In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan, Stephan Kesting, and Jeff Shaw explain why the idea of “keeping politics out” is no longer tenable, especially in Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts communities. Against the backdrop of escalating political violence, institutional breakdowns, and global instability, they explore the civic responsibility of gym owners, coaches, and athletes, and why silence increasingly amounts to complicity.

🔗 Links Mentioned:
• Fighting Matters Linktree — https://linktree.com/fightingmatters
• Fighting Matters Substack — https://fightingmatters.substack.com
• This Is Why We Fight (Jeff Shaw course) — https://bjjmentalmodels.com/fight

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👥 Featuring:
Steve Kwan — https://bjjmentalmodels.com
Stephan Kesting — https://www.grapplearts.com
Jeff Shaw — https://bellinghambjj.com

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🧠 Topics Discussed:
• Why “keep politics out of Jiu-Jitsu” is a thought-terminating cliché
• Political violence, accountability, and the role of video evidence
• Fascism, despair, and overreaction as a martial arts analogy
• Civic responsibility for gym owners and community leaders
• Why neutrality increasingly favors the status quo

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📖 Chapters:
00:00 — Welcome & January 2026 reality check
04:40 — Political violence and media narratives
13:30 — Why apolitical stances are collapsing
24:00 — Global consequences and U.S. credibility
31:00 — “Keep politics out of Jiu-Jitsu” examined
45:10 — Martial arts, pressure, and overreaction
54:40 — What regular people can actually do
57:20 — Final thoughts and calls to action