How Do You Show Up As A Black Belt?

"I don't know if I found jiu jitsu so much as it found me." Mike "Murdah" Carrasco is a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt, DJ, bboy, and artist who trains at Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Burbank and teaches nogi at Matspace in Burbank. This conversation is about approaching grappling as a game rather than a contest, and what that changes: how long you last in the sport, what you learn from a new partner, how you carry a BJJ black belt into someone else's gym, and how much of your identity jiu jitsu should hold. Chapters: 00:00 From B-boy Culture to BJJ 05:59 B-boying as a BJJ cheat code 12:26 Ego vs. Learning in BJJ 24:11 Traveling as a BJJ Black Belt 37:11 Beyond the Black Belt About Grappling Monthly Grappling Monthly is an independent editorial media brand covering the culture, people, and business of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the grappling arts. Based in Los Angeles, the brand produces in-depth conversations with the coaches, gym owners, competitors, and practitioners shaping the sport. The Grappling Monthly Podcast is the flagship property. A weekly long-form interview series hosted by Sébastien Maniatopoulos, a BJJ black belt establishing roots in the Southern California grappling community. The brand's editorial focus is on the human stories behind the art: how academies are built, how practitioners evolve, how the culture of jiu-jitsu intersects with identity, business, and community. Grappling Monthly publishes across YouTube, Instagram, Substack, and major podcast platforms. Subscribe and turn on notifications. IG and TikTok: @grapplingmonthly For sponsorships and collaborations: grapplingmonthly@gmail.com