About the show
Breaking the Guard is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA talk show hosted by two black belts who have spent their lives on the mats — as students, competitors, coaches, and academy owners. Each week, David Avellan and Robert Drysdale break down the fight game: the latest in BJJ and MMA, the mental side of training and competition, proper preparation, championship mindset, and the lessons that don't make it into the highlight reels.
The conversation is honest, technical, and unfiltered — two people who have actually done it, talking about what really works. New episodes drop weekly. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
David Avellan
David Avellan is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and the creator of the Kimura Trap System, an instructional system that has been adopted by grapplers and MMA fighters around the world, all the way up to the UFC. He earned a bronze medal at the 2009 ADCC World Championships in Barcelona and has submitted or defeated a long list of decorated black belts — among them Rafael Lovato Jr., Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu, Alexandre "Xande" Ribeiro, and Rener Gracie.
He also competed in MMA — earning Fight of the Night honors at BodogFIGHT in Costa Rica — and at 19 co-founded the Freestyle Fighting Academy, which grew into one of South Florida's largest schools. Today he teaches online at DavidMMA.com.
Robert Drysdale
Robert Drysdale is one of the most accomplished grapplers of his generation — a 2005 IBJJF World Champion and the 2007 ADCC Absolute Champion, taking the open-weight title against the best in the world. He is a co-founder of Zenith BJJ and has built a respected coaching lineage of his own.
Beyond competition, Drysdale has fought in MMA and has become a leading voice on the history and culture of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, bringing a champion's perspective and a deep well of experience to every conversation.