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

Mother, poet, and US citizen Renée Good was shot by ICE on January 7, closely followed by the shooting of ICU Nurse and US citizen Alex Pretti on January 24th, apparently by members of the Border Patrol. Both Renée and Alex were immediately denounced as "domestic terrorists" by the US administration and an army of bots has been circulating a deluge of easily debunkable falsehood about the two victims.

In this episode of Fighting Matters BJJ black belt Stephan Kesting is joined Tyson Larone, the Warrior Philosopher, to explore why this is all happening, who benefits from this, where is it likely to go, and how does it potentially end. We turn over every rock from the Epstein Files to suppressing the midterm elections to World War III.

Follow Tyson on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@thewarriorphilosopher and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewarriorphilosopherig

And please share this episode with someone it would help.

Racism, extremism, and exclusion aren’t abstract problems in martial arts. They show up in real gyms, affect real people, and shape who feels safe on the mats. In this episode of Fighting Matters, hosts Mike Mahaffey and Jesse Walker are joined by Deon Thompson and Stephen Hall for a candid, deeply personal conversation about how racism and hate groups intersect with Jiu-Jitsu culture, why “staying neutral” is not an option, and what responsibility coaches carry when they teach people how to fight.

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🔗 Links Mentioned:
• Fighting Matters Linktree — https://linktr.ee/fightingmatters
• Ohio Brasa Jiu-Jitsu (Deon Thompson) — https://ohiobrasajiujitsu.com
• Bioniq Brass Band (Stephan Hall) — https://www.instagram.com/bioniqbrassband

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👥 Featuring:
• Mike Mahaffey — @oldbastardbjj
• Jesse Walker — @roughhandsbjj
• Deon Thompson — @thompsonjiujitsu
• Stephen Hall — @bioniqbrassband

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🧠 Topics Discussed:
• Racism and extremism in Jiu-Jitsu gyms
• Why this isn’t “just politics”
• Gym culture and accountability
• Belt promotions as endorsements of character
• Representation, safety, and who feels welcome
• Why silence enables harm
• The ethical responsibility of coaches

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📖 Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction
02:10 – Why racism in Jiu-Jitsu can’t be ignored
08:30 – Extremist groups and combat sports
16:45 – Gym culture and leadership responsibility
25:10 – Promotions, character, and accountability
34:40 – Representation and who feels safe on the mats
45:20 – Why neutrality enables harm
57:30 – What coaches must be willing to confront
1:08:00 – Final thoughts and closing remarks