The Ageless Warrior Lab

David Meyer

Dave Meyer | Host, Ageless Warrior Lab podcast | President & Co-founder of Food System Innovations and Humane American Animal Foundation  Join BJJ coral belt, Gang of Eight and Dirty Dozen member Dave Meyer as we draw wisdom from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the martial arts and explore how it applies to your life, success in business, and your long-term health. Dave Meyer is a pioneering American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) practitioner, and accomplished non-profit founder and Philanthropist. He is an eleven-time world champion in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and is the current world champion in his age/weight division in the no-gi format. Dave co-founded and served as CEO of Adopt-a-Pet.com for two decades, turning it into the world's largest nonprofit homeless pet adoption website and helping save millions of animals, before its acquisition by Mars Inc. Today, Dave leads Humane America Animal Foundation and Food System Innovations, working on farm animal welfare and a healthy and sustainable food system. He frequently advises U.S. lawmakers on these issues, and has raised and deployed over $160 million in philanthropic capital as part of his work in the nonprofit space. In his athletic career, Dave has risen to the highest ranks of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He earned his black belt from Rigan Machado in 1996 and ranked among the first Americans ("the Dirty Dozen") to do so. He was the first American to medal at the black belt level at the BJJ World Championships in Brazil in 1998. Dave is one of just several Americans to achieve the rank of coral belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a group now referred to as the “Gang of Eight”. He continues to compete at the world championship level, winning world championship titles in his age division. As a martial artist and instructor, he taught at UCLA, Steven Seagal's Tenshin Dojo, and developed a globally used grappling curriculum with John Will, including customized material for Chuck Norris's UFAF association. He has written several books on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, including "Training for Competition: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Grappling". Meyer also played a critical role in post-Katrina animal rescue, co-authored books pet care, and co-founded a Haiti orphanage for children with HIV, exemplifying a lifetime of impactful leadership in both martial arts and philanthropy. Dave resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, and continues to coach BJJ athletes and compete at the world championship level. He is the President & Co-Founder of Humane America Animal Foundation and Food System Innovations, of which the Ageless Warrior Lab is a project.

  1. 5 days ago

    Business Jiu Jitsu: CEO Jordan Edward's Strategy for Winning | EP 58

    In this interview, Dave Meyer sits down with Jordan Edwards, CEO of Mixology Clothing Company, partner in Chart Organization, and author of Business Jiu Jitsu, to explore how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu principles translate into business, leadership, and everyday life. Jordan shares his journey as an entrepreneur and BJJ practitioner, including navigating the challenges of COVID, building resilient businesses, learning from mentors like Renzo Gracie, and applying the principles of survival, control, and submission to business negotiations and personal growth. They also discuss parenting, emotional control, mentorship, and the importance of building a strong culture grounded in values and ethics. Contacts for interviewee: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardsjordan/LinkedInBusiness Jiu Jitsu website - https://www.businessjiujitsu.com/Mixology Clothing Company website - https://www.shopmixology.com/Chart Organization website - http://www.chartorg.comBusiness Jiu Jitsu podcast - https://www.businessjiujitsu.com/podcastBusiness Jiu Jitsu book - https://www.businessjiujitsu.com/bookMix University - https://mixuniversity.mykajabi.com/Fashion First Responders - https://www.shopmixology.com/pages/fashion-first-respondersZForge - https://zforge.ai/This Is It! (co-authored with Glenn Edwards) - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=If+You%27re+Waiting+for+a+Sign+to+Start+Your+Business+This+Is+It Topic Links: Renzo Gracie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renzo_Gracie John Danaher - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Danaher_(martial_artist) Ralph Mitchell - https://nyfighting.com/instructors Ring of Combat - https://ringofcombat.com/ Lou Neglia - https://www.louneglia.com/ Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) - https://www.ufc.com/ Rodrigo Gracie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodrigo_Gracie Matt Serra - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Serra Jean Jacques Machado - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Jacques_Machado Bruce Lee - https://brucelee.com/ International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) - https://ibjjf.com/ Rigan Machado - https://riganmachado.com/ Gordon Ryan - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Ryan_(grappler) Ricardo Almeida - https://ricardoalmeida.tv/ Adopt-a-Pet.com - https://www.adoptapet.com/ Mixed martial arts (MMA) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_martial_arts Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_jiu-jitsu Jeet Kune Do - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeet_Kune_Do Rorion Gracie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorion_Gracie Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A Get in touch! This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.

