FLA Exposure: Recent Episodes
fightleagueatlantic
A podcast focused on martial arts, mental health and being damn productive in this crazy world! Based out of Nova Scotia, Canada and out for nothing but good vibes and loud laughs! Join us on our video platforms at Fight League Atlantic on youtube or facebook! Thanks for tuning in and make sure to share, like and subscribe to stay up to date with FLA podcast and events!
The Mummy joins John Morgan to discuss his upcoming fight at FLA 11 in just over 2 weeks at Fight League Atlantic 11!
Tickets - www.fightleagueatlantic.com #fla11
John Morgan, the legendary journalist and a new voice for the fans of the FLA broadcasts joins Derek to discuss the upcoming events and his role with FLA!
The guys chat about 2022 as a whole for the FLA brand and speak about what's in store for 2023!
Jake Kelly - Tower 1 Combat Sports discusses his upcoming fight at FLA 6 and his first pro fight!
Justin Bourgeois, the face of Cumberland MMA steps back into the cage for the first time in almost six years as he takes on the tough Patrick Connors out of Ottawa! He jumped on the show for the second time to chat about his club, how the training is going for the upcoming main event slot and the highlight of competing so close to his home town!
A wonderful guy who represents the community the way it's supposed to be! Make sure to grab a ticket and expect fireworks on June 11th, LIVE from the Tantramar Civic Center in Sackville, NB!
Ticktets and Pay Per View Available - www.fightleagueatlantic.com
Cam Nelson joined the show to discuss his fight at our most recent event, FLA 3! He is coming off a dominant performance where he stakes his claim in the welterweight division on the East Coast! A great conversation about his fight, his prep, his expectations on himself and the overall feeling from such a highlight in his young career! Joined by our in house reporter, Jeremy Hull! A great listen to a very young and established athlete! Enjoy!
1/2 of the Main Event at FLA3 taking place next weekend in Moncton, Morgan Rhynes joined the show to discuss his camp thus far. His trip to Thailand to train, the talent on the island, how the body changes through the years and fighting at a different weight for the first time. Maria Clinton also joined the show to discuss her sophomore performance coming up next weekend. We chatted her mental performance, her team, her coach and what her future goals inside and outside the cage are.
A great episode sponsored by Maritime Madness, locally made in PEI! Check them out online -www.maritimemadness.com
fla3 #fightleagueatlantic #flaexposure
Mike MacLeod, fighting at FLA 3 in just under two weeks hopped on to chat about his upcoming fight and the process thus far. A new face for the FLA brand, but someone who has been training forever out of both L'Hullier Martial Arts and KV Boxing. We covered his camp, his outlook going into the fight and his opponent. A great conversation with a very humble and wise man who understands the process and the situation at hand. FLA is very happy to see divisions growing and athletes getting opportunities they have been working towards forever! Looking forward to seeing this big man get in there in just under two weeks! Happy Easter, enjoy!
Two of the upcoming athletes on our next card on April 30th joined the show! Owen Warren fighting at light heavyweight along with Dawson Sampson who is fighting at 140 catch weight discussed what it has been like during training camp for FLA 3. These two guys are from Newfoundland and Labrador, so they discussed the trip over to New Brunswick and the expectations from the fight. We chatted about how they got into the sport and why it's such a highlight for them. Looking forward to seeing both of these athletes inside the cage in just over two weeks! Sponsored by our good friends at BC Kimonos - www.bckimonos.ca Enjoy!
Dylan Sheppard, a 21 year old amateur fighter out of Prince Edward Island joins the show to chat about his upcoming fight at FLA 3 in Moncton on April 30th. We spoke about training and having the guidance of Matt MacGrath, his Judo career and competing on the national level. Lot of support for this young man on his MMA debut as it's something he has been planning for many years. A short but sweet episode sponsored by Matsuru Canada - www.matsuru.ca
Enjoy!
Rory Gillis joined the show to discuss his absolutely amazing performance at Submission Kumite 4 last month. He joined the show to discuss how his wrestling background played a major role in the victory, competition anxiety and how to overcome it. We spoke about his upcoming fight and the training, pressure and expectations he has for himself on April 30th at Fight League Atlantic 3. Lots of really good advice for the upcoming athlete in this candid interview with one of the best upcoming fighters on the east coast. Enjoy and check out our sponsors cbdreamteam.ca
Talented Fighter ouf of the UK, Josh Neale jumped on to chat with the FLA Exposure podcast about his amazing career so far! From travelling the world and fighting all over, he is making the move to the pro ranks in his next fight. Managed by the Envisage Sport team, look for him to make a splash on the North American scene. We spoke about his future goals, his team and the important aspects of his training. Injuries and the current state of the scene in the UK, along with lots of great advice for the up and coming fighter! Enjoy!
This episode features a very successful and talented boxer from Nova Scotia! Joey Laviolette has been in the ring with some of the best, representing Canada many times and winning the National Title 5 times. A true warrior who represents the best of Nova Scotia and the hard work and never quit attitude on the East Coast. Loved this episode! Two guys with lots of experience hamming it up about childhood and and making it to the higher levels of combat sports.
