Adolfo Foronda Podcasts

In this episode of Forever White Belt, join host Adolfo Foronda as he sits down with the accomplished 50-year-old purple belt, John Choe. If you've ever marveled at striking Jiu-Jitsu photos circulating the web, chances are they were skillfully captured by John's lens. Hailing from Six Blades Nova in Virginia and training under black belts Emil Tak…

In this episode I'm honored to be joined by none other than Junny Ocasio. Junny is a Jiu Jitsu black belt, under the legendary Murilo Santana. He's been a dominant force on stages like Who's Number One, Kasai, Fight2Win, IBJJF, and many more. Junny now calls Unity Jiu Jitsu School in the heart of New York City his home. After intensive training wit…

I'm so happy to have Charles Harriott on the show for his second appearance. Charles is not your average black belt in Jiu-Jitsu; he's a true martial arts enthusiast with a rich background. He holds black belts in Kenpo and Judo, showcasing his dedication to the martial arts world. He's been a professional breakdancer, and he is one of the featured…

In this episode, we've got a legendary figure in the BJJ world, none other than 4th degree black belt Karel "The Silver Fox" Pravec! In addition to my home instructors, Karel "The Silver Fox" Pravec has been one of the most important figures in my personal development of my Jiu-Jitsu game. He's not just a coach; he's a mentor and friend who's helpe…

In this exciting episode of Forever White Belt, host Adolfo Foronda brings you a deep dive into the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and strength training. We are joined by Matthew Guffey, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Functional Range Mobility Specialist, and Functional Strength Coach. Matt is the fo…

Welcome to "Forever White Belt," where we unravel the captivating stories of those who live and breathe Jiu-Jitsu. Today, we shine the spotlight on none other than Breylor Grout. Breylor's name resonates with excellence in the world of BJJ, known for his extraordinary skills and the devastating darce choke. He holds the prestigious rank of black be…

In this captivating episode of Forever White Belt, host Adolfo Foronda dives into the dynamic world of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu alongside a true maestro of the sport, Marvin "Cerberus" Castelle. Hailing from the heart of Flint, Michigan, Marvin's BJJ journey ignited at 16, ignited by his fascination with MMA and the captivating allure of YouTube tutoria…

I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the one and only Matt Kwan, a powerhouse in the BJJ community. Matt is the man behind On Guard Academy of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Canada. Matt holds a black belt under Rob Biernacki from Island Top Team, Matt's journey into the world of Jiu-Jitsu ignited at the age of 20. He's been an avid competitor,…

In today's episode, we have the privilege of diving into the captivating world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu alongside a remarkable guest, Aaron Esdon. Aaron, a black belt under Matt McPeake, has not only left his mark as a gold medalist and accomplished practitioner but has also embraced the role of a head Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor at Platinum Train…

In this captivating episode of Forever White Belt, host Adolfo Foronda sits down with the esteemed guest, Chris Haueter, a true legend in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. With over four decades of dedication to the art, Chris's journey has been nothing short of remarkable. As one of the celebrated "Dirty Dozen," the first twelve non-Brazilian blac…

In this riveting episode of "Forever White Belt," host Adolfo Foronda sits down with Chris "The Villan" Paines, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and head coach of Fighting Fit Grappling in the UK. Prepare to have your perspectives challenged as Chris shares his unique insights on the evolving landscape of Jiu-Jitsu. Chris discusses the growing sign…

Join host Adolfo Foronda in this captivating episode of Forever White Belt as he sits down with Mike Jaramillo, a true legend in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. As John Danaher's first black belt and the Advanced No-Gi coach at Renzo Gracie Academy, Mike brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the conversation. In this episode, Mike shares…

In this captivating episode of Forever White Belt, we have the privilege of sitting down with Sean Applegate, a highly accomplished 10th Planet Black Belt and head instructor at 10th Planet Atlanta. Join us as we dive deep into the world of Jiu Jitsu and uncover the invaluable wisdom that Sean has to share. Under the guidance of legendary figures E…