  2. 16 Oct

    Bernardo Faria on Building BJJ Fanatics, Business and Longevity | EP 57

    In this interview, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu multiple time world champion Bernardo Faria joins Dave to discuss the origins of BJJ Fanatics, the business of online Jiu-Jitsu instructionals, and how digital education is changing the way practitioners learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Bernardo shares the story of how he met co-founder Michael Zenga, how their partnership led to the creation of BJJ Fanatics, and how the platform grew into a major resource for grapplers looking to learn from world-class instructors. Bernardo and Dave explore what makes a great Jiu-Jitsu instructor, why being a world champion doesn't automatically make someone a great teacher, and how the best instructional videos break down techniques into concepts that students can understand and apply. Beyond the business of Jiu-Jitsu, this conversation covers the differences between Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the importance of studying techniques beyond your own game, and how practitioners can continue improving by learning from specialists. Bernardo also shares his perspective on training as you get older, his Jiu-Jitsu for Old Guys instructional series, competition, longevity, and his goal of staying healthy enough to keep training and rolling  for decades to come. Contacts for interviewee: Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/bernardofariabjj/ Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/bernardofariabjj/ X (Twitter) — https://twitter.com/bernardofariajj YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@BernardoFariaBJJ Bernardo Faria Academy — https://bernardofariaacademy.com/ BJJ Fanatics contact page — https://bjjfanatics.com/pages/contact-us BJJ Fanatics - https://bjjfanatics.com/ Dynamic Striking - https://dynamicstriking.com/ Fanatic Wrestling - https://fanaticwrestling.com/ Judo Fanatics - https://judofanatics.com/ Strong and Fit - https://strongandfit.com/ Sit, Stay, Learn - https://sitstaylearn.com/ BJJ Fanatics Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=BJJ+Fanatics+Podcast Tap Cancer Out - https://tapcancerout.org/ Topic Links: Rorion Gracie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorion_Gracie Rickson Gracie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickson_Gracie Royler Gracie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royler_Gracie Machado brothers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machado_family Rigan Machado - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigan_Machado Jean Jacques Machado - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Jacques_Machado Michael Zenga - https://bjjfanatics.com/pages/about-bjj-fanatics Adopt a Pet - https://www.adoptapet.com/ Keenan Cornelius - https://legionsandiego.com/instructors/keenan-cornelius/ Dean Lister - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Lister Miyao brothers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Miyao John Will - https://www.redcatacademy.com.au/john_will.html Marcelo Garcia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcelo_Garcia_(fighter) John Danaher - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Danaher_(martial_artist) Gordon Ryan - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Ryan_(grappler) Eddie Bravo - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Bravo René Dreyfus - https://radicalmmanyc.com/about-us/ Radical MMA - https://radicalmmanyc.com/ Roger Gracie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Gracie Mendes brothers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_Mendes_(grappler) André Galvão - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Galv%C3%A3o Cobrinha (Rubens Charles) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubens_Charles_Maciel Tim Ferriss - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Ferriss Eric Ries - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Ries FloGrappling - https://www.flograppling.com/ Ben Kovacs - https://www.guardiangym.org/executiveteam David Mitchell - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mitchell_(fighter) Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A Get in touch! This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.