Sponsored by our good friends at Skir Spray - www.skirspray.ca
Tom Johnson Jr, a talented amateur light heavyweight fighter out of Eskasoni, Cape Breton joined the show to discuss his recent fight at #FLA2 against Rob Logan. Also, our new host for the Wednesday night show Brad Sullivan took the mic and did a great job with this interview! Hard to beat seeing two people with similar passions come together for a genuine, upbeat and positive conversation. Lots of great experience, lots of great insight on his fight and what the future looks like for Tom inside and outside the FLA cage! A wonderful and kind human being who represents the sport in the correct way! Thanks to our good sponsor Maritime Madness, and make sure to PRE ORDER our Pay Per View for our upcoming Submission Kumite 4 event on March 12th! Enjoy and thanks for listening!
Greg Ricker, talented grappler and businessman out of Edmonton, Alberta. Catching up for the first time since 2017 when we did an event out in Alberta, Cat and Greg spoke about the stress of competing, his busy schedule and what keeps him motivated to be the best. Lots of great insight regarding how to be a great student and person on and off the mats. Greg truly understands the sport and has dedicated many years of his life to competing all over the world! Hopefully we will see him at a Kumite in the near future! Enjoy!
Jordan Noseworthy joins the FLA Exposure podcast to chat about his recent victory last October to claim the FLA 3 Amateur Heavyweight Title! We spoke about him training and living in Alberta, mixing his schedule with being a full time teacher and why he made the transition to Alberta! A true Newfoundlander who is looking to make his way back East in the coming year! Lots of great topics about his life, the hardest parts of his camp last year and what you can expect from him in the future! A bit of a technical mishap during this episode as we experienced a bit of Thundersnow which knocked the power out, but to no avail, we got it back together to finish this great episode with our FLA Heavyweight Champion! Enjoy!
Good People, Bad Intentions Creator and Owner, Matthew Pyne came by to chat about his life and how he found Martial Arts as a teenager! A wonderful human with likeness and kindness to him. We covered the whys, how's and what's that drove him towards the martial arts / boxing lifestyle. Lots of positive reflection in this conversation between two small town Nova Scotia combat sports fans! Enjoy!
One of the brains behind the scenes of many great tournaments and events in the USA. Megan Allison Parducho has been organizing and working large scaled Jiu Jitsu events for almost a decade. We have spoke for many years behind the scenes on events and ideas and it was great to officially meet her and catch up on how things are in California! We covered her history, her education and how she made her way to the highest level of events in BJJ. She is also an avid competitor, we covered her past tournaments and how the sport has changed so much in such a short time. A wonderful, candid interview with a gem in the Jiu Jitsu community! Enjoy!
Jeremy Landry, representing Port Elgin BJJ. A beautiful little community just before you make your way across the Confederation Bridge to PEI. For all of you grapplers heading to PEI in the summer months, make sure to stop in! Jeremy has a powerful story, one full of adversity, addiction, loss and very hard times. A story of revival, overcoming the odds and becoming exactly what you were always meant to be. We dove into his life and discusses some of his darkest moments and how combat sports has helped him regain his focus, leading to this amazing success story! Recently featured on DDP yoga as a Positively Unstoppable Champion for 2021, he's done big things and going to lots more! A true gem of a person, and a wonderful new addition to the combat sports community on the East Coast of Canada!
Enjoy!
Rob Logan joined the #FLAEXPOSURE podcast last night to chat about his performance at Fight League Atlantic 2 last month! An extremely dedicated and hungry athlete who has taken full advantage of both of his opportunities inside the FLA cage to make a statement. We spoke about the event, watched the fight together and discussed what changes he plans to make before making the walk again in 2022! A fantastic guy with a great back story who has no secrets on what he wants out of his experience with FLA! A true team player who understands the process! Enjoy and Thanks for tuning in!
Jon and Derek sat down to discuss the past weekend! The in's and out's of FLA 2 and the 10 amazing fights that took place between these athletes who put it all on the line through many months of training camps, different provinces and more to show up on October 16th! What an event! Next up, Submission Kumite 4 in January! Enjoy
Josh Presley, one of the amazing Fight League Atlantic commentators joins Jon and Derek to break down the upcoming Fight League Atlantic 2 card taking place this weekend, October 16th, live from Moncton, New Brunswick! 10 amazing fights featuring athletes from across the Maritimes will be live, for the first time in 19 months!
Join us LIVE on pay per view or buy a ticket and come check out the show!
Available now - www.fightleagueatlantic.com
Two athletes competing in the upcoming FLA 2 event join us to discuss the love and passion they have for the sport. We chatted the adversity and set backs of delayed events and the appreciation of the teams around them for continuing to set the bar and keep them motivated for October 16th! Two talented up and coming young men looking to embrace the moment in just one months time! Sponsored by our great friends at Conway Customz! All sign needs in Nova Scotia, look no further - www.conwaycustomz.ca
Enjoy and thanks for tuning in!
