Fighting Matters

Fighting Matters
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Fighting fascism and the far-right in combat sports like MMA and BJJ.

  1. 18 FEB

    Gordon Ryan & The Epstein Fallout

    In this Presidents Day episode, Fighting Matters connects two explosive stories: Gordon Ryan’s inappropriate DMs and the growing fallout from the Epstein file releases. We debate accountability, conspiracy culture, institutional corruption, and whether justice can survive political power. The conversation turns to Jiu-Jitsu’s own culture, red flags in gyms, and what responsibility communities have when systems fail. ⸻ 👥 Featuring: • Stephan Kesting — @stephankesting (Host) • Mike Mahaffey — @oldbastardbjj (Host) • Jesse Walker — @roughhandsbjj (Host) ⸻ 🧠 Topics Discussed: • Gordon Ryan DM controversy • The Epstein file releases and redactions • Conspiracy culture vs. evidence • Civil vs. criminal accountability • Power dynamics in martial arts • Red flags when choosing a gym ⸻ 📖 Chapters: 00:00 — Presidents Day cold open 02:17 — Gordon Ryan controversy 03:30 — The Epstein files breakdown 21:27 — Justice, collapse & consequences 32:03 — Jiu-Jitsu governance debate 52:03 — Would you recommend Jiu-Jitsu to women? 01:01:50 — Closing thoughts

    1 h 3 min

  2. 12 FEB

    Martial Artists Should Get Political

    In this episode of the Fighting Matters podcast, hosts Steve Kwan and Jesse Walker are joined by Joshua Peters: martial arts instructor, former school teacher, and current candidate for Anne Arundel County Council. They explore why local politics matters, how martial arts and civic duty intersect, and why “keeping politics out of Jiu-Jitsu” is a myth. This is a conversation about courage, participation, and standing up for your community. 🔗 Links Mentioned: • Joshua Peters Campaign — https://friendsofjoshuapeters.com • Combat Principles MMA — https://combatprinciplesmma.com • Run for Something — https://runforsomething.net ⸻ 👥 Featuring: • Steve Kwan — https://bjjmentalmodels.com • Jesse Walker — https://roughhandsbjj.com • Joshua Peters — https://friendsofjoshuapeters.com ⸻ 🧠 Topics Discussed: • Why local politics is more powerful than you think • The overlap between martial arts and civic responsibility • Running for office without “main character syndrome” • Virtue signaling, participation, and public courage • Supporting your community beyond the mat ⸻ 📖 Chapters: 00:00 — Introducing Joshua Peters 05:35 — From teaching to running for office 11:30 — Why local government matters 18:42 — Losing, competing, and civic courage 24:25 — Politics inside the Jiu-Jitsu gym 29:49 — “Keep politics out of Jiu-Jitsu?” 35:14 — What it actually takes to run 43:35 — Virtue signaling and public participation 01:03:00 — How to get involved locally

    1 h 5 min

  3. 6 FEB

    How the USA is Trying to Steal Canada's Oil

    In this episode of Fighting Matters, hosts Stephan Kesting and Jeff Shaw are joined by Tyson LaRone (The Warrior Philosopher) to unpack the renewed push for Alberta separatism, its connections to Trump and MAGA, and the growing influence of U.S. political forces in Canadian domestic affairs. 🔗 Links Mentioned: • Fighting Matters Linktree — https://linktree.com/fightingmatters ⸻ 👥 Featuring: • Stephan Kesting — https://www.grapplearts.com • Jeff Shaw — https://bellinghambjj.com • Tyson Larone — https://www.tiktok.com/@thewarriorphilosopher ⸻ 🧠 Topics Discussed: • The Alberta Prosperity Project and separatist rhetoric • U.S. political influence and destabilization narratives • Economic myths around equalization and the “Alberta advantage” • Oil, foreign ownership, and who actually benefits • Grievance politics vs. evidence-based policy • Why martial arts spaces are vulnerable to political radicalization ⸻ 📖 Chapters: 00:00 — Introductions & Alberta separatism overview 01:40 — How real is the threat of separation? 07:20 — U.S. politics, propaganda, and destabilization 12:40 — Economic myths and equalization explained 31:40 — The “Alberta advantage” under scrutiny 52:20 — American corporate interests and oil profits 01:03:00 — Parallels with Ukraine and foreign interference 01:04:50 — Martial arts, gurus, and political influence