  3. 8 Oct

    Ben Kovacs on FloGrappling, Guardian Gym, & free training for kids in need EP | 56

    In this interview, Ben Kovacs, founder of the nonprofit Guardian Gym and General Manager of FloGrappling, talks with Dave about using Jiu-Jitsu to change kids' lives, and about the hard business realities behind the sport most grapplers never see. Ben left a career at Twitter to start Guardian, a nonprofit that now runs almost 40 free kids' jiu jitsu academies around the world without an office, rent or a salary for its founder. He explains how it works, why he runs it so differently from most nonprofits, and how Craig Jones and CJI became one of its biggest supporters. The second half gets into FloGrappling and the economics of Jiu Jitsu: where your subscription money really goes, why superfights are so hard to make money on, what he'd change about competition formats, and why he thinks even most black belts aren't watching the biggest events in the sport. Ben closes with his advice for anyone who wants to make a living from Jiu-Jitsu, and why he thinks a 64-year-old who still trains and competes is the real definition of success. Contacts for interviewee: Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/bskovacs/instagram LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benkovacs/ Guardian executive team bio — https://www.guardiangym.org/executiveteamguardiangym Guardian Gym (Guardian Project) Website — https://www.guardiangym.org/homeguardiangym Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/guardiangym/instagram Academy partnership info (for gyms that want to add a Guardian program) — https://www.guardiangym.org/partnershipguardiangym Guardian x Fair Fight Foundation academy partnership — https://www.guardiangym.org/academyactivation FloGrappling FloGrappling — https://www.flograppling.com/ Announcement naming Ben GM of FloGrappling — https://www.flograppling.com/articles/14089373-flosports-expands-partnership-with-bjj-starsflograppling Who's Number One (WNO) — https://www.flograppling.com/collections/6762055-wno-flograppling Some clips used for commentary. Original sources linked below Kaynan v Griffith ADCC 2026 World - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BXlRLj9ehU Topic Links: David Mitchell — https://www.instagram.com/dmitch442/ Black Sheep Jiu Jitsu (Fairfax, CA) — https://www.blacksheepjiujitsu.com/ Joel Lunenfeld (Guardian co-founder) — https://www.linkedin.com/in/joellunenfeld IBJJF (Masters Worlds) — https://ibjjf.com/ John Will — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Will_(fighter) Adopt-a-Pet — https://www.adoptapet.com/ Roger Gracie — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Gracie Lachlan Giles — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lachlan_Giles Gordon Ryan — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Ryan Craig Jones — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Jones_(grappler) Yamasaki Academy — https://grappling.com/ Guardian Peru HQ — https://www.guardiangym.org/peruguardiangym Guardian Culiacán — https://www.guardiangym.org/culiacan Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) — https://bteamjj.com/craig-jones-invitational/ Seth Belisle (CJI President) — https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-belisle-b4a0b05a Fuji Sports (mats) — https://fujisports.com/collections/mats ADCC — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADCC_Submission_Fighting_World_Championship Calder Powers (Guardian Executive Director) — https://www.linkedin.com/in/calder-powers Fair Fight Foundation — https://fightfoundation.com/ Tap Cancer Out — https://tapcancerout.org/ Craig Jones in Peru with Guardian (video) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhbWXUaUA1Ayoutube UFC BJJ — https://www.ufc.com/ufcbjj FloSports — https://www.flosports.tv/ Fight 2 Win — https://www.f2wbjj.com/ Finishers Sub-Only — http://www.finishersjiujitsu.com/about.html BJJ Stars — https://bjjstars.tv/ Polaris Pro Grappling — https://www.polarisprograppling.com/ Who's Number One (WNO) — https://www.flograppling.com/collections/6762055-wno-flograpplingflograppling Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) — https://ebiofficial.com/ Eddie Bravo — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Bravo Luke Griffith — https://www.flograppling.com/people/7759045-luke-griffith Kaynan Duarte — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaynan_Duarte Luke Griffith vs Kaynan Duarte, ADCC 2026 — https://www.flograppling.com/articles/16179648-adcc-worlds-2026-99kg-results-luke-griffith-kaynan-duarte John Danaher — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Danaher_(martial_artist) AIGA — https://aigaglobal.com/ Professional Grappling Federation (PGF) — https://www.pgf.world/ UFC Fight Pass — https://welcome.ufcfightpass.com/ Nick Diaz — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Diaz Nate Diaz — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate_Diaz Chael Sonnen — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chael_Sonnen Kyvann Gonzalez / Bodega Jiu Jitsu — https://www.bodegajiujitsu.com/about Gianni Grippo — https://www.flograppling.com/people/5950222-gianni-grippo Caio Terra Academy San Jose — https://bjjsanjose.com/bjjsanjose Caio Terra — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caio_Terra Mason Fowler — https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/mason-fowler Mica Galvão — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micael_Galv%C3%A3o Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A Get in touch! This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.