Alex Owen, co owner of Grants Martial Arts Academy and Black Belt under GF Team. Finally great to sit down with this multi talented educator about how he got started in this crazy game of Martial Arts and more specifically Jiu Jitsu. A long, candid discussion about the sports, the different rule sets and how entertainment is different than the Pan Ams. We covered his competition days, his running a gym and how that has been for him during covid. Having a mentor like TJ Grant as a cousin and business partner and the advantages of having world class training partners. Alot of really smooth conversation with a great guy! Take an hour, sit back and enjoy this episode, it's a goodie!
Corey Guitard, one of the toughest and most experienced Black Belts in Canada. The co owner of 10th planet and the man behind some amazing instructionals, Corey Guitard joined us to discuss the decision to start training and teaching full time as he finishes his degree. Teach in a classroom or teach in a gym, seems like a no brainer decision to us! Lots of great insight in this technical conversation about the sport, life and politics inside and outside. How you can be a better instructor, coach and mentor by being available, present and involved in students growth. One of the best conversations I have had on this journey of doing podcasts with someone I have known for many years and never had the chance to speak with. Open up your mind, talk to new people and learn from one another. Super excited to get this guy and some of his students on a future grappling card and continue to watch his journey at learn.jiujitsuxfactor.com - Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!
Ryan Sandberg, the owner of GF Team Camrose in Alberta and a purple belt under CJ Hollett at 101 Academy in Calgary! A wonderful young man with a fantastic outlook on life and giving back! We spoke about owning a club in a small town hard aspects of keeping your game on par while teaching and bringing people into the sport! We spoke about a program he developed for the Special Olympics community, bringing in Fitness Fridays and empowering youth all across his town and area! An easy going, smart young man with tonnes of passion and spirit towards martial arts. Love seeing young business owners succeed! Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!
Mike McAloon, a featherweight from Toronto now training out of the talented team at Toshido MMA in Kelowna, BC. He steps back into the cage next weekend for BFL for the first time in two years! We spoke about the set backs COVID created, the move to BC and the new focus he has since making this important step in his career. We covered the early days for him getting started in the sport, growing as a man inside and outside the cage and of course, what people can expect next weekend at BFL! Make sure to tune in! A great fella and super talented athlete! Available everywhere you get a podcast, enjoy!
Jett Grande, Canada's #1 Ranked Amateur Welterweight jumped on the show to discuss his career thus far. Having a 15-1 record, compiling handful of belts from promotions such as Havoc, XFFC, the World Amateur Championships, Pan Am Championships and more, this kids got a tonne of experience but more importantly a fantastic attitude and outlook. Young, smart and full of talent, this guys got a bright future! We spoke about all of the above, his support system, having an upcoming title fight cancelled for his first pro debut AND the team at MTK Global who has became his management during this pandemic! Enjoy and thanks for listening!
Dave Reynolds, a wealth of knowledge in business and on the mats! We spoke to Dave about his successful consulting business, the RUMIN 8 Group and the forward and strategic approach they use with helping businesses grow and fill the gaps to become as successful as they can be. He applies alot of his business acumen to his competition on the mats. A multiple time medals, Pan Am gold Masters 1 division champion at Blue, Purple and Brown belts, this guy has a tonne of great experience. We spoke about traveling, training, meeting so many great people in this sport and the importance of having great mentors and people who want you to succeed in your circle. A wonderful chat with a great guy that can take your business to the next level! Reach out to them directly! Thanks for listening, enjoy!
Canadian Music Sensation and competitive martial artist, Ben Chase stopped by to discuss how he got into martial arts, why he continues and how his life evolved from the skills he learned on the mats. A wonderful human at just 23 who tours the country making #1 hits and lives in beautiful PEI, training with the team at Lot 36 Jiu Jitsu under coach Matt McGrath! Lots of great insight about life, hard work and the dedication he's shown himself to grow and reach the levels he's attained! Big things for this young man, follow him on all social media channels @thebenchase
Enjoy!
Brandon Kelvey, Carlson Gracie JR Black Belt and Physiotherapist chatted with us this week! Sorry about the audio issues in this episode! Blame streamyard. We spoke about his competitive side, what made him fall in love with martial arts and how he's adjusted his training schedules with work and other hobbies. A talented guy who works with the team at Pro Active in Dartmouth, where he specializing in needling. Interesting episode, well have him back on with better audio in the near future to pick his brain after we do a in house training session at his gym!
Dwayne Ward joined us for this episode! A gentlemen that i've known for almost ten years after meeting at the Nova Scotia Indigenous Summer Games! Always motived by his story and how he constantly is evoking positivity onto people. Whether dressing up as Macho Man or opening a new gym in his home town of Listuguj; this man is always following a passsion. Most likely why we get along so easily. A truly great man with a great family, who he constantly shows a great example to! Loved catching up with Dwayne to hear how he's been dealing with COVID and some of the restrictions that have been going on in Quebec, how much we miss open rolls and just seeing the great community of athletes out here on a regular basis and much more! Enjoy!
