In this episode, I sit down with David Mitchell, a BJJ black belt and one of the most dangerous submission artists in Masters competition today. David is ranked #1 in the world for Master 2 No-Gi by IBJJF, has won around 85% of his matches with a 90% submission rate, and recently released his instructional "Ankle Locks Don't Work, and Other Lies" with BJJ Fanatics. Beyond the mats, David spent a decade at Google in finance and learning development before launching his own venture, MMA Fight Advisor, which uses data analytics to provide sports betting insights for UFC fights.

We discuss what makes teaching such a powerful tool for improving your own jujitsu, the differences between gi and no-gi training and why both matter, and David's philosophy of thriving in chaos by finding "hidden harmonies" in scrambles. David shares his approach to building a complete BJJ game, why you should never wait for the "perfect time" to compete, and how learning to learn might be more valuable than any specific technique.

We also dive into the challenges of balancing elite-level competition with a demanding career and family life, navigating autoimmune disease and health issues while still performing at the highest level, and why jumping into the deep end—whether in jujitsu or business—accelerates skill acquisition. David opens up about his "few-shot learning" approach, the importance of leading with empathy as an instructor, and how the skills developed through martial arts—problem-solving, resilience, and incremental progress—translate directly to success in business, relationships, and personal growth.

Whether you're a BJJ practitioner looking to sharpen your submission game, a competitor seeking insights on performance under pressure, or someone interested in how high achievers balance multiple demanding pursuits, this conversation delivers actionable wisdom, honest insights about overcoming obstacles, and inspiration to keep showing up even when conditions aren't perfect.

Find Dave Mitchell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmitch442/?hl=en

Keep up to date with David and his wife, Lauren, through their link tree:

https://linktr.ee/TeamChaosJiuJitsu

MMA Fight Advisor YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MMAFightAdvisor

MMA Fight Advisor on Instagram: nstagram.com/mmafightadvisor/

Team Chaos Jiu Jitsu YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TeamChaosJiuJitsu

Team Chaos Jiu Jitsu on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@teamchaosjiujitsu

Team Chaos Jiu Jitsu on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TeamChaosJiuJitsu

Ankle Locks Don't Work (And Other Lies): https://bjjfanatics.com/products/ankle-locks-dont-work-and-other-lies-by-david-mitchell?srsltid=AfmBOorC7BBBoDc9LkkwKszcxou5z3iIb8oZScj5khGc8qaI-jpv1js1

Music:

“Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A

Get in touch!

This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.

In this episode, I sit down with Professor John Will, one of Australia's most legendary martial artists and the person who brought Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the continent. John is now a coral belt in BJJ, was the first Australian to earn a black belt in the art, and has over 45 years of teaching experience with everyone from beginners to elite military units, including the Australian Defense Forces, US Marine Corps, and FBI.

We discuss what makes a truly great martial arts school, the evolution of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from a simple fighting system to a global sport, and why what gets you in the door isn't what keeps you there for decades. John shares his powerful "5% improvement" philosophy for making progress in martial arts and life, the critical importance of building safety nets before taking risks, and why learning how to learn might be more valuable than any technique.

We also dive into practical self-defense concepts, including "the fence" for situational awareness and conflict prevention, the Four D's of street attacks, and why most self-defense classes miss the mark. John opens up about fear, anxiety, mental toughness, and how the skills developed on the mat—problem-solving, incremental progress, and resilience—translate directly to success in business, relationships, and personal growth.

Whether you're a BJJ practitioner, martial artist from another discipline, or someone interested in personal development through physical training, this conversation delivers actionable wisdom, honest insights about the realities of combat training, and inspiration to keep showing up for the long game.

Links:

Contact for John Will:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.b.will.7

Previous John Will Episode:

https://youtu.be/ZxPifNLKTUo?si=fzFuPAmz_H7KhSTg

Redcat Academy

https://www.redcatacademy.com.au/

Jeff Thompson's book “Watch My Back”

https://a.co/d/aWTTcp7

BJJ Essential Tactics: Volume 1 of the Dirty Dozen BJJ Curriculum (BJJ - A Dirty Dozen Curriculum)

https://a.co/d/5bqB4ki

BJJ - Level Up Your Game: Volume 2 of the Dirty Dozen BJJ Curriculum (BJJ - A Dirty Dozen Curriculum)

https://a.co/d/00Ca5wn

Sifu Douglas Wong

https://www.whitelotuskungfu.com/about-masterwong.html

White Lotus King Fu

https://www.whitelotuskungfu.com/

Robert Strong, Comedy Magician

https://www.strongentertainment.com/

Marcello Garcia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcelo_Garcia_(grappler)

Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A

Get in touch!

This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.

Frank Shamrock joins Dave Meyer for a deep, honest conversation about martial arts, MMA, mindset, and the life experiences that shaped one of the most well-rounded fighters of his era. Frank shares his path from a difficult childhood and time in the system to discovering martial arts, training in Japan, and ultimately becoming a UFC champion.

This episode goes beyond fight stories, Frank breaks down how biomechanics, discipline, curiosity, and personal responsibility helped him evolve as a fighter and as a human. He also opens up about mental health, the emotional aftermath of winning, and the hard lessons that came from losses. Plus, Frank explains how he now applies martial arts principles to leadership and executive coaching, including work with major organizations.

If you’re into MMA history, UFC legends, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, self-defense, performance psychology, leadership training, and personal transformation, this interview is packed with insights.

Topics covered:

1. Frank Shamrock’s origin story: childhood, crime, prison, and turning his life around
2. Early MMA and training in Japan (Pancrase era)
3. Why “beginner’s mind” matters in martial arts and business
4. Biomechanics, systems, and learning how to learn
5. Mental health, trauma, and why a big win felt depressing
6. Confidence, discipline, honesty, and performing under pressure
7. How martial arts principles translate to leadership and team performance

Show Notes Links:

Website: https://frankshamrock.com/

Documentary: https://frankshamrock.com/doc

Uncaged by Frank Shamrock: https://frankshamrock.com/books/uncaged-my-life-as-a-champion-mma-fighter-zgpgx

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankshamrock/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@frankshamrock

X: https://x.com/frankshamrock?lang=en

Get in touch!

This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.