  4. 30 Sept

    René Dreifuss: Self Defense First, Studying Data and Training Champions | EP 55

    In this interview, I sit down with René Dreifuss. René is the founder of Radical MMA in New York. He has been training since 1975, fought in the city's early underground vale tudo shows, and holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu along with ranks in judo, karate and several other styles. He also holds a master's degree in Japanese military history from Columbia, which shows up in how he thinks about where fighting styles come from. Rene's path started with bullying and a street attack that left him convinced karate alone would never protect him. He lived six years in Japan, where he trained at the Kodokan, and learned Kosen Judo from its last living master. He suvived a car accident that almost cost him use of a leg, and was able to return to training and rebuild his game from the ground up.  Our conversation turns into a discussion of what separates Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from the arts it came from, what a knife does to the positional hierarchy on the ground, and why Rene now throws out techniques he has used successfully for 40 years whenever the fight data tells him to. We also get into why he thinks most Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools have lost two of the art's original three pillars, and how he pushes his students hard without turning training into bullying. Rene is a teacher who has lots of experience and is generous about passing his lessons on. Contacts for interviewee: Radical MMA (website) https://radicalmmanyc.com/ About René Dreifuss (Radical MMA bio) https://radicalmmanyc.com/about-us/ Radical MMA YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/radicalmma Martial Culture Podcast (René's podcast) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/martial-culture-podcast/id1823082472 Radical MMA on Tapology https://www.tapology.com/gyms/1766-radical-mma Some clips used for commentary.  Original sources linked below Rat Guard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP8KzgpN0Mc Topic Links: Yuki Nakai https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuki_Nakai Rickson Gracie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickson_Gracie Gracie family https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracie_family Royce Gracie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royce_Gracie Vale Tudo Japan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vale_Tudo_Japan Jean Jacques Machado https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Jacques_Machado Machado Jiu-Jitsu https://www.riganbjj.com/ John Machado https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Machado Rigan Machado https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigan_Machado Cindy Omatsu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cindy_Omatsu Toyotaro Miyazaki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyotaro_Miyazaki AnnMaria De Mars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AnnMaria_De_Mars Neil Adams https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Adams_(judoka) Kodokan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodokan_Judo_Institute Kosen Judo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosen_judo Masahiko Kimura https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masahiko_Kimura Kanae Hirata https://budovideos.com/products/kosen-judo-dvd-by-kanae-hirata Shooto https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooto Gerard Gordeau https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerard_Gordeau Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X_LpYdUAo4 John Will https://www.redcatacademy.com.au/john_will.html Rener Gracie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rener_Gracie Hélio Gracie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A9lio_Gracie Burton Richardson  https://jkdunlimited.com/ Ricardo De La Riva https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_de_la_Riva Carlson Gracie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlson_Gracie Luta Livre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luta_Livre Raw Combat by Jim Genia https://www.everand.com/book/414907067/Raw-Combat-The-Underground-World-of-Mixed-Martial-Arts Eddie Bravo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Bravo Alexa Grasso  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexa_Grasso Demetrious Johnson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demetrious_Johnson Tim Elliott https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Elliott Léo Vieira https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9o_Vieira Mike Swain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Swain Burton Richardson Ep 33 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burton-richardson-combat-wisdom-training-philosophy-ep-33/id1840239491?i=1000751283525 Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A Get in touch! This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.

