together, they examine how self-defense training often overlooks the realities of abuse, how martial arts culture can enable vic...

🎙️ Jay Rod was removed from B-Team. The community response was just as revealing as the offense.In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan, Jesse Walker, and Jeff Shaw dissect the fallout from the Jiu-Jitsu world after Jacob “Jay R...

Historian Daniele Bolelli joins us to define fascism and authoritarianism, break down the historical context of fascism, and explain the alliance between oligarchs and fascist governments, the role of fear and propaganda, and the potential role...

🎙️ The UFC has become more than a fight promotion—it’s a political statement.In this episode of Fighting Matters, Jeff Shaw, Stephan Kesting, and Steve Kwan sit down with journalist Albert Samaha to unpack his explosive Washington Post ...