Peter Iacavazzi
Episode 390
27 JULY 2026
He earned two Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships, seven Pan American and National Championships, a European Championship, and achieved the distinction of being ranked the No. 1 competitor in the world in his division. He founded A Fighting Chance, a women’s self-defense program, and he is the founder of 40Fitness, a coaching program designed specifically for adults over age 40 who want to regain strength, improve health, and perform at a higher level without sacrificing longevity.
Notable guest quotes:
“I grew up in… I think a very typical Italian Catholic family… the Catholic church was such a big part of our life. We went every Sunday… I grew up really in a family where my father was very fond of always reminding us, faith and family and friendship are the things that matter in this life.”
“We went to Catechism and we received our … confirmation and … so growing up in the Catholic Church and Catholicism was such a part of our life. It was just, it was there. It was always there and it still always has been.”
“I grew up with the benefit of having a father who was in the College Football Hall of Fame. He later played in the NFL.”
“My love for football just came from playing the game… I did play in college, and I had a wonderful couple years.”
“I was living at the time in Southern California. I was working out in Gold’s Gym in Redondo Beach. And I became friendly with Royce Gracie, who back in the 90s really became a legend in the ultimate fighting championships in the UFC. And before that, he was a legend in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. And we just struck up a friendship. And I started doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with him and some of his students.”
“I have been overly blessed in this life. The parents that God gave me, really incredible.”
“I was very fortunate that during those difficult times, those hard days of training, those getting beaten up by these little guys, being away from home and having to diet and all the things that come with being an athlete at that level, rather than turn away from my faith, I relied on my faith.”
“I looked for that ‘through Christ all things are possible.’ I really began to embody that. When things got really, really hard and they did often, I turned to Christ. I turned to Him for strength. I turned to Him for guidance. And sometimes I just turned to Him for comfort.”
“What a privilege to be on the mat and share your knowledge with really the most incredible men I’ve ever met, the very men that are out there literally giving their lives so that we can have a better life. So, I mean, how blessed am I to get to be able to do that with such incredible men?”
“I can’t make you the next world champion. But what I can do is give you a fighting chance to save your life. And that program I have been teaching now for over 25 years. And it has made a great difference in the lives of women. But it’s also made a great difference in my life of being able to serve and help women.”
“I’m here to hopefully make the world a better place and any opportunity I have to share my profound love of Christ and my belief in God, I will choose any platform that allows me to do that. As an athlete being able to talk to Jiu-Jitsu fighters and practitioners, working with military and law enforcement, and now working with people on their health and fitness. Any chance I’m given to share my love of Christ, my belief in Christ, and just be able to show how my love and belief and faith in Christ has helped shape my life, I choose that platform.”
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