It takes much more than talent to get what you want! This guy fought Saturday and was back to work on Monday doing what is needed to pay the bills and keep the journey moving. Coming off an impressive win this weekend, we spoke with Russ McCumber about the fight itself and his camp leading up to it. We covered fight anxiety, why he does it and the importance of his team at ZUMA including the experience of both Sarah Kaufman and Adam Zugec. A carpenter by day, fighter by night with alot of experience who just got his first pro win! Much needed after a tough decision loss at the Canadan National Amateur Championships in 2019! A great listen, powered by our friends at Highland Nissan! Enjoy
Josh Presley, one of the most accomplished competitors on the East Coast and definitely and OG of the grappling scene. Super talented in any aspect of the art, he teaches a lot of classes at Halifax BJJ and has recently started putting out more content featuring his style, along with breaking down the in house tournament they are doing at the school. We covered how competing has been for him throughout the years, his experiences of ups and down and how important it is to always believe in yourself. We covered his personal skill set as a coach and teacher and what has changed for him since Covid, training at other gyms like Legion and learning from other world class competitors. We also had to cover some old days of Presley competing for us and some of the behind the scenes issues that went on, not always making it easy for him! A great guy with a tonne of positive wisdom and love for the sport! Was so great to finally sit down with him, loved every minute of this conversation!
These two are certainly not kids anymore! After you listen to this episode, you will quickly realize how smart, mature and realistic these two young athletes are. At just 17 & 14 and after many years of competition, these two super successful teenagers sat down with us to catch up on travelling the world to compete, having a massive support system in both Canada and the US. We also covered some advice to other kids and parents, and how you might want to guide through the world of a high level athlete at a young age! A wonderful listen with a tonne of insight from these two amazing people! Whatever happens, these two will be successful, that's a guarantee! Must listen for anyone with kids! Enjoy!
Alex Thompson, originally from Australia and now living in the Halifax area since he was 16. A competitive athlete his entire life on the rugby side of sports; when he moved to Halifax, he started training with the team at 374 MMA! A close knit community led by Radafy Ranaivo, Alex spoke about his journey into Personal Training and now opening his own space in the Dartmouth area of Nova Scotia, called aussiefit.ca! We also covered his love of animals and having his two huskies right by his side for this new adventure! We spoke about how he got there, having fights cancelled at weigh ins and the toll it took on him mentally now after having been out of competition since 2018. A great episode with a very smart young man! Thanks for listening, enjoy!
James Lynch, one of the most recognized names in MMA media jumped on to chat about his story. We spoke about how he got into journalism and what drew him to combat sports instead of traditional sports or media. The hard work and dedication that goes into it and how his niche style of content started back in 2008. A guy who puts a tonne of work into it but also is super humble and really great to all the Canadian athletes and brands. A fantastic listen for anyone getting into journalism, media or just someone who loves a great interview, this guy is someone you definitely need to follow! Find him on alot of different platforms including Low Kick MMA, Line Movement and much more! Thanks for listening, enjoy!
Sean Finnigan, a member of the Crandall University Boxing Team in New Brunswick; the only collegiate team in the country! A super talented boxer with a tonne of heart to back it up. A veteran of over 50 plus amateur fights, his pro debut isn't far. Focusing on education before he makes that leap, we spoke about his decision and what led him to that route. Lots of great chat as we were joined with fellow New Brunswick boxer, Corey Morrell another coach and great athlete from the province! We covered short notice fights, working with kids and the feeling of giving back; his mentors like Brandon Brewer and all the up and coming talent on the East Coast! A super genuine conversation with two of the best on the East Coast! Enjoy
Paul Blais Fisher, a talented athlete out of Kelowna, BC dropped by to discuss his career, life in BC and the big delays in his career. Some really good insight on becoming a professional fighter, what motivates him and why he continues to push forward, even throughout a pandemic. We spoke about injuries, injuries during fights, his last opponent and how durable he was and the respect he had for him showing up. He comes from an incredible team in BC, under the man himself Coach David Lea! A really passionate athlete who wears his heart on his sleeve. A great guy we hope to see on a FLA card at some point! Thanks for listening, enjoy!
Jackie MacLean, an amateur out of New Waterford, Nova Scotia jumped on to chat about her career thus far and what brought her to this sport filled with crazy highs and lower lows! A great person with an thirst for competition. Now training out of Shaved Bears MMA in Edmonton, Alberta; she's 1-1 as an amateur and looking to compete on the East Coast this fall with FLA! A great attitude, a humble approach to life! Looking forward to seeing here in the FLA cage in the near future! A great listen, enjoy!
