Dirty White Belt Radio

Will Loushin joins us to talk about his journey through the Marine Coprs, MMA, nogi and gi jiujitsu, as a competitor and a coach to prominent kids competitors like Christina Linn. He also tells us stories of grappling with Ken Shamrock, Rich Franklin and Ryan Hall, as well as what it means to be nominated for the Coach of the Year Award. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Dec. 9 at Submission Only Richmond -- and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this month -- thanks, y'all!

KASAI Grappling CEO Rich Byrne joins us to preview this weekend's Kasai Pro card, which features a who's who of jiujitsu -- Gordon Ryan, Yuri Simoes, and many more. We also talk to Rich about his own fascinating journey in jiujitsu, which includes the Fertitta Brothers, middle eastern royalty, Renzo Gracie and John Danaher. Learn what matches he's looking forward to most, and what tournament matchups he hopes happens in the 8-man tournament bracket. We also talk about what he thought of Junny Ocasio's performance to qualify, why Celso Vinicius is criminally underrated, whether we'll see a women's Kasai tournament and Equal Pay For BJJ. Also, find out who he considers far and away the top mind in the sport, what he thinks of the berimbolo, and how he hopes Kasai changes the landscape of jiujitsu. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Dec. 9 at Submission Only Richmond -- and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the

We talk to two local grapplers who are also avid musicians, both blue belts: Rodney (Oak City Slums) and Henry (miniluv) talk beats, production, inspiration and the confluence of martial arts and performing arts. Plus, we play some songs and they make dope rolling playlists for the listeners. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Dec. 9 at Submission Only Richmond -- and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this month -- thanks, y'all!

Five time world champion and double gold Mundial winner Bernardo Faria joins us in studio for a great, wide-ranging conversation. Bernardo tells us who he considers the best competitor of all time (the answer may surprise you), what he learned from Fabio Gurgel and Marcelo Garcia, why entrepreneurs are drawn to jiujitsu, the difference wrestling made in his game, his thoughts on self defense and sport jiujitsu, the most common mistake most people make when doing the omoplata, and whether he's officially retired from competition. Bernardo has a new instructional series about the omoplata out this week: check it out! Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Dec. 9 at Submission Only Richmond -- and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did

The great Cobrinha just won the Grand Slam, and took gold at his third ADCC in a row. He talked to us about what the honor he's proudest of is, the keys to longevity and success in jiujitsu, balancing family, teaching and training. Enjoy this special bonus show! Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Dec. 9 at Submission Only Richmond -- and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this month -- thanks, y'all!

In Gordon Ryan's first ADCC, he won gold in his weight class and silver in absolute. At just 22 years old, he's cemented his status among the best nogi grapplers in the world -- and now he's headed to the gi divisions. We talk with him about who the toughest person he's ever rolled with is; who the best non-Danaher leg lock guy is, in his opinion -- and how far ahead the DDS is of everyone else in playing that game; and the real reason he incorporated strength training into his routine. Plus, we get some intricate technical details on the finishes he used at ADCC. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Dec. 9 at Submission Only Richmond -- and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this month -- thanks, y'all!

Dominyka Obelenyte, four time black belt world champion, is back in Durham teaching a seminar at Elevate MMA! We talk to Dom about the shoulder injury that's kept her off the competition mats (and why art is more dangerous to her than jiujitsu at this point). We also make plans for a Dom-designed DWB rashguard, the grappling camp in Virginia she's teaching next weekend, about equal pay for women in the BJJ world and much more. Plus, learn about her favorite grapplers of the moment to watch and about Dom's own competition future -- will she shift to a superfight focus? Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Dec. 9 at Submission Only Richmond -- and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this month -- thanks, y'all!

