In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models sits down with Mike Mahaffey of Old Bastard BJJ and Jesse Walker of Rough Hands BJJ for a raw conversation about why it matters—now more than ever—for Jiu-Jitsu practitioners to speak out.

Why do so many people say “keep politics out of the gym”? What does it really mean to use your platform responsibly? And how can community, not conflict, be the most powerful form of resistance?

From running inclusive gyms to dealing with trolls, threats, and the myth of “virtue signaling,” this episode is a call to action for anyone who believes that Jiu-Jitsu should stand for something more than just fighting.

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👥 Featuring:

Mike Mahaffey – ‪@oldbastardbjj‬
Jesse Walker – ‪@roughhandsbjj‬
Steve Kwan – ‪@bjjmentalmodels‬

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🧠 Topics We Cover:

• Why speaking out doesn’t hurt your business—sometimes it builds it
• How to use privilege as a force for good
• What “virtue signaling” really means (and why it’s a lazy critique)
• How to build a gym that welcomes everyone
• Why moderating your community isn’t censorship—it’s care
• What to do if you’re “just a white belt” but still want to help

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📖 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Fighting Matters and the Hosts
01:02 Addressing Criticism in Martial Arts Advocacy
05:07 Personal Experiences and Advocacy in BJJ
11:06 Creating Inclusive Spaces in Martial Arts
15:39 The Impact of Speaking Up on Business and Community
20:47 Countering Virtue Signaling Criticism
26:32 The Importance of Resistance and Community Building
32:48 Finding Your Voice in the Community
38:14 The Importance of Intention
52:02 Courage to Speak Up
56:24 Building Connections and Community

We're doing this episode in light of Ben Askren's battle with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).

In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models sits down with Jeff Shaw of Bellingham BJJ and Dr. Clayton Green, a board-certified dermatologist and microbiologist, to dig into one of the scariest health threats in combat sports: MRSA.

Why are otherwise healthy grapplers winding up hospitalized with life-threatening infections? Why does doing “everything right” still not guarantee safety? And what can we learn from modern medicine to actually prevent this from happening?

With pro athletes like Ben Askren and John Moxley getting sidelined by staph—and regular gym-goers like Jeff fighting it off with IV antibiotics—this conversation goes beyond hygiene to tackle culture, misinformation, and the war between science and bro science.

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👥 Featuring:

Dr. Clayton Green – Dermatologist & Microbiologist
Jeff Shaw ‪@BellinghamBJJ‬
Steve Kwan ‪@bjjmentalmodels‬

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🧠 Topics We Cover:

• How MRSA actually works (and why it’s deadly)
• Why your gym might still be dangerous, even if it’s clean
• The science behind colonization and contamination
• Best practices for prevention and decolonization
• Why “doing your own research” is making you sick
• What science communicators can learn from pro wrestling

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📖 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Staph Infections in Combat Sports
02:44 Understanding Staph and MRSA: The Basics
05:33 The Ecology of Staph: Colonization and Transmission
08:30 Identifying Staph Infections in Gyms
11:17 Best Practices for Prevention and Hygiene
13:56 Antibiotics and Treatment: What You Need to Know
16:37 Decolonization: Challenges and Strategies
19:28 Prophylactic Antibiotics: Risks and Considerations
22:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
25:39 The Importance of Advocacy in Medicine
28:12 Understanding Staph Infections and Their Risks
37:15 Probiotics and Antibiotics: What You Need to Know
44:20 Communicating Science Effectively to Combat Misinformation
51:51 The Goalkeeper Syndrome in Society
53:09 The Impact of Denialism on Health
54:25 The Importance of Vaccination and Public Health
56:57 The Role of Emotion in Persuasion
58:25 Urgent Care and Access to Healthcare
01:03:14 The Privilege of Health and Misinformation
01:06:48 The Challenges of Chronic Illness and Research
01:10:35 Community Outreach and the Medical Profession