About this episode
In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan (BJJ Mental Models), Jeff Shaw (Bellingham BJJ), and Mike Mahaffey (Old Bastard BJJ) sit down with journalist and Muay Thai fighter Karen Attiah. Karen was the founding editor of the Washington Post’s Global Opinions section and later a columnist covering race, gender, and culture. After 11 years at the Post, she was abruptly fired (by email) for “violating social media policy.” Her real offense? Speaking honestly about power, violence, and free speech in America. Together, the panel explores what Karen’s story reveals about censorship, media ownership, and how corporate media is collapsing under the weight of its own contradictions. They dig into the chilling effect on journalists, the influence of billionaires over public discourse, and the uneasy marriage between combat sports and authoritarian regimes. This is a conversation about free speech, courage, and what it means to fight inside and outside the ring. Support Karen @ The Golden Hour on Substack: https://karenattiah.substack.com/ ⸻ 👥 Featuring: Karen Attiah — Journalist @, The Golden Hour, author, Muay Thai silver medalist Jeff Shaw — @BellinghamBJJ Steve Kwan — @BJJMentalModels Mike Mahaffey — @OldBastardBJJ ⸻ 🧠 Topics Discussed: • Why the Washington Post fired Karen Attiah • The death of free speech in corporate media • Saudi Arabia, sportswashing, and martial arts • How authoritarianism co-opts combat sports • Fighting as therapy, resistance, and truth-telling ⸻ 📖 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Karen Attiah 01:50 Karen's Journey in Journalism 04:15 The Impact of Social Media on Journalism 10:58 The Incident Leading to Termination 14:19 Free Speech and Its Implications 18:48 The Role of Media Ownership 24:03 The Legacy of Jamal Khashoggi 30:41 The Intersection of Combat Sports and Politics 36:09 The Double Standards in Free Speech 43:27 Lessons from Combat Sports 45:37 The Power of Wrestling in Storytelling 48:07 Wrestling and Politics: A Cultural Connection 51:56 Martial Arts: A Personal Journey 59:03 The Intersection of Martial Arts and Politics 01:06:01 Finding Strength in Community and Self-Awareness 01:12:02 The Future of Independent Media and Personal Agency