Weslee Weighs In

Weslee and Bailey Parker
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

Weslee Weighs In is a podcast about jiu jitsu, combat sports, and the people who make them worth talking about. Hosted by husband-and-wife duo Weslee and Bailey Parker, we go beyond techniques and match results to explore the ideas, experiences, personalities, and sometimes controversial conversations that shape the world of jiu jitsu. From thoughtful conversations with athletes, coaches, photographers, and other voices in the community to technique breakdowns, parenting and training, competition, gym culture, and everything in between—we’re here to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and have the conversations that make you think. Whether you’re deep in the mats or just fascinated by the world of combat sports, there’s something to weigh in on. 🎙️ New episodes, conversations, and jiu jitsu content every week.

  1. 20h ago

    14-Year Old Prodigy Icaro Moreno: The Future Has a Name

    At just 14, Icaro Moreno has already lived the kind of jiu-jitsu journey most athletes spend a lifetime chasing. In this conversation, he breaks down how a kid from Boston became one of AOJ’s most talked-about young stars, why his family moved across the country to fuel his career, and the mindset that helped him turn criticism, pressure, and a brutal ADCC weight cut into fuel. He opens up about the sacrifice behind the spotlight, from leaving his mom in Boston for a year to chasing training opportunities at Atos and then finding his home at AOJ. He also reveals how a conversation with Gui Mendez changed the direction of his life, why he believes the best athletes are built on trust, basics, and the right circle, and how his dad has become his coach, mentor, and marketing director all at once. You'll hear: - Why Icaro believes copying your idols is the fastest way to become forgettable - The training philosophy AOJ uses for competition, from bad positions to no-emotion performance - How he rebuilt after a devastating ADCC loss and changed his weight-cut strategy forever - Why he thinks flashy jiu-jitsu is overrated compared to dominant, repeatable fundamentals - How faith, family, and a Bible study group keep him grounded through the noise He also shares his thoughts on WNO, UFC BJJ, the state of matchmaking, the future of leg locks, and why he believes the next generation needs more triangles, guard retention, wrestling, and control, not just highlight-reel submissions. And if you want to hear what drives a teenager to train like a veteran, speak like a coach, and compete with the confidence of a world champ, this one delivers. Perfect for jiu-jitsu fans, parents of young athletes, and anyone who wants to understand what it actually takes to build greatness before most people are even old enough to drive. Follow Icaro on socials: @icaromorenojj

  2. 6d ago

    Alexa Herse | Braveheart: The Mindset of a World Champion

    In this episode, Weslee and Bailey sit down with elite jiu-jitsu athlete and coach Alexa Herse to talk about competition, confidence, resilience, and the mental side of becoming a champion. Alexa shares her journey from starting jiu-jitsu as a kid to competing at the highest levels of the sport, including what changed when she earned her blue belt, the challenges of moving from kids’ divisions into juvenile and adult competition, and how she navigated a difficult stretch of losses before winning the 2026 Adult Purple Belt World Championship. She opens up about the mindset shift that helped her stop focusing on the outcome, trust her preparation, compete with confidence, and give her best regardless of what happened on the mat. The conversation also dives into the changing world of kids’ jiu-jitsu, including how parents can support young competitors without creating unnecessary pressure, the impact of social media on young athletes, and why keeping the sport fun while building strong fundamentals matters so much. Alexa also talks about changing gyms, finding the right training environment at Alliance San Diego, learning from Janaina Lebre, and how intentional drilling and training rounds have helped develop her game. Plus, she explains the meaning behind her “Braveheart” mantra, shares advice for athletes going through a tough season, and talks about her goals for the future of her competitive career. Whether you’re a competitor, coach, or jiu-jitsu parent, this is a conversation about what happens after the losses and how resilience, perspective, and the right environment can change everything. Follow Alexa on socials @alexahersejj Tatami Fightwear: Code ALEXA20

