BJJ Balance

#BJJ #JiuJitsu #PGF
PGF is changing — and the new format might be exactly what professional jiu-jitsu has been missing.
On Episode 155 of BJJ Balance, Kenny and Matt break down the evolution of the Professional Grappling Federation, the move toward true TEAM competition, the new playoff structure, the possession arrow, All-Star weekend, performance money, and why creating actual team loyalty could completely change the way fans follow professional jiu-jitsu.
Could PGF eventually become something that every elite grappler NEEDS on their résumé?We also somehow go from ringworm and peptides to Matt telling one of the wildest stories we've ever heard about hiding a high-school hickey, why jiu-jitsu might be the answer for dudes who need confidence, and Matt discovering that his mom may have faked personalized autographs from Budweiser girls when he was a kid.Yeah. This one goes places.Later, we get serious about why women should train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for self-defense, the false confidence untrained people can carry around, and what BJJ can realistically give someone during a dangerous encounter.Then we answer listener questions, including how to train when all you have is a grappling dummy, what to do if a normal BJJ membership isn't financially possible, finding open mats, becoming a temporary “jiu-jitsu nomad,” and building your own group of training partners.🥋 BJJ Balance — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, culture, competition, and everything that happens when the conversation goes completely off the rails.Follow BJJ Balance on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Instagram and Discord.Train this week.Please Follow BJJ Balance on all of our socials:IG: @BJJBalanceDiscord: discord.gg/bjjbalanceTik Tok: @BJJBalanceYouTube: YouTube.com/@BJJBalanceKenny IG: @KennyDoesBJJMatt IG: @oss_nation_bjj

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 change the sport in the next decade.
From there Shawn goes deep on his side of the PGF Phenoms fallout — becoming a team leader, the disrespect he says happened behind closed doors, the ask for better pay and recovery support that got turned down, and why he still thinks he's worth picking up as a free agent this season. He talks openly about wanting to coach and build a fly-fishing-guide future, running his Precision Jiu Jitsu gym in New Hampshire, his upcoming match against Owen, his brutal reverse omoplata story from a 15-year-old at a seminar, his reptile collection, and how he's grown his social media brand past half a million followers through pure daily consistency.
This episode is brought to you by Optiva Wellness. Head to OptivaWellness.com and use code BJJBALANCE10 to save 10% on your entire order.Please Follow BJJ Balance on all of our socials:IG: @BJJBalanceDiscord: discord.gg/bjjbalanceTik Tok: @BJJBalanceYouTube: YouTube.com/@BJJBalanceKenny IG: @FreakPartyBJJMatt IG: @oss_nation_bjj

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 mats, and Kenny's very on-brand souvenir choice (squishy toys for the kids over a night of gambling). From there the conversation turns real: Mat challenges Kenny on how much he's evolved over the last three years — as a competitor, a father, a husband, and a man of faith — and they dig into why staying stagnant is the real enemy, how seasons of friendship (and relationships) naturally end, and why "going blind" toward a goal nobody else can see yet is the whole game. It's not all heavy, though — they get into practical jiu jitsu talk on go-to submissions and the importance of building a favorite move set, debate the best way to get your boss addicted to jiu jitsu for the ultimate long-term flex, and close out with an all-time riff on which billionaire or celebrity they'd fight for the right price. If you're into BJJ podcast content, competition recaps, jiu jitsu mindset and mental health talk, and grappling community stories, this episode has it all.This episode is brought to you by Optiva Wellness. Head to OptivaWellness.com and use code BJJBALANCE10 to save 10% on your entire order.Please Follow BJJ Balance on all of our socials:IG: @BJJBalanceDiscord: discord.gg/bjjbalanceTik Tok: @BJJBalanceYouTube: YouTube.com/@BJJBalanceKenny IG: @KennyDoesBJJMatt IG: @oss_nation_bjj

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 your legs go over your head. That leads into a genuine, respectful tangent on why older jiu jitsu athletes — the "jiu jitsu dads" sacrificing family time and health to keep training — deserve more credit than they get, and how context gets stripped out of viral clips to manufacture outrage. Mat and Kenny dig into the messy business side of the sport too: whether mega gyms and 30-40 school empires like Eddie Bravo's or Tom DeBlass's are smart business when an affiliate's scandal can blow back on the whole brand, the ongoing "poke the bear" beef around online jiu jitsu credibility, and Mat's own personal story of splitting from one team to follow his black belt lineage to a different professor. They talk ADCC's uncertain future and why Saudi money could bring it roaring back, ADCC-style, the culture clash between mega gyms and boutique schools, and ongoing "exposing" callouts in the jiu jitsu community that require better vetting before piling on. Later, Mat shares his most embarrassing white belt story — losing his cool and slamming the mat rolling with an ADCC champion who was barely trying — plus real talk on why competing (not just rolling in the gym) is the fastest way to get better, why there's no timeline on skill, and a rapid-fire top five clowns list to close it out. If you're into BJJ podcast content, jiu jitsu safety talk, gym business and culture debates, and grappling community stories, this episode has it all.This episode is brought to you by Optiva Wellness. Head to OptivaWellness.com and use code BJJBALANCE10 to save 10% on your entire order.Please Follow BJJ Balance on all of our socials:IG: @BJJBalanceDiscord: discord.gg/bjjbalanceTik Tok: @BJJBalanceYouTube: YouTube.com/@BJJBalanceKenny IG: @KennyDoesBJJMatt IG: @oss_nation_bjj

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. They dig into Craig's recent rolling footage, whether he's ramping up training for a possible run, and what it would mean for his legacy alongside his no-gi and gi accolades. From there it's a full UFC BJJ breakdown: the Mikey Musumeci vs. Bryce Mitchell matchup, why crossover MMA talent could be the promotion's biggest advantage, the case for letting athletes wear their own sponsor kits instead of locked-in Hayabusa gear, commentary team gripes, and hopes for Matt Serra behind the desk. They also get into a serious, heartfelt tangent on parenting, postpartum depression, and why they're holding back on discussing a certain ongoing court case out of respect for the people involved. Mat shares his social media growth playbook — trial reels, carousel posts, and the tricks for getting old content to go viral again — before the guys dive into a big fan Q&A covering purple belt pimp energy, dick moves in jiu jitsu, black belts who avoid rolling with bigger opponents, why the meta in jiu jitsu keeps shifting (buggy chokes, leg locks, body locks, octopus guard), gi versus no-gi debates, and why clock-in systems at big gyms matter for accountability, not skill. Plus: a Two Truths-style celebrity guessing game, conspiracy theory talk, and the usual chaos. If you're into BJJ podcast content, ADCC and UFC BJJ news, jiu jitsu culture, and grappling community talk, this episode has it all.This episode is brought to you by Optiva Wellness. Head to OptivaWellness.com and use code BJJBALANCE10 to save 10% on your entire order.Please Follow BJJ Balance on all of our socials:IG: @BJJBalanceDiscord: discord.gg/bjjbalanceTik Tok: @BJJBalanceYouTube: YouTube.com/@BJJBalanceKenny IG: @FreakPartyBJJMatt IG: @oss_nation_bjj