In this episode, we sit down with Dean Lister, a 3x ADCC Champion and one of the early pioneers of leg locks in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Dean talks about growing up in a military family, getting his start in wrestling and Sambo, and eventually discovering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He shares stories from his early training, the development of his leg lock game, and his memorable run through the 2003 ADCC Absolute Division.

Dean also discusses competing in PRIDE, training with some of the biggest names in Jiu-Jitsu and MMA, his return to ADCC in 2011, and the evolution of leg locks in the sport. We also get into competition mindset, coaching, women’s self-defense, the early days of submission grappling, and some wild stories from old-school Jiu-Jitsu tournaments.

In the first edition of Open Mat, James and Ryan sit down with no real agenda and see where the conversation goes.

They talk about Jonah Hill’s recent comments about Jiu-Jitsu and whether training actually means you can beat up the average person. From there, the conversation gets into people refusing to tap, some brutal armbars, and a few of the craziest students and visitors they’ve encountered over the years.

They also talk about the upcoming IBJJA expansion, Ryan’s struggles training at a new gym, and using those bad rounds to get better. Finally, they get into AI, how it’s changing graphic design and marketing, and whether we’re eventually going to see AI-powered Jiu-Jitsu coaches.

In this episode, we sit down with Tom McMahon, a 5x IBJJF World Champion with an incredible story.

Tom has an impressive competitive résumé and a wealth of Jiu-Jitsu knowledge, but his biggest battle came in 2021 when he was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer.

Tom shares stories from his competitive career, including winning IBJJF Worlds and facing BJJ legends like Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu and Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida. He also takes us through his entire journey with cancer—from his diagnosis and treatment to his recovery and eventual return to the competition.

Follow Tom on Instagram — @riseagainbjj