Patrick Connors, a pro featherweight out of Barrie, Ontario joined us to chat about his career thus far and much more! We dove right into it as we spoke about him starting martial arts in high school and the competitive edge he had as he competed 10 times as an amateur, seizing every opportunity he could. We covered his transition to pro, what he's working on now and the things he's really noticed outside of martial arts over the little bit of a lay off during Covid. He's competed around the world for the Canadian Amateur MMA team, and has a tonne of experience inside the cage. A wonderful guy with lots of great insight into his career and what lies ahead for him. Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!
Matt Johnson, a brown belt out of Grants Martial Arts Academy popped by for a fun chit chat! Good catching up with this talented guy who I have known since this whole promotion and our events began. He reminded me I about some old memories we had when I first began thinking about promoting these type of combat sport events. Nice to catch up and talk about his experiences in martial arts and what continues to motivate him to get better, what makes training fun and why having the right community can make or break someones love for the sport. Matt has a great background as a professional drummer and also is a full time Paramedic; so having a stressful environment is not something that is new to him and the correlations to competing under similar stress. Lots of great topics and a very smooth, fun conversation! Thanks for tuning in and hope you enjoy!
Joe Pilmer, one of the most pleasant guys on the East Coast scene. A brown belt out of MXT in Saint John and a guy who has been competing in pretty much everything he can for the last 6-7 years in martial arts. A wonderful human being with a great outlook on life. I've known Joe for quite some time and anytime that I have ever dealt with him, it's been near perfect! We spoke about how he got into MA, what keeps him and the goals he has achieved locally over the years. Lots of great conversation regarding the local scene and the great people involved at different levels. Had a quick chat about his MMA career as an amateur and what that did for him. Alot of talk about selling Martial Arts and how we can figure out the old trick of promoting it to the general public. A really candid, easy flowing great chat with an old friend who has put his body on the line more times than I can count for our promotion! Thanks for listening in, enjoy!
Wayne Jenkins, owner of SOB MMA in Cape Breton and one of the driving forces of growing the sport on the island! A talented and proven black belt in Judo, training for 18 years in many martial arts, it was great to finally sit down and chat about the history of his club and how it came to be. Working in Health Care, we spoke about the pandemic and how things are a bit different in every area and the results of covid fatigue. We covered SOB and other gyms in Cape Breton and spoke about his current students and how the dedication is proving successful. Lots of talk about future FLA cards in Cape Breton and the crowds we can expect! A wonderful chat about some good old memories about Martial Arts in Cape Breton. A great listen, thanks for tuning in, enjoy!
One of the younger athletes on the East Coast, Luc De Ste Croix comes out of Fit Plus MMA! We chatted about his career thus far and his experience training with the tight team at Fit Plus under Scott MacLean! He is a very well spoken young man with a bright future in this sport, trains hard and competes very well. We covered topics such as cornering at FLA1, the Submission Kumite, East Coast athletes, MMA in general and of course covered our picks for UFC256 featuring local stud, Gavin Tucker! Great episode with a very bright, humble, respectful and hard working young man!
Jake "Lee" Peacock joined the FLA Exposure podcast today to chat about his career inside the Lion Fight Promotion and his amazing career in Muay Thai and combat sports! Currently 4-0 as a professional, leading his team at Dunamis YYC in Calgary, Alberta! Born without a right arm or hand, his journey is one of hard work, dedication and pushing forward to becoming the best person and athlete he could be. We spoke about his upbringing, his training karate at a young age and what made him who he is today! Lots of great insight on bullying, hard work and how to his transition into a professional athlete got him to where he is. Super honoured to be joined by this guy, a wonderful talent that Canada is very happy to have representing our country! Enjoy
Corey Morell, one of the coaches behind the team at East Coast Boxing under Chris Peters! Fantastic to have Corey come by and discuss his career as an amateur and everything he loves about combat sports. Lots of good content covering up and coming kids in the scene, his love of being on the other side of the ropes as a coach and what the major differences between someone who wants it vs the person who doesn't and the reality that comes to all of us as athletes in combat sports. A very candid and interesting conversation with a young 24 year old who absolutely sleeps and breathes our sport! Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!
Two local Nova Scotian athletes joined us to chat about the last year training, the sport and everything in between! Both of these guys are hard working, talented athletes who joined us for the first time! We covered alot of topics related to training and how we might come out of this damn situation of covid, teaching kids, relationships within the gym and how they are handling being lockdown again. Another great episode, powered by our friends at Datsusara! Check them out at dsgear.com, enjoy!
One of the talented athletes out of SOB MMA in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Colton comes off a decision victory in our last event against fellow talent Greg Oickle in an exciting back and forth match! Colton showed off a tonne of great judo and throws, and made the match his in overtime. Great to catch up with this guy, originally from Hamilton and moving to Dominion when he was 10. We spoke about that transition, how it helped him and what Cape Breton means to him. Lots of good chatter about the old days and why he's so committed to becoming a pro fighter. A fantastic chat with a soon to be new dad, husband, martial artist and genuine athlete. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!