Unity Jiujitsu's Junny Ocasio competes at light featherweight and walks around closer to 135 than 155 ... but he won the 155 pound qualifier to the KASAI Pro eight-man tournament on Dec. 9, where he'll compete against the likes of Garry Tonon, Gianni Grippo, AJ Agazarm and other elite competitors. We talked with Junny about his gold at Pans, his superfight win at Show the ART last night, his performance in the 16-man qualifying tournament to earn his spot, and his plan going into the exciting event in December, where Gordon Ryan will also compete against Yuri Simoes. Don't miss this show! It's one of our favorite interviews lately, with one of the hardest-working athletes in jiujitsu at an exciting moment in his career. We also update you on the Dirty White Belt Awards, and tell you a SECRET WAY that you can back your preferred candidate. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Dec. 9 at Submission Only Richmond -- and if yo

How are writing and fighting related? Jeff and Betsy talk with two romance novelists who have written a three-book series set in the world of MMA. We talk about how stereotyping fighters (and fans) is misleading, what Ultimate Fighter contestant inspired one of the protagonists (the answer will surprise you, striking vs. grappling and why neither writers nor fighters want to leave it up to the judges. We also update you on the Dirty White Belt Awards, and all the amazing nominees that have come in. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Oct. 28 in Greensboro North Carolina -- and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this month -- thanks, y'all!

On his birthday weekend, Gustavo Machado black belt Greg Walker competed in the Toro Cup 8 main event and emerged victorious. We talked with Greg about the tightly-contested match, his journey to black belt, the way he balances training, competing and teaching, the toughest people he's rolled again, his wrestling background, his time in the Navy and his recent IBJJF gold medal performance -- along with his future goals. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Oct. 21 at US Grappling in Chantilly, Virginia, or Oct. 28 in Greensboro North Carolina -- and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this month -- thanks, y'all!

Samantha Faulhaber is a successful competitive black belt with a deep background in functional movement. Recently relocated to Durham, Sam talked to us about her Kinstretch classes at Elevate MMA and workshop Oct. 13 at Triangle Jiujitsu; about competing at Toro Cup 8 in a much-anticipated rematch with Caitlin Huggins; about people who use jiujitsu as a crutch rather than a tool; about living in a Flow state, about what it's like to go viral after a loss; and most importantly about jiujitsu hair. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Oct. 21 at US Grappling in Chantilly, Virginia, or Oct. 28 in Greensboro North Carolina -- and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this month -- thanks, y'all!

A year ago, Samantha Seff was recovering from her 5th knee surgery and wondering when (or if) she'd be able to get back in the cage. On Oct. 14, she's main eventing an MMA card and fighting for a title belt. We talk to Sami about the journey back, her brutal training regimen, advice for new competitors, Harry Potter socks, her supportive parents and brothers, and what it's like to date another high-level competitor while they're both training and competing. The new gi Jeff designed for Toro BJJ is out now! Go get you one. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Oct. 21 at US Grappling in Chantilly, Virginia, or Oct. 28 in Greensboro North Carolina -- and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this month -- thanks, y'all!

30 minutes after ADCC ends, we break down the matches and results! Plus, Caitlin Huggins calls in to recap the Atlanta Open -- including her own silver medal performance in the black belt absolute division. Plus, Jeff goes weekend-by-weekend to cover all the amazing events from now until November. Don't miss it! Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Oct. 21 at US Grappling in Chantilly, Virginia, and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this month -- thanks, y'all!

You know Nakapan Phungephorn as a high-level jiujitsu black belt and Muay Thai practitioner, as well as the head of BETA Academy in DC. In three weeks, Nakapan returns to the MMA cage for the first time in 15 years. He talks to us about why he made this decision. about the trip to Thailand in 1994 that jumpstarted his Muay Thai career, about how he got the idea of opening a school from Leo Dalla, about martial arts politics, and why he's stopped eating meat. Plus, we talk to BETA Academy students about what makes their school a special place to train! Organizer of Grapplethon Laurie Porsch comes back on the show to talk about the charity grappling event on Nov. 4, her thoughts on competition, positivity in training and women-only martial arts classes. General Manager of BETA Luis Candelas also joins us to talk about how they don't care what kind of clothes you wear to train as long as they can choke you with them. Plus, Jeff goes weekend-by-weekend to cover all the amazing events from now until Nov. 19. D

