Dan Shulman and Buster discuss the Toronto Blue Jays perched atop the American League, the latest on George Springer, wearing down pitchers, the veteran staring pitching, and when we might see top prospect Trey Yesavage. Then, Jesse Rogers stops by to talk about the Brewers’ confidence, the Cubs calling up Owen Caissie, and the Padres taking a lead…

In this week's mini-episode, we discuss loss aversion, the human tendency to fear losses more than we desire equivalent gains. While avoiding losses is rational, excessive fear of loss can hold us back from our biggest growth opportunities. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro Don't forg…

Tim Kurkjian and Buster discuss the Cal Raleigh as the main attraction during the Little League Classic in Williamsport, the Padres catching the Dodgers in the NL West, the Mariners catching the Astros in the AL West, the Brewers lighting up Paul Skenes, and how Skenes should handle his future on a bad team. Then, Dave Dombrowski talks about his co…

In this episode of BJJ Meditations, host Joe shares personal updates about his life as a new father and the introduction of a judo program at Princeton BJJ. He discusses the philosophy of 'Don't Know Mind' and how it applies to training in judo and jiu jitsu. Joe reflects on the benefits of judo for enhancing jiu jitsu skills, the importance of lea…

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan of BJJ Mental Models is joined by Stephan Kesting, Mike Mahaffey, and former FBI special agent Mike German to uncover the truth about “Active Clubs” — far-right extremist fight clubs infiltrating martial arts. Mike German spent 16 years as an FBI undercover agent, including operations against neo-Nazi…

David Cone, Karl Ravech, Eduardo Pérez and Buster combine for a Clown Car as they're walking out of Busch Stadium. The guys discuss the state of the Cardinals and Cubs following Sunday Night Baseball, the Brewers sweeping the Mets, if the New York teams are in danger of falling out of the Wild Card race, Mariano Rivera tearing his achilles, and nex…

In this episode, Brianna Ste-Marie talks about the front headlock: its offensive power, common pitfalls like “bloodlust,” strategic uses for control and distraction, and key differences between gi and no-gi. Follow Brianna on social: https://www.instagram.com/briannasm Mental models discussed in this episode: Myopia https://bjjmentalmodels.com/myop…

Royals GM J.J. Picollo joins Buster to discuss his traded deadline experience, how much the parity in the American League was a factor in making moves, extending Seth Lugo, adding Mike Yastrzemski, and trading Freddy Fermin to the Padres. Then, Alden Gonzalez talks about the tight AL East race, his preseason Mariners’ prediction, the Yankees trying…

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan of BJJ Mental Models and Jesse Walker of Rough Hands BJJ are joined by wrestling historian David Wolf to unpack how Donald Trump turned American politics into a pro wrestling storyline. From Trump’s long history with Vince McMahon and WWE, to the political weaponization of kayfabe, we dig into how the…

In this week's mini-episode, we discuss the idea of an abundance mindset, where we view success as something we can mutually achieve. The abundance mindset contrasts with a scarcity mindset, which sees success as a zero-sum game. This mini-episode explains why the abundance mindset can counterintuitively improve your Jiu-Jitsu over the long term, e…

Hembo and Buster discuss the New York Yankees losing their fifth straight game, Jhoan Duran’s entrance, what makes Cristopher Sánchez so dominant, how trading Rafael Devers unlocked the Red Sox lineup, and baseball is enjoying unprecedented (on-field) parity. Then, Tim Kurkjian and Dave Schoenfield talk about which team is the best in the American …

Fresh from a trip to Vancouver, Daniel shared his experiences visiting the Chinese Canadian Museum, cancelling a group jubensha experience, the Burnaby Crystal Mall food court, and more! - Support the launch of Daniel's wuxia TTRPG Wandering Blades here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tonyatplusoneexp/wandering-blades⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ //SPONSOR Asia…

Phillies manager Rob Thomson hops in the Clown Car with Buster, Eduardo Pérez, David Cone and Karl Ravech to share his thoughts on Cristopher Sanchez’s performance and using Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning. Then, the guys discuss why the MVP of the weekend was Dave Dombrowski, the best team in the National League, the Marlins sweeping the Yankees,…

In this episode, we welcome back world champion Edwin “Junny” Ocasio for a deeply introspective conversation about the mental challenges of high-level competition. Junny shares how achieving his lifelong dream of winning a world title unexpectedly led to a period of depression and self-doubt, revealing the emotional complexity that comes with succe…

Jeff Passan, Tim Kurkjian and Buster gather in Bristol following the 2025 MLB trade deadline. The guys dole out grades for all 30 teams, decide whether this was actually the craziest trade deadline in recent years and talk to Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer. WATCH THE SHOW ON YOUTUBE CALL THE SHOW: 406-404-8460 EMAIL THE SHO…

The Fighting Matters crew gathers to discuss how Russian martial arts, such as Systema and Sambo, have been linked to far-right ideology and are being used by Russia as a tool for propaganda, recruitment, and spreading disinformation in foreign countries, including the US. We also discuss the evolving Trump-Epstein situation, right-wing ideologies …

In this week's mini-episode we discuss process over outcomes, a mental model we've also referred to as habits over results. This concept teaches us to balance long-term goals with the short-term habits needed to achieve them. We discuss how building habits motivates us by creating consistent "wins," how quick feedback enables us to pivot early, and…

Jeff Passan and Buster discuss the Mariners on the verge of doing more, what makes the relief market so interesting, Shane Bieber’s availability, if the Dodgers should try acquire Steven Kwan, why Jeff thinks the Padres will do something big, and where they think Merrill Kelly will land. Then, Hembo on the passing of Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandber…

