I’m an American living in Mexico. That sentence alone tends to generate questions — and occasionally concerned looks from people back home. Good. That probably means I’m doing something interesting.
Why Mexico
I left the United States deliberately. Not impulsively, not because things fell apart — but because I looked around at the city I was living in, looked at the direction things were heading in the country, and decided I wanted something different. Something that felt less crowded, less angry, and more alive.
I found a town in Mexico that checked every box. Nearly a decade later, I’m still here. That’s not an accident.
There was another factor in the decision — one I don’t mind saying out loud because I think more people think it than admit it. As flashpoints multiply around the world and nuclear-armed powers rattle sabers with increasing frequency, I’d rather have some geographic distance from the obvious targets. Being a few thousand miles south of the major US metro areas isn’t a bunker strategy. It’s just a reasonable hedge. Mexico has its own complications — anyone who’s paid attention to the news knows that — but the specific risks here are different, and in many ways more navigable, than what I saw coming in the other direction.
The Fighting Background
The “71” in Fighter 71 isn’t random. Combat has been part of my life for a long time — across multiple disciplines and with varying degrees of seriousness at different points.
My foundation is wrestling. That background shapes how I think about every other physical discipline — the emphasis on control, pressure, and positioning runs through everything else I’ve trained. From there I’ve put in serious time in boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai. Each one teaches you something the others don’t. Together they give you a fairly complete picture of what actually works when things get real.
I’ve also done tactical training. I won’t go into exhaustive detail on that, but it informs how I think about personal security, situational awareness, and preparedness — topics that come up regularly on this site.
I went through a period of being sedentary. I’m not anymore. Getting back under the bar and back on the mat after years away is its own education, and I write about that process honestly — because most content in this space is written by people who’ve never fallen off and had to claw their way back.
What This Site Is
Fighter 71 covers the things I actually think about and care about. Combat sports. Martial arts. Tactical gear and weapons — with an emphasis on things I’ve personally used and actually believe in. The expat experience in Mexico, including the political and security realities that most expat content deliberately avoids. And occasionally, broader geopolitical topics when they’re too significant to ignore — especially when they’re unfolding in my backyard.
When I recommend a product on this site, it’s because I use it or have used it. I don’t review things I haven’t touched. I don’t inflate ratings because a commission is attached. That’s a low bar, but apparently it needs to be stated.
I’m not trying to be the biggest site in this space. I’m trying to be one of the more honest ones.
Who This Is For
If you train, carry, travel, or think carefully about personal security — you’re in the right place. If you’re an American considering a life outside the US and want a perspective from someone who’s actually done it, you’re in the right place. If you’re interested in what’s really happening in Mexico beyond the headlines, you’re definitely in the right place.
This site isn’t for people looking for comfortable answers. It’s for people who’d rather have accurate ones.
