Fighting Matters
Fighting Matters
Podcast Description
Fighting fascism and the far-right in combat sports like MMA and BJJ.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast dives into topics such as the intersection of politics and martial arts, specifically addressing issues like the influence of identity politics, the challenges women face in Jiu-Jitsu, the implications of far-right ideologies in the combat sports scene, and the necessity of fostering inclusivity within martial arts communities through episodes examining the impact of tribalism and creating safe training environments

Fighting fascism and the far-right in combat sports like MMA and BJJ.
In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan and Mike Mahaffey connect a month of far-right imagery in combat sports: Nazi salutes and a swastika flag at a kickboxing event in Orlando, an ADCC finalist with a history of posting Nazi salutes, and a Tatami gi pulled over SS-style lightning bolts. They argue this keeps happening because the sport keeps making excuses for it, and that fans can change that by being deliberate about who gets their money.
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π₯ Featuring:
– Steve Kwan β https://bjjmentalmodels.com
– Mike Mahaffey β https://instagram.com/oldbastardbjj
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π§ Topics Discussed:
– Nazi salutes at a Paul Miller kickboxing fight
– Josh Saunders' ADCC final loss to Victor Hugo
– Tatami's Autsiders gi and its SS-style bolts
– Turning Point USA on the UFC BJJ mat
– Fuji BJJ's event conduct policy
– Voting with your dollars in jiu-jitsu
– Buying local in a K-shaped economy
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π Chapters:
00:00 β A month of hate in fight sports
04:10 β Paul Miller's kickboxing salute
06:37 β Josh Saunders in the ADCC final
08:26 β Tatami's Autsiders gi controversy
14:46 β Josh Saunders' coaching business
17:29 β Voting with your wallet in BJJ
20:14 β Sports have always been political
23:02 β Turning Point USA on UFC BJJ mats
27:39 β Fuji BJJ's event conduct policy
34:53 β How the far right gets normalized
37:47 β Finding ethical jiu-jitsu coaches
40:10 β Far-right versus far-left threats
42:14 β The mood on the ground in the US
45:45 β Fascism and incompetent loyalists
50:39 β Local spending, K-shaped economy

Disclaimer
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