David Cone, Eduardo Pérez and Buster hop in the Clown Car to discuss the state of the Giants and Mets, the Royals extending Seth Lugo and why the Guardians should think about dealing their bullpen arms. Then, Jesse Rogers stops by to talk the favorites to land Eugenio Suarez, the Cubs' pitching target, the Rays' regression, the Tigers' bullpen fall…

In this episode, Steve Kwan welcomes back Francesco Fonte for an in-depth exploration of what Francesco calls the “timeline of coaching:” For coaches: INFO → SKILLS → GAMES For athletes: GAMES → SKILLS → INFO Francesco explains how effective Jiu-Jitsu instruction should reverse the traditional info-dump model: instead of starting with detailed tech…

David Cone, Karl Ravech and Buster pile in the Clown Car to discuss the Philadelphia Phillies as a World Series favorite, why the Boston Red Sox can’t take on rentals, and the New York Yankees playing tight. Then, Alden Gonzalez and Jorge Castillo talk about the Yankees’ clunky roster construction, the San Diego Padres’ window closing fast, Mike El…

In this week's mini-episode we discuss resulting, a logical fallacy where we incorrectly assume that the quality of our decisions are directly related to the quality of our results. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium! If you love the …

Steve Phillips and Buster talk all things trade deadline, including matching buyers, if the Rafael Devers trade ate up the San Francisco Giants’ flexibility, how the Seattle Mariners will get involved, managing up and down the org chart as a general manager, what “all in” means for the Blue Jays, if Emmanuel Clase will be available, the New York Me…

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan of BJJ Mental Models and Jesse Walker of Rough Hands BJJ confront one of the most urgent challenges in martial arts today: the normalization of extremist rhetoric, abuse, and unethical behavior within the community. From Derek Moneyberg’s questionable black belt promotion by Jake Shields, to the broad…

Daniel and Drew continue their discussion about KPop Demon Hunters, the Gundam Card Game, and the state of TCG prices in local game stores. - Support the launch of Daniel's wuxia TTRPG Wandering Blades here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tonyatplusoneexp/wandering-blades⁠⁠⁠⁠ //SPONSOR Asians Represent! is proudly sponsored by Hero Forge!…

David Cone, Karl Ravech, Eduardo Pérez and Buster hop in the Clown Car to discuss a brilliant 6 2/3 innings from Tarik Skubal on Sunday Night Baseball, Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch pulling Skubal in the 7th inning, the Texas Rangers still in the Wild Card race, the Milwaukee Brewers winning 10-straight with a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers, …

In this episode of BJJ Mental Models, Steve Kwan is joined by Laurien Zurhake to explore how trauma-informed coaching can transform Jiu-Jitsu into a safer, more inclusive, and more effective training environment. Laurien, co-founder of Off the Zone, shares her ABC Playbook for Mental Health (Anticipate, Bring Them Back, and Course Correct), a pract…

Tim Kurkjian and Buster discuss Buster’s return to the podcast, what Tim liked and didn’t like during his trip to Atlanta for the All-Star Game, and Pete Alonso’s idea to change baseball. Plus, Buster unloads his trade deadline notebook and Tim reacts. Then, The Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy stops by to talk about the twist and turns of the Red So…

In this week's mini-episode we discuss self-competition. You've probably heard the phrase, "comparison is the thief of joy." Self-comparison is a problem we all face, and self-competition is a helpful mental model for working with this problem. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro Resour…

Welcome to Baseball Tonight LIVE presented by Sage! Today, we’re recapping Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh winning the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby and Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero’s coming out party as runner-up. Plus, a look ahead to after the All-Star break, including the AL East race, whether The Big Dumper has a case for MVP ov…

Karl Ravech, Eduardo Pérez and Todd Frazier discuss Cal Raleigh winning the Home Run Derby, Cal’s brother T catching for him, a coming out party for Junior Caminero, Paul Skenes facing Tarik Skubal in the All-Star Game, Fraizer’s All-Star Game experience as a player, and the biggest mystery of the night. Then, Jesse Rogers joins for Bleacher Tweets…

Stephan Kesting and Jeff Shaw are joined by Tyson LaRone (the "Warrior Philosopher" from TikTok) to look at the rise of fascism in modern times. Tyson shares his insights on the characteristics of fascist regimes, drawing parallels between historical figures like Mussolini and contemporary political leaders. We also explore the role of social media…

In this episode, Steve Kwan is joined by Rosie Miller to explore the concept of the “tryhard hobbyist” in Jiu-Jitsu: someone who trains seriously and with intention, even if they don’t pursue the sport professionally. Rosie, a brown belt out of Atos HQ and founder of The Grappler’s Lab, shares her journey of evolving goals, identity, and self-worth…

By Fighting Matters

By Fighting Matters

Hembo and The Pat McAfee Show's Ty Schmit discuss what they're watching for in the approaching Home Run Derby, Monday at 8PM ET on ESPN. Then the crew of The Just Baseball Show joins Hembo to conduct an all-time home run derby draft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

In this week's mini-episode we discuss the Red Queen effect, a hypothesis based on a quote from Alice in Wonderland that is oddly applicable to science and Jiu-Jitsu! It teaches us that sometimes we need to keep moving just to maintain our position. The Red Queen effect helps explain why we don't feel like we're getting better at Jiu-Jitsu when we …

Jeff Passan and Rays closer Pete Fairbanks discuss Pokemon and the Tampa Bay way. Then, Jeff and Kiley McDaniel look at how the recent changes atop the Nationals will impact their draft approach, before going through some of the "best of's" in the upcoming MLB Draft. And Jeff checks in with John Schneider, manager of baseball's hottest team, the To…

By Fighting Matters