    1 h 10 min

  4. 5 FEB

    How Hate Found a Home in Jiu-Jitsu & MMA

    This interview is an excerpt from Dark Martial Arts History, an 8-part audio documentary chronicling the history and rise of extremism in martial arts like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA. The rest of the documentary is available on BJJ Mental Models Premium, but this piece is relevant to current events, so we're publishing it here for free. In the sixth episode of Dark Martial Arts History, hosts Ben Van Doren and Eva Schubert are joined by longtime Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu educator and commentator Stephan Kesting. The conversation explores how conspiracy thinking, social-media incentives, and institutional silence have normalized authoritarian and extremist rhetoric within MMA and BJJ. The panel discusses the role of major platforms, the responsibility of fans and businesses, and the challenges practitioners face when harmful ideologies appear inside gyms themselves. Rather than treating extremism as an external threat, this episode asks what the martial arts community has tolerated, and what it must confront moving forward. Learn from Stephan online at Grapplearts: https://www.grapplearts.com Follow Stephan Kesting on Instagram: https://instagram.com/stephan_kesting Follow Ben Van Doren on Instagram: https://instagram.com/deepbluebrazilianjiujitsu Follow Eva Schubert on Instagram: https://instagram.com/evaschubert ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free: https://bjjmentalmodels.com Need more BJJ Mental Models? Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter Learn more mental models in our online database: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database Follow us on social: https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

    1 h 23 min

  5. 3 FEB

    The collapse of Atos (and what comes next)

    The allegations against Andre Galvao, and subsequent collapse of Atos, have sent shockwaves through the Jiu-Jitsu world. In this episode, Steve Kwan and Jesse Walker unpack the allegations against Atos leadership, the victim statements that triggered a mass exodus, and why this moment feels different from past scandals. We explore abuse of power in martial arts, why competition success can’t excuse ethical failure, and what real accountability could look like, beyond statements and social media posts. 🔗 Links Mentioned: • Fighting Matters Linktree — https://linktr.ee/fightingmatters • Fighting Matters Substack — https://fightingmatters.substack.com • "You’re Picking Your Jiu-Jitsu Gym Wrong" (Jesse Walker) — https://roughhands.substack.com/p/youre-picking-your-jiu-jitsu-gym ⸻ 👥 Featuring: • Steve Kwan — @bjjmentalmodels • Jesse Walker — @roughhandsbjj ⸻ 🧠 Topics Discussed: • Allegations against Atos leadership and the resulting collapse • Why this scandal triggered a rapid, unprecedented response • Abuse of power and hierarchy in martial arts culture • DARVO, victim silencing, and why convictions aren’t the only standard • How gyms, athletes, and platforms enable bad actors • Rethinking what "the best" Jiu-Jitsu gym actually means • Economic pressure and collective action as accountability tools ⸻ 📖 Chapters: 00:00 — Why this episode had to happen 02:45 — Victim statements and breaking news 05:10 — Why this collapse feels different 09:25 — Predators, power, and Jiu-Jitsu culture 15:55 — Choosing gyms: competition vs. ethics 20:15 — Why legal standards aren’t enough 26:18 — Accountability beyond statements 33:10 — Platforms, money, and moral responsibility 43:55 — What real action could look like 47:45 — Where the community goes next

