BJJ Balance

Shawn Melanson joins the BJJ Balance Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on everything going on in grappling right now. He gives his honest take on the viral ADCC biting incident and the chaos of a stalled-out match with zero action, breaks down why he thinks jiu jitsu will never turn into serious money no matter how viral moments like knockouts and slams get, and predicts the next generation of teenage prodigies is about to ch...

On episode 153 of the BJJ Balance Podcast, Mat and Kenny open up about the wild growth of this show — three and a half years of grinding, doubters turning into supporters, and finally meeting longtime listeners face to face at World Masters Worlds in Las Vegas. They break down the shoutout-worthy moments from the trip: legends like Marcelo Garcia, Xande Ribeiro, and Robert Drysdale in the building, a brutal arm injury on the ...

On episode 152 of the BJJ Balance Podcast, Mat shows up to the soccer field mohawk and all, and the guys open up about the side-eye he gets from suburban dads, his wife's reaction to the new look, and why 42 felt like the last chance to try it. From there they get serious fast, breaking down a viral video of a grappler getting stacked in a triangle and reportedly left paralyzed, and Mat lays out his hard rule for staying safe when ...

On episode 151 of the BJJ Balance Podcast, Mat and Kenny open up sore, tired, and fully unfiltered after a rough training week, riffing on recovery supplements, cardio jokes, and one very cursed tangent about blue chews before pulling it together for real BJJ and MMA talk. They break down the big ADCC news: Jayrod's exit from the 88kg bracket, and the confirmation that Craig Jones was officially asked by ADCC to fill that open slot...

On episode 150 of the BJJ Balance Podcast, Mat and Kenny go deep on the algorithm rabbit holes we don't tell our friends about before breaking down why women's MMA has struggled to build the same rivalries and star power as the men's division, using Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, and Amanda Nunes as the exception, not the rule. From there it's a full GOAT-style MMA debate: Mat makes the case that a prime GSP would give Islam Makhachev ...

On episode 149 of the BJJ Balance Podcast, Mat and Kenny cover a little bit of everything: coaching a student to a second place finish, why "no-gi guys" get labeled emotional, and an honest, no-filter conversation about past steroid use, bodybuilding culture, and knowing when to walk away from it. They dive into the male period, showing vulnerability as a man, and why having a group of like-minded guys to talk to matters. From ther...

On this episode of the BJJ Balance Podcast, we dive deep into one of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu's most debated topics: leg locks. Should white belts and blue belts be taught leg locks, ankle locks, kneebars, toe holds, and heel hooks early, or does it stunt growth in guard passing, takedowns, and overall jiu jitsu fundamentals? We break down the 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu leg lock system versus traditional gi jiu jitsu, why heel hooks are ille...

This episode starts with heatwaves and trashy beaches in Southern California and somehow ends with a full‑on intervention for modern men. We clown on hiking with bears, talk real jiu jitsu life, and then dive deep into one of the biggest issues we see: husbands who refuse to grow up and hand all the responsibility to their wives.

We break down what happens when men act like permanent teenagers—letting their partner run every d...

Fresh off our massive episode with Craig Jones, BJJ Balance is back to business—and Episode 146 goes exactly where you'd expect: completely off the rails before somehow finding its way back to jiu-jitsu.

Matt and Kenny kick things off recapping the Craig Jones episode before breaking down what they believe was a massive missed opportunity in the UFC. From there, we discover that Kenny apparently doesn't believe in wearing sock...

Craig Jones joins BJJ Balance from Mexico for the biggest and wildest episode we have ever recorded.

Craig tells the unbelievable story of filming with cartel members in Mexico before opening up about CJI 3, what went wrong at CJI 2 and how he plans to bring the original Craig Jones Invitational “fever dream” energy back. He discusses athlete contracts, promotional politics, the future of professional grappling and why s...

Episode 144 of BJJ Balance starts with Fourth of July chaos, AI photo edits, old-school road trip memories, Game Gear nostalgia, e-bikes, childhood stories, and the kind of random tangents only this podcast can produce.

Then the boys get into Craig Jones potentially building a jiu-jitsu destination in Mexico, whether it could become a BJJ retreat-style hub, what that might mean for CJI, and why now might be the perfect time to final...

In Episode 143 of BJJ Balance, Kenny and Matt open with one of the most important questions in modern jiu-jitsu:

How long are you allowed to wear your medal after winning a tournament?

From there, the conversation goes exactly where you’d expect — gi vs no-gi, why Matt is officially “gi till I die,” Kick livestream plans, Craig Jones being back around the B-Team, ADCC/CJI rumors, internet criticism, Dana White...

This week on BJJ Balance, Matt and Kenny start with the World Cup and somehow turn it into one of the most honest conversations about culture, America, jiu-jitsu, and why people are not as divided as the internet wants us to believe.

The guys talk about how the World Cup brings countries together, how jiu-jitsu does the same thing inside the gym, and why shared struggle can break down walls between people from completely different b...

Episode 141 is a full BJJ Balance chaos session. Kenny and Matt talk purple belt promotions, what separates purple belts from brown belts, how to slow your game down, surviving huge training partners, tournament horror stories, pressure passing, half guard, and why jiu-jitsu always makes you feel better even on a bad day. Plus NBA referee rants, podcast growth talk, sponsor jokes, and Matt explaining why some sports are sports and ...

This week on BJJ Balance, we dive into something bigger than jiu-jitsu.

Mat opens up about hitting a point in life where being comfortable isn't enough anymore. With a great family, a successful career, and a growing podcast, why does the desire for more keep getting louder?

We talk about taking calculated risks, building something meaningful, finding the right people to grow with, and why chasing your potential becomes harder to ign...

This week the boys break down a wild IBJJF competition experience, lessons learned from taking an L, why the pressure of competing is addictive, belt promotions, gym culture, patches on gis, building leaders through jiu-jitsu, and the future of the sport.

They also dive into Craig Jones speculation, CJI talk, UFC BJJ, promotion standards, and why blue belt is just the beginning. Plus: steroid jokes, giant ultra-heavies, rash guards,...

This episode of After The Roll goes completely off the rails.

The boys break down the rise of UFC BJJ, whether the promotion is actually good for jiu-jitsu, and why fighters are chasing the UFC name. They also dive deep into Mikey Musumeci’s role as the face of UFC BJJ, why some fans love him, and why others think the “cringe” factor is hurting the sport.Then things spiral into:

A2 gi slander

tournament prep

Bloodspor...

Shawn Melanson joins the podcast for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had about modern jiu-jitsu. We dive deep into the PGF season, the Phenom team controversy, social media strategy in BJJ, building a personal brand, BJJ Fanatics instructionals, competition culture, gym ownership, training philosophies, and why Sean believes most athletes are leaving money and opportunities on the table.

Shawn talks about being unde...

This episode of BJJ Balance After The Roll gets HEATED

.Matt returns from Vegas with stories about Morgan Wallen, gambling losses, and expensive concerts before the conversation completely shifts into one of the most passionate jiu-jitsu debates we’ve had yet.

The guys dive deep into:

Are jiu-jitsu belts getting watered down?

Should “gym belts” be held to the same standard as competitors?

Attendance-based promotions in...