The BJJ Fanatics Podcast
Ryan Ford
Our mission with this podcast is to help YOU grow on the mats! We do this by presenting deep, insightful interviews every week with the best athletes, coaches and legends of BJJ and Grappling. Whether you're looking to expand your knowledge about technique, BJJ culture or the history of the art, every episode is loaded with advice and lessons from the best in the game. The host Ryan Ford conducts each interview in a casual setting, which makes it easy to see the human side of the stars of our sport and get to know their story while also learning more for your own development. New episodes are available every week, and we have over 500 episodes for you to enjoy as well, which is over 800 hours of entertainment and knowledge! We hope you enjoy it!
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 3, 2026 • 1h 41min
BJJ Fanatics 670: Michael Heinz
BJJ Black Belt Michael Heinz joins show show to talk about how meditation has impacted his journey in the art. He explains how to use meditation concepts before, during and after training to achieve better results.
Jan 20, 2026 • 1h 9min
BJJ Fanatics 669: Glyn Powditch
Glyn Powditch is a leading voice in Jiu-Jitsu on breathing and breathwork. He explains how something as simple as learning how to manage your breathing during training and competition can have a tremendous impact on your cardio and performance.
Jan 6, 2026 • 1h 29min
BJJ Fanatics 668: Shawn Williams
Shawn Williams joins the show for the first episode of 2026! The topic for this episode is how to coach athletes. Shawn talks about providing relevant information, game-planning, managing nerves and strategy from the coach's chair. He also talks take downs!
Dec 23, 2025 • 1h 5min
BJJ Fanatics 667: Xmas with Kurt
Kurt joins us for the final episode of 2025! We talk about the potential alien craft near Earth, conspiracy theories, and how AI consistently fools Kurt on Instagram. Kurt also takes questions from the listeners and spreads Christmas cheer.
Dec 2, 2025 • 1h 46min
BJJ Fanatics 666: Jeff Curran
Jeff Curran returns to share what its like to start and run a grappling tournament from scratch and life after professional fighting. He also opens up about growing up in poverty and a violent home and how Jiu-Jitsu changed the direction of his life
Nov 18, 2025 • 1h 18min
BJJ Fanatics 665: Roberto Godoi
Roberto Godoi returns to talk about competition for Masters athletes. He covers mindset, conditioning, tactics and conserving energy. He also explains how being "starstruck" when competing against a famous athlete is something to be completely avoided!
Nov 4, 2025 • 1h 52min
BJJ Fanatics 664: Shawn Melanson
Shawn Melanson joins the show to talk about running a gym specifically for competitors, how anxiety has impacted him on and off the mats, and developing take downs. He also shows his impressive reptile collection (check out the video episode on YouTube)
Oct 14, 2025 • 1h 20min
BJJ Fanatics 663: Robert Drysdale
Robert Drysdale joins the show to share his latest research on the history of BJJ. He also discusses the ways that commercialization has helped and hurt the art and his thoughts on professional grappling's influence on the culture and future of BJJ
4 snips
Oct 1, 2025 • 1h 34min
BJJ Fanatics 662: Chris Wojcik
Chris Wojcik, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and innovator in leg-lock techniques, shares insights from his journey as a competitor and coach. He discusses the importance of goal setting, overcoming self-doubt, and the value of regret in personal growth. Chris reflects on his transition from wrestling to jiu-jitsu, his experience with injuries, and how they shaped his perspective. He also explores how community and friendships in jiu-jitsu have impacted his career, alongside his passion for writing and using insights from AI to enhance his craft.
Sep 16, 2025 • 1h 24min
BJJ Fanatics 661: Malachy Friedman
Malachy Friedman, a third-degree black belt and former pro MMA fighter, returns to share his coaching insights. He dives into the competition mindset and the art of game planning for specific opponents. With a focus on improvisation, he emphasizes adapting techniques in real-time. He also discusses the significance of mental fortitude and emotional intelligence for high-pressure situations. Malachy highlights the balance of hard sparring in training, illustrating how resilience shapes fighter performance.