  3. Sep 22

    Dr. Kreiswirth: Medical Director for the IBJJF

    In this episode of Weslee Weighs In, we get the medical perspective on some of jiu-jitsu’s biggest injury risks, including heel hooks, reaping, guard jumping, weight cuts, and more. Dr. Kreiswirth has been on the mats providing medical coverage for jiu-jitsu tournaments since the sport looked very different than it does today. From the early days of tournament medicine to massive multi-day events like Worlds, he’s seen firsthand how the sport, and the way we respond to injuries, has evolved. Dr. K explains how medical staff evaluate an athlete in seconds, what injuries they see most often, and why some of the most serious-looking injuries aren’t always as catastrophic as they appear on video. We also get into the issues surrounding youth and Masters competition, the effects of stress and caffeine on athletes, parental pressure, and why understanding your own body and recognizing when you’re in danger may be just as important as the rules themselves. Plus, Dr. K shares stories from decades of working tournaments, including dislocated jaws, unconscious competitors, serious knee injuries, and the incident that led us to sit down with him in the first place. If you’re a jiu-jitsu athlete, coach, parent, or just someone who wants to understand the medical side of the sport, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. About Dr. K: Dr. K is the founder of Black Belt Sports Medicine and a certified athletic trainer who has provided medical coverage at jiu-jitsu tournaments for decades. He has helped pioneer injury tracking in the sport and has published research on heel hook injuries and tournament medical coverage. If you're interested in providing medical coverage at IBJJF events, contact Dr. K at https://www.blackbeltsportsmedicine.com/ or direct message him on Instagram at @blackbeltsportsmedicine1

  4. Sep 15

    Josh Beam: The YouTube Strategy That Turned Martial Arts Experiments Into a Business

    Josh Beam has turned martial arts, competition, and curiosity into a career, and in this episode of Weslee Weighs In, we get into the ideas, experiences, and lessons that have shaped his journey. Josh is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt, Judo practitioner, former Muay Thai striker, and one of the fastest-growing martial arts creators on YouTube. From Brazil to Japan and beyond, he’s trained and competed in a wide variety of martial arts while building a massive audience by testing the questions that grapplers are always arguing about. Josh and Weslee break down the real differences between Judo and BJJ, what competition can teach you about training, how rules can completely change the way a martial art is practiced, and why the right constraints can transform the way you train and think. They also dive into Josh’s approach to creating content, what it’s like putting martial arts experiments in front of millions of people, dealing with negative comments and online criticism, and how he decides whether a video is actually worth making. Whether you’re a BJJ competitor, a Judo player, a martial arts nerd, or just someone who loves seeing people test conventional wisdom, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Follow Josh Beam: 📸 Instagram: @joshbeambjj ▶️ YouTube: Josh Beam BJJ 🎵 TikTok: @joshbeambjj 🔗 All links: linktr.ee/joshbeambjj

  5. Sep 8

    Phil Daru | The Science Behind Combat Sports Performance

    In this episode, we sit down with Phil Daru, one of the most respected strength and conditioning coaches in combat sports. Phil takes us through his journey from fighter to coach and shares what he’s learned working with elite athletes across MMA, boxing, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. We talk about what actually drives performance at the highest level, from strength and conditioning to recovery, mobility, fatigue management, and building training programs around the individual athlete. Phil also breaks down the biggest mistakes he sees athletes and coaches making, why a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work, and how understanding the demands of your specific sport can completely change the way you train. We also get into weight cutting, nutrition, training for busy athletes, recovery, and the mindset required to keep improving. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or just a fan of combat sports, there’s a ton of practical insight you can take from this conversation. Follow Phil on socials @darustrong

  6. Sep 1

    Dorian Brownlee: BJJ's Favorite Photographer on Toxic People, Opening a Gym, and Youth in Jiu Jitsu

    This week on Weslee Weighs In, we sit down with one of the most recognizable photographers in jiu-jitsu, Dorian Brownlee. Dorian’s story is about a lot more than taking pictures. From watching UFC 1 as a kid and serving in the Army, to getting humbled on his first night of jiu-jitsu, Dorian eventually found himself shooting tournaments with a borrowed camera, and turned that opportunity into a full-time career photographing some of the biggest events in the sport. We talk about how he Heath Pedigo gave him his first opportunity at an IBJJF tournament, what it takes to capture that split-second moment that tells the story of a match, and why he believes the best jiu-jitsu photographers actually need to understand the sport from the inside. But this conversation goes way beyond photography. Dorian gets real about toxic gym culture, over-the-top parents, sportsmanship, women’s programs, youth coaching, and what it actually takes to build a strong jiu-jitsu community. He also shares the story behind his signature giraffe look, the tragedy that pushed him to stop waiting for permission and bet on himself, and the journey that eventually led him to opening a brand-new Pedigo Submission Fighting gym in Columbia, Missouri. In this episode, we talk about: • Dorian’s journey from marketing cars and using a borrowed camera to becoming a full-time combat sports photographer • How he got his start photographing IBJJF tournaments • What separates a great jiu-jitsu photograph from just another picture of a match • Why photographers who compete have a unique perspective on the sport • The communication between athletes and photographers that can make tournament coverage better • The story behind Dorian’s signature giraffe look 🦒 • Toxic gym culture, bad sportsmanship, and the impact they have on the next generation • Over-the-top jiu-jitsu parents and what coaches and gym owners can do about it • Why women’s programs and youth coaching are so important • What it really means to build a “tribe” in jiu-jitsu • The decision that changed Dorian’s life and pushed him to bet on himself • His new Pedigo Submission Fighting gym in Columbia, Missouri Dorian has spent years documenting the people, moments, and chaos that make jiu-jitsu what it is. Now he’s stepping into a completely different role as a gym owner. This one is part jiu-jitsu, part photography, part entrepreneurship, and a whole lot of honest conversation about the culture surrounding the sport. Follow Dorian on socials: @bjjedits Check out his new gym, Pedigo Submission Fighting in Columbia, MO @psfcolumbiamo www.psfcomo.com

