PODCAST

Fighting Matters

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

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All Episodes

58:38

🥋 Jiu-Jitsu Is a Platform. Use It.

Fighting Matters ·

2025/06/16

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 practitioners to speak out. Why do so many people say “keep politics out of the gym”? What does it really mean to use your platform responsibly? And how can community, not conflict, be the most powerful form of resistance? From running inclusive gyms to dealing w...

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4:31

It's time for the Jiu-Jitsu community to speak up.

Fighting Matters ·

2025/06/13

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77:18

🦠 Why MRSA is so dangerous for grapplers

Fighting Matters ·

2025/06/12

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. Clayton Green, a board-certified dermatologist and microbiologist, to dig into one of the scariest health threats in combat sports: MRSA. Why are otherwise healthy grapplers winding up hospitalized with life-threatening infections? Why does doing “everything ...

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60:57

Extremist “Active Clubs” Are Infiltrating Jiu-Jitsu

Fighting Matters ·

2025/06/05

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 extremist groups using martial arts like Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai as recruiting tools for white supremacist and neo-Nazi causes. Mack spent nearly a decade reporting on far-right extremism for VICE News and now works with the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, trackin...

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57:13

Jordan Klepper's Investigation into the MMA and MAGA...

Fighting Matters ·

2025/06/04

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 segment on Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePbMNq8m7Jw Follow Luke Thomas on his Morning Kombat show here: https://www.youtube.com/c/MorningKombat And check out Luke's Substack here: https://lthomas.substack.com/

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83:43

☠️ The Dangerous Rise of Bro Science in Jiu-Jitsu

Fighting Matters ·

2025/06/02

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 a culture of male insecurity and anti-intellectualism has opened the floodgates to misinformation—fueled by algorithm-chasing gurus and podcast personalities more interested in profit than truth. From testosterone fads and supplement sponsors to sunning your...

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82:48

Jiu-Jitsu and Intimate Partner Violence, feat. D'Juan...

Fighting Matters ·

2025/05/28

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 victim blaming, and what it really means to create a safe, accountable training environment. ⸻ 👥 Featuring: • D’Juan Owens – Martial artist, educator, activist • Jesse Walker – @RoughHandsBJJ • Jeff Shaw ‪@BellinghamBJJ‬ • Steve K...

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19:26

💬 The BJJ Community Is Split on Jay Rod

Fighting Matters ·

2025/05/22

🎙️ 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 Rod” Rodriguez was kicked out of B-Team following revelations of inappropriate behavior. While the gym acted swiftly and decisively, parts of the community rushed to defend him—and that’s where the real conversation begins. This isn’t about legal definitions

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56:37

Fascism from Mussolini to Trump, with Daniele Bolelli

Fighting Matters ·

2025/05/19

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 of martial arts in combatting authoritarianism. Catch Daniele's excellent History on Fire podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts or check out his site: https://historyonfirepodcast.com/ Follow him on Substack: https://danielebolelli.subs...

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68:28

🔥 Why the UFC Became a Right-Wing Arena

Fighting Matters ·

2025/05/14

🎙️ 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 article, “Two Nights in Vegas with the Fan-Bros of the UFC.” What begins as a story about fandom becomes a deep dive into the cultural and political forces shaping fight sports today. From MAGA hat sightings to Dana White’s unwavering support for Trump, the

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28:48

🚨 B-Team Bans Jay Rod: Our Reaction

Fighting Matters ·

2025/05/07

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan, Jesse Walker, and Shelby York react to the breaking news that B-Team Jiu-Jitsu has officially banned Jay Rod. The team discusses the statements made by both B-Team and Jay Rod and the implications for gym culture. ⸻ 👥 Featuring: Steve Kwan ‪@bjjmentalmodels‬ Jesse Walker ‪@roughhandsbjj‬ Shelby York @roughhandsog ⸻ 🧠 Topics We Cover: • What B-Team’s statement actually said • How Jay Rod responded and what it reveals • Why Craig Jones’s

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82:15

🏳️‍⚧️ Molly Reis: Life as a Trans Black Belt in BJJ

Fighting Matters ·

2025/05/05

🎙️ A powerful conversation about identity, inclusion, and resilience in the martial arts community. In this episode of Fighting Matters, co-hosts Steve Kwan and Mike Mahaffey are joined by special guest Molly Reis, a three-stripe black belt and one of the most senior trans women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Molly shares her journey through the sport, from competing every weekend in Texas to finding belonging in Seattle’s queer BJJ scene. She opens up about the challenges of transitioning

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71:18

"Get Up and Fight", MMA Fighter Nate Quarry vs MAGA...

Fighting Matters ·

2025/05/02

Nate Quarry fought in MMA, including The Ultimate Fighter and the UFC, between 2001 and 2010. He's currently involved in suing the UFC for anticompetitive and monopolistic practices. He joins us on the Fighting Matters podcast to discuss manhood, responsibility, self worth, and standing up for other people.

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68:07

🇨🇦 Canada Just Rejected MAGA

Fighting Matters ·

2025/04/30

🎙️ A deep dive into how Trump’s anti-Canada rhetoric flipped the Canadian election—and what it means for martial artists on both sides of the border. In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan is joined by longtime friend and grappling legend Stephan Kesting for a raw, unfiltered conversation about Canada’s 2025 federal election. They unpack how the rise of MAGA-style politics north of the border sparked a national backlash, ultimately reshaping Canadian leadership—and exposing

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