  5. 18 Sept

    Robert Strong: How Magicians Hack Your Brain | EP 54

    In this interview, David sits down with comedy magician, author and keynote speaker Robert Strong for a wide-ranging conversation on the neuroscience of misdirection, memory, and audience psychology, drawing surprising parallels between the art of magic and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Strong is a Magic Castle member, longtime Google magic instructor, Penn & Teller: Fool Us alum, and founder of the AI speaker bureau Speak About AI. Strong breaks down how magicians exploit Darwinian attention triggers, false memory creation, and timing windows to create tricks that mystify and delight audiences. The discussion covers close-up magic versus stage illusions, the "applied improv" mindset behind reading a room and recovering from mistakes, and how ballroom dancing sharpened Strong's sense of balance and misdirection. He also previews his upcoming book, The Magic Mindset: The 18 Traits of Great Magicians and Great Leaders, and performs live mentalism demonstrations mid-interview. This episode offers martial artists, magicians, and anyone curious about persuasion, focus, and cognitive bias a rare crossover look at how deception, confidence, and preparation shape performance under pressure. Contacts for interviewee: Robert Strong: https://www.strongentertainment.com/ About page: https://www.strongentertainment.com/about LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertstrong Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert_strong/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobertStrongMagic/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/RobertStrong The Magic Mindset: The 18 Traits of Great Magicians and Great Leaders (Robert's upcoming book): https://www.strongentertainment.com/ Speak About AI (Robert's company, as founder): https://speakabout.ai/speakers/robert-strong Magic Castle / Academy of Magical Arts (performing member): https://www.instagram.com/p/CK4wyqLswjT/ Google (teaches magic there, unofficial "Chief Magic Officer"): https://www.allamericanspeakers.com/speakers/383540/Robert-Strong Clean Comedians (represented speaker/comedian): https://cleancomedians.com/speakers/robert-strong/ Topic Links: Brian Gillis: https://www.newsfromme.com/2018/07/03/brian-gillis-r-i-p/ Arrested Development: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367279/ Magic Castle: http://www.magiccastle.com Juan Tamariz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Tamariz Penn & Teller: Fool Us: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penn_%26_Teller:_Fool_Us Penn & Teller: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penn_%26_Teller:_Fool_Us Dwarkesh Podcast: https://www.dwarkesh.com/ Gary Shandling: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002031/ WonderFest: https://wonderfest.org/ Peter Norvig: https://www.norvig.com/ Her (movie): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798709/ Adam Cheyer: http://www.adam.cheyer.com/ Adopt-a-Pet.com: https://www.adoptapet.com/ The Amazing Randi (James Randi): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Randi Exploratorium: https://www.exploratorium.edu/ The Sixth Sense: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167404/ Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A Get in touch! This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.

