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# 🥋 Jiu-Jitsu Is a Platform. Use It.
- URL: https://fightingmatters.com/jiu-jitsu-is-a-platform-use-it/
- Published: 2025-06-16T07:29:06.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-12T05:17:40.000Z
- Description: 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.
- Author: Fighting Matters
- Tags: Podcast, Video, Activism

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.  
  
⸻  
  
👥 Featuring:  
  
Mike Mahaffey – ‪@oldbastardbjj‬  
Jesse Walker – ‪@roughhandsbjj‬  
Steve Kwan – ‪@bjjmentalmodels‬  
  
⸻  
  
🧠 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  
  
⸻  
  
📖 Chapters:  
  
[00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsP%5FbCQpvU&ref=fightingmatters.com) Introduction to Fighting Matters and the Hosts  
[01:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsP%5FbCQpvU&t=62s&ref=fightingmatters.com) Addressing Criticism in Martial Arts Advocacy  
[05:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsP%5FbCQpvU&t=307s&ref=fightingmatters.com) Personal Experiences and Advocacy in BJJ  
[11:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsP%5FbCQpvU&t=666s&ref=fightingmatters.com) Creating Inclusive Spaces in Martial Arts  
[15:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsP%5FbCQpvU&t=939s&ref=fightingmatters.com) The Impact of Speaking Up on Business and Community  
[20:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsP%5FbCQpvU&t=1247s&ref=fightingmatters.com) Countering Virtue Signaling Criticism  
[26:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsP%5FbCQpvU&t=1592s&ref=fightingmatters.com) The Importance of Resistance and Community Building  
[32:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsP%5FbCQpvU&t=1968s&ref=fightingmatters.com) Finding Your Voice in the Community  
[38:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsP%5FbCQpvU&t=2294s&ref=fightingmatters.com) The Importance of Intention  
[52:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsP%5FbCQpvU&t=3122s&ref=fightingmatters.com) Courage to Speak Up  
[56:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsP%5FbCQpvU&t=3384s&ref=fightingmatters.com) Building Connections and Community