Gracie Jiu Jitsu Rocks! podcast

Dr. Gaetano (Guy) Scuderi, is an orthopaedic and spine surgeon and 4th degree black belt under the Velente brothers. He has been a practitioner of martial arts since his youth, with experience in Aikido, Kickboxing, Boxing, Shoot Fighting, Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Judo, Japanese Jūjutsu, and Brazilian Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. He has been a part of the Valente Brothers family for nearly 20 years and He owns Jupiter Self Defense in Jupiter Fl.  In this interview he discusses his martial arts journey, important aspects of self defense, the accident that severely impacted his life, the exciting discovery he made that may change the way the world treats pain conditions, his relationship with the Valente brothers and the impact they’ve had on him, the most common injuries in BJJ and tips to avoid them, what to do if you do get injured, they people who’ve influenced his life the most, and more…...

Robert Drysdale is a world renowned Jiu Jitsu & MMA competitor. He is the co-founder of Zenith BJJ and founder of Drysdale BJJ.  He’s an IBJJF black belt world champion and a ADCC world champion. He had an 8-0 MMA record. In this interview he talks about the “golden era” of BJJ, the early days in Brazil, what made him (and all successful people)  so successful, what part accountability and ego play in success, accepting when your attributes are declining and how hard that can be, how being a father has changed him, Jiu Jitsu for real combat/self defense, competition, Gi and No Gi…..(Functional Jiu Jitsu),  why wrestling can be a better foundation for MMA than Jiu Jitsu, why MMA is the most efficient form of self defense ever created, details of the north south choke, his mom’s impact on his life, biggest influences on his BJJ, his new podcast with David Avelon (known for the Kimura Trap system), his upcoming documentary Closed Guard The Movie, commentating at the A upcoming ADCC, and more….. Don’t miss it!

North Carolina had some great representation at the 2019 Masters World Championships! In this episode we talk to the people that medaled at this year’s event including Geeta Bhat (the Jiu Jitsu Cowgirl), Daniel Branch, Chris Lewter, Lourdes  Cantu (Lola Funki Munkii), Logan Gulick, Trevor Burns, Kim Rice and Dave Owens.

Nick “Chewy” Albin is a BJJ black belt and world class competitor and instructor. He’s the owner and head instructor of Derby City MMA in louisville KY, and creator of the brand “ChewJitsu” which includes the extremely popular  website ChewJitsu.net, Youtube channel and podcast. In this interview he discusses his recent Double Gold lwin, his philosophy on Competition, the importance of controlling your mental state, breathing, the importance of ego, his martial arts journey, his podcast, how he got his nickname, his school- Derby City MMA, biggest impacts on your life, what people would be surprised to know about him, and more!

Helio Soncea is a the co-founder of Gracie Barra, an accomplished competitor and world champion, and a world renowned instructor and coach. In this episode he discusses how Gracie Barra was started, training with Renzo Gracie and the Machados, why Renzo is his “guardian angel, his relationship with Carolos Gracie Jr, advice on staying on the mat long term, facing his idol, Royler Gracie, on the mat, fighting against Megaton Diaz in ADCC, teaching Roger Gracie, Igor Gracie, & Rolles Gracie, working with MMA fighters such as Anderson Silva, Alan Belcher, Vanderla Silva, etc and why teaching MMA fighters is not his favorite thing, how Jiu Jitsu teaches you about life, his proudest moments in JJ, His one hobbie that he likes even more than Jiu Jitsu, how important his faith is, his gratitude for the USA, and the people who’ve influenced his life the most….

Eli Knight, a 2nd degree Royce Gracie Black Belt, discusses his training at the Gracie academy, early UFCs, Royce Gracie's teaching abilities, and the long road to black belt. He shares insights on BJJ for sport, self defense, and MMA, different teaching approaches, and the impact of influential figures in his life.

Robin is one of Relson Gracie’s 10 first black belts. He’s the owner & head instructor of Relson Gracie Columbus. Robin  has completed in some of the world’s largest competitions, winning the Gracie Nationals and Arnold Gracie World championships multiple times, and is known for his exceptional coaching abilities. His mission is to empower as many people as possible through the power of Gracie Jiu Jitsu. In this interview he discusses the early days of Ji Jitsu, what inspired him to get into BJJ, people who have had the biggest impact in his Jiu Jitsu (and life), thoughts on achieving black belt and what it means to be a black belt, being a dad to his 8 kids, coming full circle in his self defense philosophy, the importance of setting healthy boundaries, confidence gained through Jiu Jitsu and how it affects all areas of one’s life, the major impact his wife’s support has had on his life, whether we should push our kids into Jiu Jitsu or not, why it’s easier for kids to learn Jiu Jitsu, working with the Catch Court (victims of human trafficking program), importance of breathing, etc

In this interesting and lively discussion, professors Keith Owen, Greg Nelson, and Mark Cukro discuss what it takes to stay on the mat long term-well into your years. Keith Owen (The Rhino) is a Pedro Sauer Black Belt and founder of team Rhino. Greg Nelson is Pedro Sauer's first black belt and a world renowned MMA coach (including coach to 3 UFC champions). Mark Cukro is also a Pedro Sauer Black Belt and owner/head instructor of Integrated Martial Arts.

World renowned Jiu Jitsu and MMA competitor and coach, Tom DeBlass, discusses many topics, including what fatherhood means to him, his dad’s struggles with addictions and the impact on him, living your own life, training for fun and flexing to the person you're rolling with, heated/intense  training sessions, unrealistic online videos, intermittent fasting, fitness, his faith, tragedy of people doing bad things in the name of religion, chasing competition glory, serving others, peace of mind, dealing with ADHD growing up, being a man, walking away from conversations when needed, and more...

Joel Garcia is a BJJ black belt & owner of Embrace Martial arts, in WS, where he teaches BJJ and Muay Thai, and is an official representative of American Killer Bees association.  He is an incredibly knowledgeable BJJ, Muay Thai, and MMA coach & instructor, and a truly exceptional ambassador for the martial arts. In this interview he discusses his academy and how he ended up in NC; God First slogan; Judo in Brazil; The birth of the Killers Bees; surviving cancer; his nickname “The Joker”; dealing with betrayal; differences between US and Brazil; working with UFC fighters; realizing your strengths but improving your weaknesses; making JJ your own; looking at the whole picture when achieving rank; student and instructor behavior on and off the mat; making a deep impact; working with current UFC fighters Allen Crowder and Hannah Cifers; Sean Spangler’s impact on him, and more