  6. 9 Sept

    Randy Couture: From Army to UFC Champion to Hollywood Star | EP 53

    Description: In this interview, UFC legend Randy "The Natural" Couture sits down to unpack a career defined by improbable timing. A former U.S. Army sergeant and three-time NCAA All-American wrestler. He fought his first MMA fight in UFC 13 at 33 years old and became a two-division world champion. Randy traces his path from a Pacific Northwest wrestling mat to Olympic alternate status, then into the chaotic, unregulated early days of "no holds barred" fighting. He fought alongside names like Tank Abbott, Mark Coleman, and Mark Kerr, and breaks down the mindset that carried him through six championship reigns and a comeback at age 47. The conversation moves well beyond the cage, covering his surprising second act in Hollywood alongside Sylvester Stallone in The Expendables, his outspoken advocacy for fighter pay and the flaws in MMA's promoter-sanctioning system, a near-fatal heart attack, his current work supporting veterans through the Xtreme Couture GI Foundation, and — most recently — his unexpected leap into 280-mph NHRA drag racing in his sixties. It's a wide-ranging, candid look at mastery, reinvention, and what it means to stay laser-focused across a lifetime of high-stakes second acts. Contacts for Randy: X (Twitter) - https://x.com/Randy_Couture Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/xcnatch/ Xtreme Couture GI Foundation - www.XCGIF.org Merging Vets and Players (MVP) - www.vetsandplayers.org Xtreme Couture GI Foundation - https://www.xtremecoutureg.org/ Xtreme Couture (training center, Las Vegas) - https://www.xtremecouture.com/ Books: Becoming the Natural: My Life In and Out of the Cage -https://www.amazon.com/-/he/Becoming-Natural-Life-Out-Cage/dp/1439153361 Wrestling for Fighting: The Natural Way - https://a.co/d/08Ti6Jxr Extreme Training: The Fighter's Ultimate Fitness Manual - https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Training-Fighters-Ultimate-Fitness/dp/1450724981 Topic Links: Straight Blast Gym - https://www.straightblastgym.com/ Matt Thornton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Thornton_(martial_artist) Robert Follis - https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/coaches/1229-robert-follis Nate Cory - https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/nate-cory Nate Quarry - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate_Quarry Chris Haueter - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Haueter Rigan Machado - https://www.riganbjj.com/ PFL (Professional Fighters League) - https://www.pflmma.com/ Jacaré (Ronaldo Souza) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronaldo_Souza Randy Couture vs. Jacaré Souza grappling match (PSL "X-Mission," 2006) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_q4Yf0SdAM Robert Drysdale - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Drysdale Ricco Rodriguez - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricco_Rodriguez Boxing Works (Hermosa Beach) - https://www.boxingworks.com/ Vitor Belfort - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitor_Belfort Maurice Smith - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Smith_(fighter) Mark Coleman - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Coleman Tank Abbott - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tank_Abbott John McCarthy - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCarthy_(referee) Mark Kerr - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Kerr_(fighter) Kurt Angle - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Angle John Will - https://www.redcatacademy.com.au/john_will.html Tito Ortiz - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tito_Ortiz Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant%C3%B4nio_Rodrigo_Nogueira Royce Gracie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royce_Gracie Rorion Gracie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorion_Gracie Team Quest - https://www.tapology.com/gyms/124-team-quest Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club - https://sunkistkids.org/ Shannon Williams - https://www.themat.com/halloffame/hall-of-fame-detail?PN=Shannon_Williams Mike Valentine (Practical Martial Arts) - https://www.practicalmartialarts.net/ Vision Quest (film) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vision_Quest_(film) MMAFA - https://mmafa.org/ Muhammad Ali Act - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali_Boxing_Reform_Act Lorenzo Fertitta - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorenzo_Fertitta Zuffa - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuffa Conor McGregor - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conor_McGregor Jake Paul - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Paul Ronda Rousey - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronda_Rousey Chuck Liddell - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Liddell Cradle 2 the Grave (film) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle_2_the_Grave https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scorpion_King_2:Rise_of_a_Warrior The Scorpion King (film) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scorpion_King Gersh Agency - https://www.gershagency.com/ Brigitte Nielsen - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigitte_Nielsen The Expendables (franchise) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Expendables(franchise) Barry Primus - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Primus The Smashing Machine (film) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smashing_Machine_(2025_film) Matt Lindland - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Lindland Jerry Anderson - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0031578/ Brock Lesnar - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brock_Lesnar NHRA - https://www.nhra.com/ SCAG Power Equipment - https://www.scag.com/ Frank Hawley - https://www.frankhawley.com/ Rico Chiperelli - https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/coaches/2088-rico-chiperelli Jay Glazer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Glazer Unbreakable (book) - https://www.amazon.com/Unbreakable-Story-Passion-Perseverance-Purpose/dp/1476776299 Waves to War (documentary) - https://wavestowar.com/ Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja Get in touch! This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.