In today's episode, we have a special guest who embodies dedication and experience on the mats: Rob Cole, a first-degree black belt with over 21 years of training. Rob's journey in Jiu Jitsu has been nothing short of remarkable. He earned his purple belt under the renowned Eddie Bravo, known for his innovative approach to grappling. Continuing to h…

In this episode, we're joined by Keith Kavanagh, a 10th Planet Brown Belt under Brandon Mccaghren. Hailing from Ireland, Keith travelled back and forth training at 10th Planet Decatur, Alabama with Brandon, and his Jiu Jitsu knowledge and teaching skills are second to none. Jiu Jitsu is just one of Keith's passions; he also runs a multimedia compan…

In this episode, we sit down with Ralf "The Germanator" Warneking, the first European to receive a 10th Planet black belt promotion under Eddie Bravo and a NoGi World Champion. Ralf shares his journey from white belt to black belt, which included 11 years of mastering the 10th Planet system at the headquarters in Los Angeles. He also talks about br…

In this episode we have, Professor Thomas Rozdzynski. Thomas is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the head instructor at RŌL Academy of Jiu Jitsu in Illinois. He began his journey in 2000 under the tutelage of the late Grandmaster Carlson Gracie Sr. in Chicago. In 2014, he was promoted to First Degree by Professor Eddie Redzovic a…

In this episode, attorney and BJJ practitioner Chet Palumbo joins us for an in-depth discussion about BJJ law and its implications for academies, investors, and employees. Chet is an experienced lawyer with extensive criminal law knowledge, having conducted over 40 jury trials as lead counsel. He's also a 2-stripe purple belt in BJJ and a certified…

In this episode of Forever White Belt, host Adolfo Foronda sits down with Dr. Diana Wang, a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Athletic Trainer based in Southern California, who is also a serious practitioner of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Diana's work with athletes ranging from Division 1 to the professional level has given her a unique perspective…

I'm excited to have Richard Bresler as our latest guest. Richard is a sixth-degree jiu-jitsu black belt and the author of "Worth Defending".Richard is widely recognized as the first American student of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and worked closely with Rorion Gracie for almost twenty years. He played an essential role in growing Jiu-Jitsu through the Gracie …

In this episode of Forever White Belt, we are thrilled to have a returning friend of the show, Malachy Friedman. Malachy is a third-degree black belt under the legendary Ricardo Liborio, co-founder of American Top Team (ATT), and has over 20 years of experience in multiple fight disciplines including MMA, BJJ, boxing, Muay Thai, and wrestling. As t…

Today, we are honored to have a true legend of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with us, Eduardo Telles. Eduardo Telles is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with over 30 years of experience in the art. He is a multiple-time world champion and is known for his innovative and unconventional approach to the sport, with his trademark "Turtle Guard" and "Octopus Guar…

In this episode, we have Matt Serra black belt who also trained extensively under John Danaher, Jason Rau. Jason is the grappler's grappler, for whatever reason he seems to go under the radar of the general BJJ mainstream. Jason is well known in the professional community for his uber-technical and hazardous leg game. Although being sidelined by in…

Joining us on the show is none other than the renowned Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and instructor to the instructors, Henry Akins. Henry is the 3rd black belt under the legendary Rickson Gracie and a former instructor at Rickson’s academy in Southern, California. Originally from Oklahoma, Henry now resides in Las Vegas, NV, and has been training…

Today on the show I have Sunshine aka Jonathan Fennell. You may know Sunshine as being one of the most famous Uke's in Jiu Jitsu from his appearances in Jiu Jitsu X instructionals. Sunshine currently holds the rank of brown belt under Keenan Cornelius. He’s also been active as a competitor, medaling at many local and regional competitions. He’s spe…

Today on the show I have Kyle Boehm, Kyle is a professional grappler, and a 10th Planet Black Belt awarded by John Botello. As of this recording Kyle trains at Geo Martinez's 10th Planet Oceanside academy. Kyle has competed against the best in the world some of his accomplishments: 1st Place BJJ Fanatics Grand Prix (2019) 1st Place King Of The Mats…

