Amanda Mattos first became involved in jiu-jitsu through her son Caden. After spending two years watching him train and compete, Amanda and her husband decided to step onto the mat themselves so they could better understand and support his journey. Eventually, their daughter joined too, making jiu-jitsu something the entire family could share.

Amanda is now a blue belt at Jiu-Jitsu Kaizen Academy, training four to five times a week while balancing motherhood, work, injuries, and the desire to compete.

We talk about the mental load mothers carry, the guilt that can come with making time for yourself, and Amanda’s realization that supporting her children does not mean giving up on her own dreams.

Amanda also shares how she is combining more than ten years of professional photography experience with her love for jiu-jitsu. Through photography and video, she hopes to capture the emotion, sacrifice, and stories behind the competitors we see on the mat.

This is a conversation about family, resilience, creativity, competition, and learning to make room for your own journey.

#AmandaMattos #WomensJiuJitsu #JiuJitsuMom #BJJFamily #HawaiiJiuJitsu #SmallManPodcast

Phil Sniffen started jiu-jitsu at approximately 285 pounds with no athletic background and plenty of doubts about whether he belonged.

Seven years later, he is around 50 pounds lighter and one year into his purple belt at Island Jiu Jitsu West.

Phil talks about making a change for his health, learning the basic movements, finding a half-guard game that worked for his body and training through the uncertainty of COVID. He also shares the story of stepping into his first competition against a much larger opponent and how the right people helped him push past his fear.

This is a story about betting on yourself, continuing when you feel embarrassed and becoming someone you never expected to be.

Christian Vela has been involved in martial arts since he was 12, beginning with ninjutsu under Frank Dux—the man whose story inspired Bloodsport. After later training in boxing and seeing the Gracies dominate the early UFC, Christian knew Brazilian jiu-jitsu was the martial art he wanted to pursue.

Nearly 18 years after beginning his jiu-jitsu journey under Luis Heredia at Maui Jiu Jitsu, Christian is now a first-degree black belt. But getting there was far from easy.

COVID took him away from training for approximately two years while an autoimmune condition left him struggling physically and mentally. Christian had to rebuild his health, return to the mats as a four-stripe brown belt, and find a way to keep moving forward while feeling like a beginner again.

That comeback became the inspiration behind Savage Jiu Jitsu—a brand representing perseverance, adversity, and the decision to never give up.

Christian shares his journey from Bloodsport to black belt, what keeps him training at 53, and why he still considers himself a student.

#BJJ #JiuJitsu #SavageJiuJitsu #MauiJiuJitsu #HawaiiJiuJitsu #BlackBelt #MartialArts