  7. 2 Sept

    Eddie Bravo: Developing 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu & Where His Creative Style Comes From | EP 52

    In this interview, 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu founder Eddie Bravo sits down with longtime training partner and friend David Meyer to share the story behind one of the biggest upsets in grappling history — his legendary submission win over Royler Gracie at ADCC. Eddie opens up about his early days training at the Machado Academy in the 1990s, the origins of the name "Twister" and the rubber guard, and how traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lacked systematic drilling. The conversation dives deep into Eddie's creative process, his unlikely path from strip club DJ to Man Show writer (with the help of Joe Rogan) to jiu jitsu innovator, and the philosophy of "reps over everything" that built 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu into a global grappling movement. Along the way, David and Eddie trade stories about the early Gracie challenge matches, training with the Machado brothers, Ken Shamrock's visit to the academy, and the mindset shifts that shaped two of jiu jitsu's most influential figures. Whether you're a BJJ practitioner, MMA fan, or grappling history enthusiast, this episode is packed with rare behind-the-scenes stories, jiu jitsu history, and hard-earned lessons on creativity, persistence, and building something no one else was doing. Contacts for Eddie Bravo: 10th planet BJJ - https://www.10thplanetjj.com/ Eddie Bravo Invitational EBI - https://www.instagram.com/ebiofficial/?hl=en Eddie's podcast- Look Into It - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW8L4f9Vbw8M&si=xEZ0mjWBgfXDT-ot Eddies Music Hook Thieves" — Eddie's band - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3dqndc6A7nTKUsaYFd8ncv?si=mCpJDCs7RO26WKWO1ds0NA "If Lana Covered" — Eddie's YouTube playlist - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXYGaNm4UxrckR5cFaMIn_IA4ZK-VJnuT&si=ITjaEu77L11hwNkz Eddie's Books: Jiu Jitsu Unleashed https://a.co/d/00Ow5LPi Mastering the Rubber Guard https://a.co/d/01eIGH37 Advanced Rubber Guard https://a.co/d/08oqRKJT Mastering the Twister https://a.co/d/04zXEET9 Some clips used for commentary. Original sources linked below Eddie Bravo vs Royler Gracie ADCC 2003 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewTGXah4GXE&t=11s Eddie Bravo vs Royler Gracie Metamoris 2014 rematch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dWuG0oQnpw Dr. D Schultz Slaps Reporter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeJepvj5tn4 Dominic Lobo Gogoplata Knockout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S25cwU5xUk Richie BoogeyMan Martinez Rubber Guard Finish at No Gi Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Twqr2beqjw Topic Links: Royce Gracie — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royce_Gracie Rickson Gracie — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickson_Gracie Carlos Machado — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Machado_(fighter) Jean Jacques Machado — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Jacques_Machado John "Johnny" Machado — https://johnmachadobjj.com/professor-john-machado/ Rigan Machado — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigan_Machado Ken Shamrock — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Shamrock Masakatsu Funaki — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masakatsu_Funaki Ricco Rodriguez — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricco_Rodriguez Randy Couture — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Couture Bart Vale — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_Vale Chris Haueter — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Haueter Royler Gracie — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royler_Gracie Marcio Feitosa — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcio_Feitosa Joe Moreira — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Moreira Renzo Gracie — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renzo_Gracie ADCC — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADCC_Submission_Fighting_World_Championship Leo Vieira — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9o_Vieira The Man Show — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Show Joe Rogan — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Rogan Hulk Hogan — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulk_Hogan Fedor Emelianenko — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fedor_Emelianenko Israel Adesanya — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Adesanya Lana Del Rey — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lana_Del_Rey Suno — https://suno.com/discover Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A Get in touch! This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.