Today on the show I have the 2022 IBJJF No Gi World Middle and Absolute Champion, Elisabeth Clay. Elisabeth is a professional jiu-jitsu athlete as well as a black belt under Osvaldo Moizinho (Queixinho) and Samir Chantre, who represents the Ares BJJ Association. A prodigy at the age of 16, the (then) Alaska-based athlete conquered the ADCC West Coa…

Today on the show I have Jay Zeballos. Jay is a 4th degree black belt under the legend, Jean Jacques Machado. Jay has been a full-time instructor since 2010, he teaches adult and youth classes at the JJM Headquarters in Woodland Hills, CA. Jay has assisted Jean Jacques with developing much of his instructional media, including designing and launchi…

Today on the show I have Leslie Gardineer. Leslie is a Black Belt, Pan American & Masters World Champion. Leslie is the co-owner of De Boa Jiu Jitsu in Surprise, AZ with Black Belt husband Andrew Gardineer. Leslie has been teaching an all female BJJ class for over 9 years, averaging 20 women per class, and helps run the De Boa kid's BJJ classes as-…

Today on the show I have Hunter Colvin. Hunter is a Triton Fight Center, first degree black belt under Piet Wilhelm. Hunter has competed with the who's who of elite Jiu Jitsu always putting on an exciting show. Some of his accomplishments, being the 2022 ADCC Trials Silver Medalist, IBJJF Black Belt: American Nationals Gold medalist, Pans, and Euro…

Today on the show I have Nicole Sullivan, commonly known as Nikki Sullivan. Nikki is a team ATOS Jiu Jitsu Black Belt under Andre Galvao. She is well known for her unorthodox grappling style, heavily founded on Sullivan’s trademark “Panda Guard” (inverted guard), Nikki became known to mainstream fans after her performances at the ADCC US West Coast…

Today on the show I have Professor Josef "Ze Cobra" Manuel. Josef is a 4th degree black belt under the legendary Robson Mora. Josef is a multiple time champion, gold medalist, and the owner of Cutting Edge BJJ in Harrison, New Jersey. There is so much gold to mine from the beginning to the end of this episode, it's a must listen for hobbyists, comp…

Today on the show I have Paul Elliott, Paul is an American Top Team Watertown Black Belt under Mark Stevens. Paul also happens to be one of the fantastic instructors for BJJ Globetrotters. Paul is also the author of the amazing free BJJ online resource/blog SimpleBJJ.com. In this episode, we go deep into some of the mechanics of BJJ and we go into …

Sophia Cassella is a Brown Belt under Jason Rau, she is an elite female jiu-jitsu competitor known for scoring the fastest submission in a women's match on Who's Number One at 35 seconds, she has won several titles and tournaments, and is the current reigning Medusa champion as of this recording. Sophia has trained under some of the best teams Silv…

Today on the show I have Stephen "The Dream" Eakin. Stephen is a 10th Planet Black Belt under Richie "Boogyman" Martinez. In this episode Stephen walks us through his journey to black belt, leaving his small hometown in Georgia, his MMA career from backyard fights to actual cage shows, how he joined the 10th Planet Freaks in San Diego only to go ba…

In this episode I have Zach Waldman. Zach is a 10th Planet Black Belt OG under Eddie Bravo, he trains at 10th Planet headquarters in Los Angeles. Zach also happens to be a professional entertainer, he's an amazing magician regularly performing at The Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, he's a comedian who's performed at The Comedy Store. He regularly…

Today on the show I have Aaron Johnson, commonly known as “Tex” Johnson. Tex is a BJJ black belt under Philip Smith and Murilo Santana. Tex has won all kinds of tournaments he is an IBJJF 3x Pan American No-Gi Champion, he's known for his aggressive and submission-oriented style with which he submitted some of the sport’s biggest stars and for that…

Today on the show I have 10th Planets, 10th Female Black Belt under Eddie Bravo, Jennifer Dietrick. Jennifer is a fitness expert, health coach, martial artist, IFBB Pro athlete, personal trainer, and nutritionist. She's an accomplished Jiu Jitsu competitor and 10th planet headquarters coach. In the episode we discuss mindset, self talk, gymnastics,…