  7. Aug 25

    Jared Wade: From Wall Street to Worlds

    Jared Wade is proof that starting late doesn’t mean you can’t chase the top. This week, we sit down with Jared to talk about his unconventional path from a finance career into jiu-jitsu at 21, eventually becoming one of the most talked-about purple belts in the sport and medaling at Pans and Worlds. Jared shares what changed between being “the worst blue belt in the room” and becoming an elite competitor, including the coaches, training rooms, and experiences that shaped his game. He breaks down why positional sparring, private lessons, and competing can be more valuable than endless competition rounds, and why he focuses on studying movement and concepts rather than simply memorizing techniques. The conversation also gets into something Jared believes is just as important as training: staying curious and having fun. After burning himself out, he found that getting playful with his jiu-jitsu has helped his game explode. Jared also opens up about the less-talked-about side of competing at a high level while building a public brand. He discusses social media, sponsorships, private lessons, content creation, and the challenge of balancing growing an audience with the focus required to become a champion. Whether you’re a competitor, hobbyist, coach, content creator, or just someone trying to get better at something you love, Jared’s story is a great reminder that you can chase and achieve your goals at any age.  Follow Jared on Instagram @jaredwadebjj

  8. Aug 18

    Heather Morgan on Training, Coaching, Content Creation, and Finding Your Own Style of Jiu Jitsu

    In this episode of the Weslee Weighs In Podcast, Weslee and Bailey sit down with three-time IBJJF World Champion, black belt, coach, and content creator Heather Morgan for a conversation about competition, coaching, confidence, and the evolution of her jiu-jitsu journey. Heather shares how she found jiu-jitsu after college, why she moved to San Diego to train at a higher level, and how her gymnastics background shaped her athleticism and style on the mat. She also talks about what it really takes to compete at the highest levels and how confidence is built through preparation, hard training, and constantly putting yourself in challenging environments. The conversation dives deep into Heather’s coaching philosophy, including why she believes coaches should help students develop their own game rather than create copies of themselves. She explains how constraint-led and gamified training can help athletes become better problem-solvers, the difference between being an instructor and being a true coach, and why studying live competition is just as important as studying techniques. Heather also opens up about how injuries forced her to rethink her identity as a competitor and ultimately pushed her further into coaching and content creation. She shares what she’s learned about building an audience, communicating jiu-jitsu through short-form content, and connecting with everyone from hobbyists to high-level competitors. Whether you compete, coach, or simply want to become better at jiu-jitsu, this episode is packed with insight from one of the sport’s most accomplished and thoughtful voices. Follow Heather Morgan on social media: YouTube: @heather_morganbjj Instagram: @heather_morganbjj TikTok: @heather_morganbjj

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Weslee Weighs In is a podcast about jiu jitsu, combat sports, and the people who make them worth talking about. Hosted by husband-and-wife duo Weslee and Bailey Parker, we go beyond techniques and match results to explore the ideas, experiences, personalities, and sometimes controversial conversations that shape the world of jiu jitsu. From thoughtful conversations with athletes, coaches, photographers, and other voices in the community to technique breakdowns, parenting and training, competition, gym culture, and everything in between—we’re here to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and have the conversations that make you think. Whether you’re deep in the mats or just fascinated by the world of combat sports, there’s something to weigh in on. 🎙️ New episodes, conversations, and jiu jitsu content every week.

Information

  • Creator
    Weslee and Bailey Parker
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Weslee and Bailey Parker
  • Show Website
    Weslee Weighs In

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