  8. 5 Aug

    Felicia Oh: Started BJJ at 33, Became a Black Belt Under TWO Legends | EP 51

    In this interview, BJJ black belt Felicia Oh sits down to share her remarkable journey from starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at age 33 to becoming a black belt under both Jean Jacques Machado and Eddie Bravo, a rare distinction only a handful of grapplers hold. The conversation covers what it was like training as a small woman in the male-dominated early days of BJJ, competing at ADCC and the FILA Worlds, and practical advice for smaller grapplers dealing with bigger, stronger opponents. Felicia also opens up about the camaraderie among the "Dirty Dozen" pioneering women in the sport, her take on gi versus no-gi training, BJJ's realistic limits as self-defense, adapting her game through injuries and a battle with Epstein-Barr virus, and her unexpected career as an MMA inspector and judge for the state athletic commission. Packed with candid stories and hard-earned wisdom, this episode is a must-watch for grapplers, MMA fans, and anyone interested in martial arts history and women's role in combat sports. Contacts for interviewee: Instagram (official) - https://www.instagram.com/felicia0h/ USA Dojo profile (Big John McCarthy's UTA bio) - https://www.usadojo.com/felicia-oh/ Herb Dean's referee training https://www.herbdean.com/ John McCarthy's referee training https://www.mmareferee.com/ Topic Links: Felicia Oh - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felicia_OhwikipediaJean Jacques Machado - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Jacques_MachadowikipediaRigan Machado - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigan_MachadoEddie Bravo - https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/eddie-bravobjjheroesJohn McCarthy ("Big John") - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCarthy_(referee)wikipediaADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) - https://adcc-official.com/adcc-officialIBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) - https://ibjjf.com/ibjjf10th Planet Jiu Jitsu - https://www.10thplanetjj.com/10thplanetjj!0th Planet Phoenix - https://www.10thplanetphx.com/Jean Jacques Machado Academy - https://www.jjmachado.com/jjmachadoRenzo Gracie Academy - https://renzogracieacademy.com/renzogracieacademyBlack Sheep Jiu Jitsu - https://www.blacksheepjiujitsu.com/blacksheepjiujitsu Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A Get in touch! This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.

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About

Dave Meyer | Host, Ageless Warrior Lab podcast | President & Co-founder of Food System Innovations and Humane American Animal Foundation  Join BJJ coral belt, Gang of Eight and Dirty Dozen member Dave Meyer as we draw wisdom from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the martial arts and explore how it applies to your life, success in business, and your long-term health. Dave Meyer is a pioneering American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) practitioner, and accomplished non-profit founder and Philanthropist. He is an eleven-time world champion in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and is the current world champion in his age/weight division in the no-gi format. Dave co-founded and served as CEO of Adopt-a-Pet.com for two decades, turning it into the world's largest nonprofit homeless pet adoption website and helping save millions of animals, before its acquisition by Mars Inc. Today, Dave leads Humane America Animal Foundation and Food System Innovations, working on farm animal welfare and a healthy and sustainable food system. He frequently advises U.S. lawmakers on these issues, and has raised and deployed over $160 million in philanthropic capital as part of his work in the nonprofit space. In his athletic career, Dave has risen to the highest ranks of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He earned his black belt from Rigan Machado in 1996 and ranked among the first Americans ("the Dirty Dozen") to do so. He was the first American to medal at the black belt level at the BJJ World Championships in Brazil in 1998. Dave is one of just several Americans to achieve the rank of coral belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a group now referred to as the “Gang of Eight”. He continues to compete at the world championship level, winning world championship titles in his age division. As a martial artist and instructor, he taught at UCLA, Steven Seagal's Tenshin Dojo, and developed a globally used grappling curriculum with John Will, including customized material for Chuck Norris's UFAF association. He has written several books on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, including "Training for Competition: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Grappling". Meyer also played a critical role in post-Katrina animal rescue, co-authored books pet care, and co-founded a Haiti orphanage for children with HIV, exemplifying a lifetime of impactful leadership in both martial arts and philanthropy. Dave resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, and continues to coach BJJ athletes and compete at the world championship level. He is the President & Co-Founder of Humane America Animal Foundation and Food System Innovations, of which the Ageless Warrior Lab is a project.

Information

  • Creator
    David Meyer
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Ageless Warrior Lab | A Dave Meyer Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Ageless Warrior Lab

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