Matt Thornton on martial arts, self-defense, building a healthier relationship to violence

Matt Thornton received his blue belt from the legendary Rickson Gracie in 1993 and was the first person in the state of Oregon to receive a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He also gave John Kavanagh, father of MMA in Ireland and trainer to UFC legend Conor McGregor, his black belt. Matt’s school, Straight Blast Gym (SBG), became Oregon’s first MMA-style gym. His book, "The Gift of Violence: Practical Knowledge for Surviving and Thriving in a Dangerous World," comes out on April 11th, 2023. To gain early access to episodes and exclusive access to select content, become a subscriber on Patreon. The Same Drugs is on Twitter @thesamedrugs_. Stay up to date with The Same Drugs on Substack. Watch The Same Drugs on YouTube. Please consider becoming a supporter of The Same Drugs on Spotify or by donating directly via Stripe. Meghan Murphy is on Twitter @meghanemurphy.