The mats have taught me more than how to fight. Here are the stories and hard-earned lessons that shaped me as a coach, competitor, and person—and what they might mean for life beyond jiu-jitsu.
Go to Win or Don’t Go at All: Lessons from My Match with Boogeyman Martinez
Throughout anyone’s grappling career, there are moments where you level up. These upgrades don’t always…
Coaching Jim: The Real Reason I Love Jiu-Jitsu
Everyone knows I love competitive jiu-jitsu. Spend five minutes with me and you’ll hear about…
Black Belt Is Poetry: What It Really Means to Master Jiu-Jitsu
I’ve always been a writer. As far back as I can remember, I wrote short…
What I Learned From Training Three Days With a Navy SEAL
The first time I met Mike O’Dowd felt like the first time I’ve met many…
Tapping Into Healing: Dr. Gino Collura on Jiu-Jitsu and PTSD
Sometimes the toughest injuries to cope with leave no visible wounds. I suffer from long-term…
Guard Passing Won’t Get You Highlights, But It Will Win You Titles
By Kevin Guard passing is one of the most essential—but often overlooked—skills in jiu-jitsu. Even…
What Do We Do About Gordon Ryan?
What Do We Do About Gordon Ryan?By Kevin Written in 2022 I’ve been covering Gordon…
Conor McGregor’s Complicated Legacy
Written in 2021 Saturday’s knockout defeat at the hands of Dustin Poirier seemed to answer…
Being a Brown Belt Sucks (And That’s Exactly the Point)
Brown Belt: The Best Worst Belt in Jiu-Jitsu A promotion to brown belt is a…