    55 min

  6. 31 GEN

    You Can’t "Keep Politics Out" Anymore

    The idea of “keeping politics out” is no longer tenable, especially in Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts communities. Against the backdrop of escalating political violence, institutional breakdowns, and global instability, we explore the civic responsibility of gym owners, coaches, and athletes, and why silence increasingly amounts to complicity. 🔗 Links Mentioned: • Fighting Matters Linktree — https://linktree.com/fightingmatters • Fighting Matters Substack — https://fightingmatters.substack.com • This Is Why We Fight (Jeff Shaw course) — https://bjjmentalmodels.com/fight ⸻ 👥 Featuring: Steve Kwan — https://bjjmentalmodels.com Stephan Kesting — https://www.grapplearts.com Jeff Shaw — https://bellinghambjj.com ⸻ 🧠 Topics Discussed: • Why “keep politics out of Jiu-Jitsu” is a thought-terminating cliché • Political violence, accountability, and the role of video evidence • Fascism, despair, and overreaction as a martial arts analogy • Civic responsibility for gym owners and community leaders • Why neutrality increasingly favors the status quo ⸻ 📖 Chapters: 00:00 — Welcome & January 2026 reality check 04:40 — Political violence and media narratives 13:30 — Why apolitical stances are collapsing 24:00 — Global consequences and U.S. credibility 31:00 — “Keep politics out of Jiu-Jitsu” examined 45:10 — Martial arts, pressure, and overreaction 54:40 — What regular people can actually do 57:20 — Final thoughts and calls to action

    1 h 1 min

  7. 26 GEN

    The Minnesota Shootings and What Comes Next

    Mother, poet, and US citizen Renée Good was shot by ICE on January 7, closely followed by the shooting of ICU Nurse and US citizen Alex Pretti on January 24th, apparently by members of the Border Patrol. Both Renée and Alex were immediately denounced as "domestic terrorists" by the US administration and an army of bots has been circulating a deluge of easily debunkable falsehood about the two victims. In this episode of Fighting Matters BJJ black belt Stephan Kesting is joined Tyson Larone, the Warrior Philosopher, to explore why this is all happening, who benefits from this, where is it likely to go, and how does it potentially end. We turn over every rock from the Epstein Files to suppressing the midterm elections to World War III. Follow Tyson on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@thewarriorphilosopher and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewarriorphilosopherig And please share this episode with someone it would help.

    1 h 32 min

  8. 23 GEN

    Racism Can’t Be Ignored in Jiu-Jitsu Gyms (w/ Deon Thompson & Stephen Hall)

    Racism, extremism, and exclusion aren’t abstract problems in martial arts. They show up in real gyms, affect real people, and shape who feels safe on the mats. In this episode of Fighting Matters, hosts Mike Mahaffey and Jesse Walker are joined by Deon Thompson and Stephen Hall for a candid, deeply personal conversation about how racism and hate groups intersect with Jiu-Jitsu culture, why “staying neutral” is not an option, and what responsibility coaches carry when they teach people how to fight. ⸻ 🔗 Links Mentioned: • Fighting Matters Linktree — https://linktr.ee/fightingmatters • Ohio Brasa Jiu-Jitsu (Deon Thompson) — https://ohiobrasajiujitsu.com • Bioniq Brass Band (Stephan Hall) — https://www.instagram.com/bioniqbrassband ⸻ 👥 Featuring: • Mike Mahaffey — @oldbastardbjj • Jesse Walker — @roughhandsbjj • Deon Thompson — @thompsonjiujitsu • Stephen Hall — @bioniqbrassband ⸻ 🧠 Topics Discussed: • Racism and extremism in Jiu-Jitsu gyms • Why this isn’t “just politics” • Gym culture and accountability • Belt promotions as endorsements of character • Representation, safety, and who feels welcome • Why silence enables harm • The ethical responsibility of coaches ⸻ 📖 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 02:10 – Why racism in Jiu-Jitsu can’t be ignored 08:30 – Extremist groups and combat sports 16:45 – Gym culture and leadership responsibility 25:10 – Promotions, character, and accountability 34:40 – Representation and who feels safe on the mats 45:20 – Why neutrality enables harm 57:30 – What coaches must be willing to confront 1:08:00 – Final thoughts and closing remarks

    1 h 14 min
Elenco completo (71)

Descrizione

Fighting fascism and the far-right in combat sports like MMA and BJJ.

Informazioni

  • Creatore
    Fighting Matters
  • Anni di attività
    2025 - 2026
  • Puntate
    71
  • Classificazione
    Contenuti espliciti
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Fighting Matters
  • Sito web del podcast
    Fighting Matters

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