About this episode
In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan of BJJ Mental Models and Jeff Shaw of Bellingham BJJ uncover the forgotten history of Jiu-Jitsu in America, and how none other than President Theodore Roosevelt played a pivotal role in its rise. Between 1900 and 1906, Roosevelt brought Jiu-Jitsu into the White House, trained with Japanese masters, and helped spark a nationwide media craze that once made Jiu-Jitsu a household name. But the movement was derailed by xenophobia, racism, and short-sighted politics, costing the U.S. what could have been a century-long head start in martial arts. This conversation explores what Roosevelt’s story tells us about inclusion, politics, and what Jiu-Jitsu might have become if America had embraced its potential. ⸻ 👥 Featuring: Steve Kwan @BJJMentalModels Jeff Shaw @BellinghamBJJ ⸻ 🧠 Topics We Cover: • How Roosevelt’s training popularized Jiu-Jitsu in early 1900s America • Why his support nearly created a U.S. black belt generation a century early • The role of xenophobia in driving Yamashita out of the country • How women like Fude Yamashita and Misawa Soga shaped early Jiu-Jitsu • Why the art was more inclusive in 1905 than it often is today • What the media got right (and wrong) about Jiu-Jitsu at the time • The forgotten roots of Jiu-Jitsu as a progressive political tool • What Roosevelt’s vision can teach today’s Jiu-Jitsu leaders • How exclusion and short-term thinking still threaten the sport’s future • The myth of “keeping politics out” of martial arts ⸻ 📖 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Jiu-Jitsu History 02:47 The Role of Media in Jiu-Jitsu's Evolution 06:06 The Impact of Theodore Roosevelt on Jiu-Jitsu 08:51 The Confusion Between Judo and Jiu-Jitsu 11:50 The Arrival of Judo in America 15:04 Yamashita's Influence and the Military Connection 17:59 The Political Landscape and Jiu-Jitsu's Growth 20:54 The Consequences of Racism and Nativism 23:55 The Hypothetical Impact of a Strong Jiu-Jitsu Presence 26:43 Politics and Jiu-Jitsu's Historical Context 30:58 The Politics of Jiu Jitsu 34:15 Challenging Gender Norms in Jiu Jitsu 36:34 Historical Contributions of Women in Jiu Jitsu 46:16 The Evolution of Jiu Jitsu Training 58:27 Lessons from History for the Future of Jiu Jitsu