Stories & Lessons -

The World Is Falling Apart. Here’s Why Jiu-Jitsu Might Be the Only Thing That Can Fix It

It’s time to face the facts. Our world is in turmoil. Wars are being fought on nearly every continent, and there’s an air of evil permeating through our souls on a global level. If I were a biblical scholar instead of a Jiu-Jitsu instructor, I’d be preparing my congregation for the apocalypse. But I teach

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Editorial/Opinion, Stories & Lessons

The Why behind everything.

Mindset & Motivation, Stories & Lessons

I’m gearing up for another competition. One of those ‘one last time’ situations I keep finding myself in. And as I’ve been grinding through camp, I keep coming back to the same question: why am I doing this? Everyone has a why. There are books written about it, seminars built around it, entire coaching industries

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Mindset & Motivation, Stories & Lessons

andré galvão's allegations and reckoning

The André Galvão Allegations and the Cultural Reckoning Jiu-Jitsu Can’t Avoid

Coaching & Culture, Stories & Lessons

I have loved Jiu-Jitsu for most of my adult life. It has given me purpose, discipline, confidence, community, and a livelihood. I’ve seen it change broken men. I’ve seen it empower women. I’ve watched shy kids grow into confident young adults because someone believed in them. That’s why what’s happening right now matters. For those

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Coaching & Culture, Stories & Lessons

Back to the Source: A Jiu-Jitsu Pilgrimage to Rio

Jiu-Jitsu Life, Personal Writting, Stories & Lessons

I have recently devoted a great deal of time, effort, and resources to building my social media presence. Although personal vanity undeniably motivates my ambitions on some subconscious level, I also genuinely care about producing content for a wider audience. Jiu-Jitsu holds a special power that changes lives—a power I have witnessed firsthand over nearly

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Jiu-Jitsu Life, Personal Writting, Stories & Lessons

CJI 2: Craig Jones’ Bold Gamble and Grappling’s Never-Ending Struggle for Prestige

Editorial/Opinion, Stories & Lessons

Creating a professional grappling circuit that bridges prestige and profitability has been the holy grail of our sport for the last decade. Ever since Gordon Ryan slapped a Burger King crown on his head, every competitor chasing a NAGA belt has dreamed of the day they could make enough money competing to move off their

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Editorial/Opinion, Stories & Lessons

CJI2 Preview, Jay Rodriguez Breaks Silence & Khamzat Earns BJJ Black Belt

Jiu-JItu News & Updates, Stories & Lessons

Written By Kevin Bradley Welcome to the UCK Roundup, where we cover some of the biggest stories in grappling this week. My name’s Kevin—no, not that one. Despite UFC BJJ’s arrival, the grappling scene is still being driven by independent promotions. Offering massive prize pools for men’s and women’s tournaments alongside carnival-style superfights, Craig Jones’

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Jiu-JItu News & Updates, Stories & Lessons

Coach vs. Instructor: Why the Difference Changes Lives

Coaching & Culture, Stories & Lessons

By Jamie VarnerInspired by a Ryan Hall interview I am a coach. But what, exactly, is an instructor—and how is that role different from mine? Most of us have had instructors. Fewer of us have had a true coach. Instructors teach skills; coaches shape people. Both are valuable. Both can be excellent. But they do

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Coaching & Culture, Stories & Lessons

The Hard Truth: Sub-Only Jiu-Jitsu Isn’t Built for Spectators

Jiu-Jitsu Life, Stories & Lessons

I’ve been lying on my couch for two days, fighting off Influenza A, and I’m miserable. But most of all, I’m bored. There is a limit to how much “Declassified: Untold Stories Of American Spies” you can watch in a weekend before you lose your lust for life and pray for the Reaper to guide

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Jiu-Jitsu Life, Stories & Lessons

Tattooing the Spirit: A Journey with Phil Holt

Personal Writting, Stories & Lessons

Tattoo culture has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. There was a time when a tattoo signified that its wearer earned the right to brandish that colorful scar. They were badges of honor meant to display misadventures abroad or loyalty to a cause more personal and permanent than a legal document. Fast forward to

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Personal Writting, Stories & Lessons

My Love/Hate Relationship With Professional Jiu-Jitsu

Jiu-Jitsu Life, Stories & Lessons

Written in 2021 Professional jiu-jitsu has become a business now—complete with high-dollar matchmakers and star athletes exhibiting all the traits expected from their newfound fame and fortune. As the sport grows to new, previously unthinkable heights, many purists are torn between celebrating the increased interest in their passion and lamenting the necessary changes that have

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Jiu-Jitsu Life, Stories & Lessons