HEATED DEBATE: Why I Changed My Mind About Israel Ep. 260

About this video

Mike Ritland interviews Alan Shabaro, a former Green Beret and fifth-degree jiu-jitsu black belt. Shabaro recounts his unconventional upbringing on military bases across Europe and Saudi Arabia, his transition into the Army and Special Forces after 9/11, and his deep involvement in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The conversation also touches on Shabaro’s current perspectives on global conflicts including Israel-Palestine and the Vietnam War, informed by his time living in Vietnam and studying multiple sides of historical narratives.

Key takeaways

• Shabaro attributes his global perspective to growing up on military bases in Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Austria, which he says made joining the military a natural transition and influences his current views on conflict
• According to Shabaro, he turned down professional MMA opportunities in the early 2000s (training with fighters like Travis Lutter and Matt Serra) to pursue Special Forces selection after 9/11, a decision he briefly questioned during difficult deployments
• Shabaro describes how his jiu-jitsu game evolved from a guard-based style at lower weights to a pressure-focused top game after gaining size, crediting instructor Renzo Gravarini for teaching him pressure techniques that became his signature approach

Episode details: published October 7, 2025 · 47.4K views · 5:10:32 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

← Previous: SEAL Team 5 Initiation: Part Torture, Part Team Bonding Exercise · Next: Black Hawk Down: Tom Satterly’s HARDEST Op in Somalia →

All Mike Ritland videos · Mike Ritland profile · Mike Drop (official site)