B-Team Jiu Jitsu: Craig Jones, Nicky Rod, and Nicky Ryan | Lex Fridman Podcast #363

Professional jiu-jitsu athletes Craig Jones, Nicky Rod, and Nicky Ryan explore the formation of the B-Team in Austin, Texas, following their departure from the Danaher Death Squad. The conversation centers on the shifting landscape of modern grappling, emphasizing the integration of wrestling techniques and the importance of constraint-based learning over traditional, technique-dense instruction. The guests discuss the psychological demands of elite competition, debating the necessity of performance-enhancing drugs and the role of ego in training. By prioritizing lightheartedness and consistency, the B-Team aims to modernize jiu-jitsu culture, moving away from the rigid, often injury-prone methods of the past. The dialogue also touches on the rivalry within the sport, the technical nuances of submissions like the buggy choke, and the mental fortitude required to maintain a career at the highest level of combat sports.