Up and coming talented grappler out of Pennsylvania! Steve Joachim trains with the team at Studio 84 under the talented Jay Regalbuto, Guy and crew! With the likes of Nicky Rod, his little brother and a tonne of other killers such as Jon Combs, this guy is going to be a force on the scene in the next several years! At just 21, coming from an athletic background in football and overcoming cancer in his leg; hindering him from bending it more than 90 degrees! A wonderful talent, who is moving full force, even through this pandemic! Hard work pays off! As well, a little moment at the end of this one to speak about something important to me, very important. Enjoy and it's good to be back!
Joined by my good friend Jon Williams, who also competed this weekend as we recapped the Submission Kumite event and how it unfolded! A great event, with record breaking success for our brand! Thank you to our fans and to everyone who continues to support FLA! We grow together, learn together and succeed together! Enjoy and catch the replay still available at fightleagueatlantic.com until Thursday at midnight!
As we continue highlighting athletes who will be competing this weekend at our Submission Kumite 1 event, we had the pleasure to chat with both Sebastian O'Malley & Jeremy Carmen Henry about the weekend! Lots of great topics including becoming a father, which we cover quite often on this show! I am always interested in the ways that it changes certain people in relation to martial arts. Lots of talk about COVID and how training was during, through and still as we deal with this continuing scenario. Both of these guys are talented and looking forward to competing for the first time in a cage in 2020! Looking forward to seeing them compete, make sure to pre order the ppv now at fightleagueatlantic.com! Saturday at 6:30 pm AST! Remember, one hour ahead of EST!
Enjoy and thanks for listening!
Three athletes from this Saturday's upcoming PPV event, Submission Kumite 1!
Tune in as Jon chats it up with some of the local grapplers about competing Saturday and how the training has been, what it means to them and how it's been getting ready for a big event during a crazy time like this! Looking forward to these three stepping out onto the FLA cage this Saturday to put on a show! A great episode with lots of good positive chatter! Enjoy!
Three athletes from our upcoming Pay Per View next weekend jumped on the podcast to chat about the event and how the training has been coming into the matches! We covered lots of topics surrounding the local scene and how the process of Covid has taken the training into different various ideas and how it's helped motivated them for the future! Time's a ticking and we all need to stay active for our sport to continue. Safety is the utmost importance for us as a brand; however we also need to stay relevant and busy or our entire business and sport will disappear. Having these conversations may not seem like a large part to the average eye, but it keeps us going and focused on the tasks at hand, keeps you in check I guess! Enjoy the chat with these three talented athletes and make sure to Pre Order our PPV for next Saturday only at www.fightleagueatlantic.com! Remember, all pre orders go in automatically for an FLA Swag Pack! Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!
Honoured to be joined by Top Game Management Coach, Agent & Manager Tyson Chartier & one of his greatest friends and the #6 ranked featherweight in the world, Calvin Kattar! I don't often get too rattled doing these interviews; however this one caught up to me! I am a massive fan of the way Calvin & Tyson carry themselves and represent the sport. Talented, humble, well spoken, educated and understanding of the task at hand. We covered lots of great topics like growing up in New England, the relationship between agent, coach, manager and athlete. We covered promoting shows themselves, travelling to Russia to fight a main event in the UFC, how to celebrate with check marks and still understand the job is not done! So much great insight from two gentlemen that followed a dream, worked incredibly hard and are forging a path to greatness for not just them, but a team and an entire New England area! Stay tuned as we look to bring these two gems to Nova Scotia in the future to possibly host a seminar and be part of our events! A tremendous listen for anyone that needs that extra push on how to get to the next level!
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in Canada! It hasn't been an easy year, but let's be thankful for the beautiful country we have and all that comes with it! Truly grateful to live in such an amazing place as Nova Scotia! Let's talk about this episode, we chatted with National Boxing B Team Member Natali Fagan and her experience moving to Montreal from the East Coast to become part of that high level training environment. We spoke about her passions, her beliefs and why these particular topics of equal rights and injustices were very important to her as they should be everyone. We spoke about her competing locally, her love of Martial Arts and why she got into these type of sports. A truly wonderful role model! Next up, we were joined by Nick Gullo otherwise known as Nick The Tooth! Black Belt world champion masters athlete under the talented AOJ brothers and of course known for his time with Dana on Looking for a Fight! Lots of great chatter in this one about the state of the US, how living in a Van could be his future for a long, long time and what it's done for his family. We covered high level jiu jitsu and training with the Mendes brothers, how he started and where he's headed in grappling but more importantly at life! 53, ripped to shreds and nothing but great positive vibes from this guy! We have chatted randomly over the years and it was finally nice to sit down and have some laughs and good conversation. Make sure to check out his Sci Fi novel as well Arc Zero! Thanks for listening & thank you to all of our essential workers getting us through! Listen & Enjoy!
Caleb Varner-Matthews, a talented amateur featherweight out of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia came by to chat with us about his training at the famous Titans MMA here in Halifax and how it's continued to forge his training in the right direction. A quick and candid conversation with someone at 21 years of age and beginning the prime of his career! Fight cancellations, three in one year, non consistency are some of the factors that continue to drive him to keep fighting, wanting to test himself and get that experience. We spoke about competing in Alberta for Fight Night Promotions and the great crew that runs the show and what that provided for him experience wise! A great young man, with a bright future! Enjoy!
