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What does it take to build a grappling life in a country at war, while balancing a demanding career, brutal training, and a completely different combat culture?
Vlad Polyanskiy, known as VladXBJJ, reveals why Ukraine's jiu-jitsu scene is unlike anywhere else in Europe - and why wrestling, sambo, and old-school discipline changed his game for good.
Vlad is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Michelle and Maurice Gofar at Triforce Antwerp and is a longtime grappler who split his time between Belgium and Kiev before planting his roots in Eastern Europe. In this conversation, he opens up about the jump from hobbyist jiu-jitsu in Belgium to the highly competitive, cross-training-heavy world of Ukrainian grappling, where elite wrestlers and sambo athletes force you to evolve fast.
You'll discover:
Why training in Ukraine feels like getting stress-tested by monsters from day one
How a serious wrestling room with national champions and Olympians transformed Vlad's takedowns, movement, and overall jiu-jitsu
The Soviet-style coaching mentality, where structure, repetition, and complete commitment shape the best athletes
Why kids' programs often matter more than adult classes in Eastern Europe
What actually transfers when judo, sambo, and wrestling athletes enter BJJ - and what gets left behind
The episode also pulls back the curtain on two of the most talked-about moments in Ukrainian grappling:
Craig Jones' wartime seminar in Kiev and the controversy around Gordon Ryan's attempted seminar.
Vlad explains what it felt like to train, organize, and live through those moments while missiles, shelling, and daily destruction were part of normal life.
This is a rare inside look at the mindset, politics, and culture shaping Eastern European grappling right now. Essential listening if you care about BJJ, wrestling, Ukraine, or how combat sports actually develop outside the Western bubble.Here are Vlad Polyanskiy’s social media accounts as well as where you can find him online:
Instagram: @vladxbjj
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Until next time…Grab, Throw, Tap!
