ROLL OR DIE

Join us as we chat with Hope Tabak, seasoned competitor, coach and mother as she drops huge knowledge for our listeners. Hope shares tips on how to train in a way that benefits everyone, whether you are a higher rank, bigger person or otherwise. She discusses how to find skills to work on, via specific training and how to train in a way that both partners benefit from and get better at jiu jitsu....

To mark our 300th episode, the RoD team have brought one of the biggest names in jiu jitsu to share the occasion. In this episode, Robert shares candidly his sometimes polarising opinions on the state of the scene today. As a competitor, coach and all round genuine guy, the nuggets of wisdom that are dropped by Rob, mean you definitely want to listen to this episode! P.S. We still have a limited n...

Back for a second appearance on the podcast, the King shares more wisdom with our listeners. Elvis shares how to stay on the mats for longer. He now keeps his BJJ more playful. Elvis discusses the importance of a good diet and ensuring diet has enough protein, focusing on whole foods. Range of movement improves life quality! P.S. We still have a limited number of high-quality Roll or Die x MANA T-...

Anthony Perosh’s journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a testament to the power of perseverance, mentorship, and self-reflection. His insights remind us that martial arts is not just about physical prowess but also about mental fortitude and continuous growth. For anyone embarking on their BJJ journey, remember to embrace the learning process and measure your progress against your own past. P.S. We st...

This week’s guest is an Absolute brown belt, who has made a name for himself competing and training around the world. Don’t miss this episode, as he very candidly shares insights into what it’s like to train and compete internationally at the highest level. Learn how Brodie manages to live in the US for six months a year and what it’s like learning from and training at places like Kingsway. An awe...

Back for his third appearance on the show (check out episodes #15 and #99), Dave Hart covers some of the inside information about what makes Dominance so successful as a club. He talks about how his team structures classes, how all students are working towards a shared goal and how he has built a space where he can comfortably bring his kids. P.S. We still have a limited number of high-quality Rol...

This week’s guests are the co-owners of a brand-new academy on the NSW Central Coast in Long Jetty. Take a listen to how the persistence and resilience they learnt on the mats transferred across to the set up of their gym. Blending a unique style, being a combination of ecological and technical, they have a maximum of 12 students per class and teach in a way that is great for beginners, as well as...

Another repeat guest (check out episode #84), Bob Frias is a super active competitor, who competes throughout the world on the biggest stages. In today’s episode he explains why he prefers the AJP Tour tournaments to the IBJJF, how he prepares for comps and super fights and why his biggest inspiration comes from people he’s directly involved with. P.S. We still have a limited number of high-qualit...

This week’s guest is a master class in resilience. Starting her jiu jitsu journey at Immersion Glen Waverley, “Tiny” Tina West was fortunate to receive a grounding in the fundamentals from “Mini” Dave Marinakis, one of the best in Australia. She moved to Rochester in regional Victoria as a blue belt and faced many hardships, including the floods of 2022 that all but destroyed the town. Always havi...

This is one episode you don’t want to miss. Whether it’s learning about how this week’s guest lost 40kg over a period of about nine months, or how he was promoted to his blue belt in the car park of the fruit shop where he worked, this is a very special episode. Steven shares his tips around how to always keep an open mind, how to get the most out of seminars and why we always need a higher purpos...

In this episode, we dive into the journey of Alex Lanyon, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and head coach of Toa Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Adelaide. Alex shares his experiences from starting his own club to overcoming injuries and the challenges of teaching both adults and kids. The conversation also explores the evolving Jiu-Jitsu scene in Australia, particularly in South Australia, and the importan...

Rodolfo is probably one of the best known referees in Australia and certainly one of the best. In this episode, Rodolfo shares his story of his journey from how he started off in Brazil, without money for a gi, all the way to Australia. We cover how he keeps improving as a referee, what he does to keep his refereeing skills up and what to look for as a competitor or a referee. The Portuguese accen...

Jason started his BJJ journey in 1994 and hasn’t stopped yet. The co-creator of Ground Fighter magazine, Jason helped pave the way for many practitioners today, especially those on the west coast of Australia. If you are a fan of the history of the Australian BJJ scene, you don’t want to miss this episode, which is like a history lesson in the landscape P.S. We still have a limited number of high-...