Edwin "Junny" Ocasio dropped by the show tonight! A fan of this guy for a long time, since I started promoting BJJ shows back in 2014! One of the original Unity Jiu Jitsu NYC students under Murillo Santana! We covered things like him becoming comfortable with his jiu jitsu, the trust he has it in and how it finally clicked. A talented athlete, multiple time Pan Am Champ, Kasia Pro Grand Prix 2nd Place, Fight 2 Win Bantamweight champ and when his mental game caught up to his talent, that is when he really became part of the next level of elite grapplers in the world. I loved talking about training at Unity and the certain mindset you need to get through those 13 - 10 minute rounds in that crazy heat! We finished off with some NYC chatter and how covid has made the city changed! A fantastic listen for anyone but especially that up and coming grappler! This guys a stud, and a super gem of a human! Give him a follow, enjoy!
One of my favourite episodes to date! Kru Jeff Harrison is a super experienced, extremely talented coach and the owner of New Era Combat Sports in the Ottawa, Ontario area! Having competed in over 50 fights around the world, taking athletes to the highest levels of our sport, we spoke about this experience and what he took from it all. We covered the damn Covid and how coaches / clubs can come out of this. He had a great quote about marketshare and how the strong will survive out of this pandemic in our industry! I loved this conversation, so much positive influence and that's great to see coming from leaders in our community. The tide is turning, the old guard is slowly being washed away with the terrible ideologies and backwards thinking! Super grateful for Kru Jeff to take the time and chat with us! Tonnes of informative stuff for any athlete, club owner or person who needs a good kick in the ass to get motivated! Get out there, Enjoy this during a run!
Jay Regalbuto, New Jerseys best man joined us tonight! Avid grappler, avid sports commentator with over 3000 matches called in the last decade AND full time instructor and mentor at South Jersey BJJ under the legend Ricardo Almeida! A great chat with tonnes of great insight on competition and the mindset of being great! Lots of people have the athletics, but do they have the mental mindset to take those skills to the next level? His students Nicky Rod, Danielle Kelly and Amanda Leve are just a few of these up and coming talents taking over the grappling world! We covered tonnes of topics like position over submission, the importance of position and why it makes a big difference when you are actually getting paid to compete! Fantastic episode with tonnes of great knowledge from Jay! Make sure to visit him anytime you are in South Jersey! Enjoy!
Jon McKinnon joined us for episode 118! A guy who has been around the Maritime Combat Sports scene for the last decade or so in the Cape Breton area under Kent Peters! Great catching up with Jon, he's such a motivational guy who always puts his best foot forward. We chatted about life in law enforcement normally but more so during COVID. We covered topics like protecting yourself and the family, why doing martial arts gives you a little bit of a different look at life. How having a child changed alot of mentalities and why he loves training so much and what it has brought to him life. A great listen for any man who needs to understand how important it is to actually have good friends, have outlets and have reasons to be the best version of yourself. Make sure to catch Jon on his own podcast "Jon's Take" available on all audio platforms! Also catch him commentating our next event on October 24th! Which is now available for pre order BTW at fightleagueatlantic.com! Enjoy and thanks for listening!
Moe Milad, an up and coming talented boxer out of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia! What I love about doing this podcast, is the ability to chat and speak with athletes who are in our area and doing great things for themselves. I an envious of that, as at 19 I had zero idea of what I was doing in life, so to see people with goals and the fire they have, it's motivating for me. Moe is one of those kids. Super talented, very well spoken, driven and passionate about boxing. He's part of the fantastic team at Tribal Boxing under the fantastic eyes of Jim Maloney and Bridget Stevens! We spoke to Moe about his history in boxing, his goals in the sport and the important things he takes out training. Sometimes you see someone fight, and you just know the talent, it's very fun to watch someone who makes it look the way Moe does. A great athlete on his way to doing really great things! Make sure to follow this guy, Olympics, pro or whatever he chooses, it's sure to be great. Enjoy!
Rob, the man behind McDojo Life was kind enough to sit down and chat about his brand, how it came about and where it's headed! A great guy with tonnes of charisma and flare, he runs his brand full steam and never takes a break! Daily shows, podcasts, and an upcoming documentary break down the people in martial arts who continue to rip people off, sell wolf tickets and just really pretend to be something that they are indeed not, legitimate martial artists. A candid conversation about how his brand continues to grow, the business behind martial arts and everything in between on combat sports! A really great guy and some great conversation, enjoy!
Faber Glace, MMA Talk head honcho dropped by to chat about who he thought is the Top 20 Pro Male Athletes in Canada outside the big organizations!Great insight, great guy and great listen to find out who is who on Faber's list! Enjoy and pay attention to these names:)
One of Canada's brightest prospects, Zackery Powell joined us to chat about his main event fight this weekend in Alabama for Strike Hard Promotions. We covered fighting during the pandemic, how hard it's been to keep training and getting a fight. We spoke about the Dodge Sports family and how much they have helped him keep traction and get eyes on him. As well, the importance of a good room and the push they can give you. A fantastic guy with a brilliant future, enjoy!
