If you like our show, you are probably crazy about jiujitsu. I don’t blame you: jiujitsu is so great that I’m taking the time to write about it on a weekend where I’m about to get married and have way too much to do today.
Because you like jiujitsu, and presumably our show about it, you might be looking for other great shows about this art of ours. Thankfully, they’re out there! I know, I’ve listened to basically all of them. And these are my personal favorites, so if you’re looking for a new audio experience to throw in your podcatcher of choice.
ARCHIVED SHOWS
Sadly, two of my all-time favorite podcasts are no longer updating — although I continue to long for their Ali-like return to the game. Like many of us, I got started out listening to Caleb on the Fightworks podcast. The Fightworks show was really the seminal jiujitsu show, and you owe it to yourself to check out the full archive. This is the show that launched most of the other shows, including ours. Caleb hasn’t updated since 2015, but it’s well worth checking out all 200+ archived shows, including the one with Leticia Ribeiro, who I consider the most accomplished woman competitor of all time, and who doesn’t get nearly enough respect commensurate to her achievements.
Probably my personal favorite podcast — at least for a while and maybe still — was Open Mat Radio. Paul Moran did the show, as well as many episodes of the Journey podcast with Nicolas Gregoriades. If you listen to nothing else, check out this episode of that show, which explains some of Paul’s health challenges. I don’t know Paul personally, although I feel a kinship with all jiujitsu podcasters, but if I could only pick one jiujitsu show to listen to over and over, it’d probably be Open Mat Radio. So thanks for producing a ton of great shows, Paul.
Thankfully, no such Faustian choice has to happen, because plenty of fantastic shows are currently producing great stuff. I can’t possibly rank them, so I’m going to list them in alphabetical order, say a few words about what makes each show dope, and recommend an episode or two to start with.
THE CURRENT ROTATION
The Big Jiujitsu Show: Look, it’s a podcast about jiujitsu that approaches its subject with respect, has a lot of fun, and produces an eclectic array of interviews. What’s not to like? Rob the Lord Humongous has a bunch of great interviews, including a few with Kurt Osiander, that you should check out. There is also a show he did with some vegan. We interviewed Rob on our show, and he said something that resonated with me:
Rob said his motivation is just to produce good content. He just wants to produce good shows about jiujitsu — and he does. So check it out! We also have plans to get Rob back in studio with us, so watch for that.
The Great Northeast BJJ Podcast: One of the goals for DWB is to be community-based: I think it’s awesome to get internationally known guests, but you’ve also got to rep for the locals. The Great Northeast BJJ Podcast is a tremendous example of this: Jay, Jorge and The Riddler lift up the northeastern scene while also snagging interviews with some of the greatest names in jiujitsu. The most recent show with Jarod and Marcela Lawton is dope, or you could check some classic older shows with Tom DeBlass and Chris Haueter. I was also on their Lucky Number 13 show, so if you want to hear one of the most fun nights I’ve ever had recording audio, check that out. You can also see Jay beating up a dude on the most recent Fight to Win card here.
The Mat Tricks Podcast: Paul Tokgozoglu’s show runs the gamut of jiujitsu standouts, health, lifestyle and nutrition experts, and random purple belts from North Carolina. I would run down my list of my favorite Mat Tricks shows, but if you listen to that episode with me, you can hear me and Paul share an experience — where we list our favorite shows and lament that our favorite shows aren’t the most popular ones. I also have to thank Paul for connecting me with Richard Bresler, who was tremendous fun to interview, and you can hear Paul’s interview with Richard here.
Those are my favorite shows. What are yours? Note: I’m always checking out new stuff, and Work Play Obsession has been on my list for a while. I’m planning to dive into that archive when I’m on vacation for the next few weeks.