In this episode, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt Gledson “Cigano” De Silva takes us inside his incredible journey from Brazil to New Zealand. From overcoming the challenges of learning a new language to building a thriving gym and community, Cigano shares how Jiu Jitsu gave him confidence, resilience, and purpose. We dive into his innovative lapel game, his mission to grow the sport in New Zealand,...

Strap in for a throwback-fueled ride with Vincent Perry as he takes us from '80s boxing gloves to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu mats—before it was cool. In this episode, Vincent dishes on what it was like bringing Jiu-Jitsu to Australia back when MMA was still that "weird stuff on VHS." He chats about the art's evolution, the Brazilian influence, mixing martial arts with music, and how You...

In this episode, Liv Giles shares her journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, discussing her evolution from a competitive athlete to a supportive coach and mother. She reflects on the changes in her life, including her experiences with injury and recovery, her mindset towards training, and the importance of consistency in practice. Liv also emphasizes the significance of supporting the next generation of...

In this episode, Roll Or Die reconnects with Josh 'Panda' Brown, a seasoned Jiu Jitsu practitioner and instructor. They discuss his journey in martial arts, the community-focused approach of Clifton Hill Jiu Jitsu, and the evolution of training techniques over the years. Panda shares insights on teaching philosophy, the importance of fundamentals, and the future trends in Jiu Jitsu. The co...

In this episode of Roll or Die, hosts Kim and Brentos engage in a lively conversation with Brett McAllen, a seasoned Jiu Jitsu practitioner. They discuss the evolution of Jiu Jitsu training, the importance of recovery, and the unique experiences of training as an older practitioner. Brett shares his journey from white to black belt, the changes he has witnessed in the Jiu Jitsu community, and offe...

In this special episode, Brentos and Kim recap their epic World Masters journey - wins, lessons, laughs, and all the madness that comes with competing on the biggest stage for older grapplers in Jiu Jitsu. Don’t miss it! P.S. We still have a limited number of high-quality Roll or Die x MANA T-Shirts available in S, M, L & XL - message us to secure yours at $30 + shipping, which is a total stea...

This week’s guest has a surname that is Jiu Jitsu royalty in Australia. The wife of one of the founders of BJJ in Australia, Melissa is a pioneer in her own right. Starting on her journey in the 1990s, Melissa’s time on the mats has spanned more than 30 years. In this episode she shares stories of the earliest days of jiu jitsu, how she persevered through, including spending more than a decade as...

This week’s guest is Ben Butler-Bonice who started his journey in Bendigo and graded from white-black belt under Stewie’s House of BJJ. Since 2016, he has been coaching at John Jacque Machado in Melbourne and in 2018, he took on academy ownership. A qualified physio as well, this is a great podcast where we discuss strength strategies for training and how to get the most out of your time on the ma...

This week’s guest has participated in five Olympics, winning bronze at Sydney and gold at the Commonwealth Games and is perhaps our most accomplished guest to ever grace our podcast. Maria and her husband Daniel Kelly run Resilience MMA in Melbourne and resilience exemplifies Maria’s persona. She discusses her early days of judo in Hungary in the 1980s, how she persevered in one of the toughest sp...

Back for his fourth appearance on the show, in this episode, Thiago discusses how things have changed for him in life and in his academy since his move back to Brazil in mid 2022. We discuss his role as a commentator on FloGrappling and a referee at the Brazilian ADCC events, as well as what the scene is like in Brazil now, compared with when he moved to Australia almost 15 years ago. Thiago is re...

Probably one of the best guys in Australia that no one knows about, “Mini” Dave Marinakis is the head coach at Immersion MMA and one of the most legit jiu jitsu athletes around. In this episode, Dave talks about how skill development is the most important aspect to focus on in terms of how to improve. He encourages his students to seek out those training partners who give them tough rolls and to b...

This week’s guest started his martial arts journey with taekwondo as a teenager and progressed to black belt. However, he found something was lacking and felt that it wasn’t really truly fighting. He then saw UFC1 and realised he needed to learn to grapple. Izzy candidly shares his love/hate relationship with jiu jitsu and how he wanted more from jiu jitsu than what it initially gave him. Coming f...