Today on the show I have Ralph Gracie Brown Belt and Judo Black Belt Yoshi Yamaguchi. Yoshi is a super charismatic, booming personality, and heir apparent to the Kurt Osiander move of the week. This is fitting as Yoshi trained under Kurt for so long. You have got to see his videos on your social platform of choice, they are really fun to watch, the…

In this episode, I pontificate on our current economic crisis and its impact on the BJJ community. The focus of the talk takes the hypothetical positions of what an academy owner and a student could/should be considering at present to prepare for what is coming, or what I believe to be here. I'm pretty much spitballing in the episode and although I…

Today on the show I have 10th Planet Decatur Black Belt, Matt Skaff. Matt is a black belt under Brandon McCaghren. Matt also hosts his own fantastic podcast called The Grappling Discourse. In this episode we discuss several interesting items such as when being an instructor is not for you, what is a Jiu Jitsu coach vs an instructor, when to seek a …

Today on the show I have first degree black belt under Eddie Bravo and one of the founders of 10th Planet Portland, Oregon, Phill Schwartz. Phill is one of the most underrated Jiu Jitsu minds in Jiu Jitsu at present. Phill is one of the “OG’s” in the 10th planet system, he was there during the early formation of the organization. This is an informa…

Today on the show I have the honor of speaking to the no gi Jiu Jitsu phenom William Tackett. William is a 21 year old Black Belt under Rodrigo Cabral where he teaches and trains at Brazilian Fight Factory in Austin, TX. William has competed against the best BJJ athletes in the world, racking up wins against Andrew Wiltse, Tex Johnson, John Combs, …

Quentin “The Hitman" Rosenzweig earned his black belt from Ricardo Murgel at the age of 24. He is the Onnit Invitational 205lbs champ (having submitted both Roberto Jiminez & Kyle Boehm), Sapaterio Heavyweight Champ, and a champion in many other pro events. Today Quentin now runs 10th Planet Savannah GA. He has been a much feared leg locker in the …

Today on the show we have Dave Tint, Dave is a 35 year old BJJ brown belt under Chad Bingham. Dave reminds me of the people I grew up around in blue collar Sonoma County, a straight shooter, hard working, gritty, you know, the salt of the earth type. I haven't met too many non professional practitioners who study Jiu Jitsu for hours a day off the m…

Today on the show we have Nick The Tooth Gullo, You might know Nick for being the childhood friend of the UFC’s Dana White, but what some people don’t know is that Nick is an AOJ (Art of Jiu Jitsu) black belt under the legendary Mendes brothers. Nick has had a fascinating life, some of which he shares with us on the show, he truly is a renaissance …

Today on the show we have Werther (Robot Dolphin) Marciales. Werther is a Jiu Jitsu brown belt under Sonny Parlin. Werther is also the owner of Fellowship Jiu Jitsu in Sarasota, Florida. I stumbled upon Werther's videos on YouTube and was very impressed with his content, delivery, and his intelligence far beyond his years. In this episode, we talk …

Today on the show we have Jay Pages. Jay is a fourth degree Caio Terra black belt, Jay owns the amazing Jay Pages academy in Tempe, Arizona with his black belt wife Lisa Pages. Jay is also the primary host of the west coast location of The BJJ Globetrotters week long camp, which typically occurs twice a year. Let me preface this by saying I like Ja…

Today on the show we have Lindsey McCaghren. Lindsey is the fifth female Black Belt in the 10th Planet system under husband Brandon McCaghren in Decatur, Alabama. In this episode, Lindsey provides insight into her experience running an academy, BJJ parenting, her new love of wrestling, working on her guard, her passion for Dragon Boat racing, and m…

Today on the show we have Eli Knight, Eli is a second degree black belt under the legendary Royce Gracie. Eli is best known for his contributions to self defense and adapting jiu-jitsu to suit the needs of real life altercations. His social media presence is constant, making him one of the most visible advocates for the art, he’s got over 14 years …