Jake Whitfield, owner of Gracie Jiu Jitsu Goldsboro and a black belt under Royce Gracie, is one of the foremost practitioners of and advocates for self defense training in the Carolinas. We sat down with Jake for a long conversation about the meaning of self defense, how it goes beyond techniques, what a lot of people (trained and otherwise) get wrong about it, and much more. Jake's techniques are proven in multiple competitive fighting formats: he's one of the areas most successful MMA fighters as well as a successful competitive grappler. Rumor is he'll be competing at the next Toro Cup, too! This show is for Sunday, Sep. 10, but we're posting early due to honeymoons, vacations and potential hurricanes. Next show is September 17. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Sep. 16 at US Grappling Virginia Beach, and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus con

If you're grateful for jiujitsu's global reach, you owe a bit of a debt to Dennis Asche. The founder of Connection Rio BJJ Hostel helped create a pipeline of Americans training in Rio Di Janeiro, learning and bringing their skills back home. Great Grappling instructor Jeremy Arel was one of the very first guests at the hostel, and when Dennis came to visit Great Grappling, Lourdes spoke with him about the original aim of Connection Rio, why the hostel is closed now and when it'll re-open, about training with Helio Gracie and Rorion Gracie, and about Carolina food. Here's Lourdes' interview with Dennis Asche. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete on Sep. 16 at US Grappling Virginia Beach, and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this

What a weekend! By our count 24 locals brought home almost 30 medals from the IBJJF Masters Worlds in Las Vegas. The complete list is below -- let us know if we missed anyone! On the new podcast we recap our favorite matches and shout out a bunch of medalists with black belt Caitlin Huggins. Plus, hear co-host and bronze medalist Lola Funki Munkii interviewed by Mari, one of the kids from Great Grappling. We also interview Bobby McMasters and Amanda McMasters, whose new school in Asheville is an collaborative jiujitsu project called Open Source Jiu-Jitsu. Hear about Bobby founding a BJJ program in Moldova, the Peace Corps, training with Saulo and Xande Ribeiro in the early 2000s and much more. Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside MMA! Register online at usgrappling.com to compete, and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl K

Richard Bresler was Rorion Gracie's first regular American student, which means he was really the first person in the United States to train Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. He started training in July of 1979, 14 years before the first UFC. That means he has a litany of incredible stories, including some from when Chuck Norris invited Rorion to Las Vegas, and Richard was the only non-Gracie to make the trip.There are stories from early dojo challenge matches, including what happened when Judo Gene Lebell asked Richard to roll. We wanted to talk to Richard because he doesn't get enough credit for what he's done to spread Gracie Jiu-Jitsu throughout the United States and the world. He helped to finance the first Gracie Academy and to make the first UFC happen -- you'll hear about that as well. For most of us training today, Richard played a significant role in making that happen. Bear that in mind when you're hearing Richard Bresler talked about how living with Rorion saved his life, and when you listen to him talk about

This weekend Garry Tonon goes up against Dillon Danis at Polaris 5. While Matt Benyon from Polaris was in New York filming previews, Lourdes caught up with him. You can check out the event on UFC Fight Pass this weekend!

For our 100th show, we talked to a legend and a fourth-degree black belt student of that legend.. Ricardo de la Riva spoke with us about the guard that bears his name, training with Carlson Gracie, how he feels about the term "creonte" and much more. Vicente Junior, Master de la Riva and Jeff had a wide-ranging conversation over breakfast about the key to longevity in jiujitsu, who the best of all time is, and about VJ helping Master de la Riva train for his return to competition at 39 years old (in the adult division). Thanks as always to our sponsors, US Grappling, Toro BJJ, and Cageside Fight Co.! Register online at usgrappling.com, and if you need gi or nogi gear to compete, find the best products at cageside.com! If you want access to bonus content, you can support us at patreon.com/dirtywhitebelt, as Cody Maltais, Karl Krebs, Chris Holmes and Betty Broadhurst did this month -- thanks, y'all!