Diego Sanchez, UFC Hall of Fame Fighter and one of the biggest names in our sports history! Super honoured to be joined by Diego to chat about his upcoming fight on Fight Island, the journey through the School of Self Awareness and how it came to be with his mentor and coach Joshua Fabia! We spoke about the current situation in the world, his haters and how he is able to ignore the negativity on his later stages of his career. He mentioned his trip to Nova Scotia in 2017 when he came here to compete on our grappling circuit Chokes By The Ocean AND how the experience helped him overcome some hard issues he was facing! A fantastic episode! Enjoy!
Mateo Vogel, another one of Canada's rising stars in the making! Hailing from the New Era Combat Sports Club, this kid has an incredible ground game and skill set! We spoke about his skill set, how he got here and the dedication that surrounds being a martial artist on the path to greatness. At just 24 years of age, he's 4-1 as a pro and coming off an extremely impressive performance against another outstanding athlete at BTC in March! We spoke about the importance of coaching, wanting something as bad as he does. We chatted overcoming adversity, the "DQ" he suffered in one of his pro fights and the eventual goals he desires for himself in this crazy game of MMA! Thanks for listening, enjoy!
Please ignore the last 10 minutes as we had some technical glitches with our second guest!
Do you love fluid conversation with lots of details, well this is a great listen for you! Emily Kwok, Canadian Black Belt & Co-Owner of Princeton Jiu Jitsu in New Jersey joined Christine Royal Fader to catch up and cover all kinds of knowledgeable and important topics! They spent alot of time covering important topics like training as you get older & the smart ways to keep training fun for you. They covered points on how clubs can make space for women's programs, how guys can learn to train better with woman and vice versa. Communication seems to be very important with alot of really great coaches, and this was very important for Emily. Last but not least, they covered how Jiu Jitsu may change and the impacts it will have on all of us, how Princeton BJJ is continuing to evolve and grow around these hard times! A fantastic episode with really great conversation between friends:) Thanks for tuning in & make sure to subscrib! Enjoy!
Ryan Dickson, professional MMA fighter out of Hamilton, Ontario! A guy who had alot of hype in his early career, back in 2011 when he started! A guy that took on all challenges, took the tough fights and really did well! He's back, after a 5 year hiatus and feeling better than ever, which is really fantastic! As a fan and promoter, I love seeing Ryan back in the mix! A true talent and a gritty fighter, we spoke about the choices throughout his career, how injuries are being taken care of now vs then, his mental mindset and the different looks he's getting at Toronto Top Team! A wonderful guy with a chip on his shoulder for a comeback! Looking forward to seeing that happen soon! Thanks for listening,enjoy!
Ali Wasuk, what a wonderful guy! A talented bantamweight out of Tristar Vancouver under Kajan Johnson. We spoke about why he got into Martial Arts, growing up in Toronto and the influence of his older brother, a black belt in TKD who would help mould him into the man he is today. We spoke about his mother, his family and the upbringing in Afghanistan and how hard she worked to get her three kids to safety during the war. A really candid interview with someone who has experienced so much in such a short time of 29 years old. I love hearing stories like this, someone who really can inspire you with the positivity and just being really candid about the memories and experiences they have had in life. We covered his game, what he's been working on and the future for him in MMA. An exciting prospect who is extremely articulate and presented himself very well. Great interviews make me happy, well done Ali! Thanks for listening everyone, enjoy!
Nova Scotian icon & legendary martial artist, TJ Grant dropped by to catch up and chat about his fantastic career and everything in between! Now running his own club, Grant's Martial Arts, we spoke about the transition of getting to this point, teaching kids and growing his club. He's overcome alot in his career, we covered the tough points on concussions and it being part of the sport. The risks involved and the decisions that you have to make as you grow further and how big of an asshole Joe Silva really was. Opinions on hard sparring, head gear and how young athletes should be looking at forging a career in this game! Thanks for tuning in, one of the best yet! Fantastic guy who has done alot for the East Coast scene! Enjoy & make sure to stop in and say hello next time in the Lawrencetown area!
Coming off an incredible fight at UAE Warriors last month in Abu Dhabi, Corinne Laframboise is as tough and talented as they come! Representing BTT in Montreal, she's on the cusp of the big show. We spoke about coming her getting started in martial arts through the love of Jiu Jitsu; her winning at the highest level in grappling an the transition to MMA. We spoke how she's coming off that loss and what it means to her. Travelling so far during covid and the process in place, how the swab felt up her nose for the covid test after having it broken during the fight & what she is fixing right away in hopes to get back in the cage for the third time in 2020! Super motivating, encouraging and positive! These are the people who motivate me, give her a follow and pay attention, she's just getting started!
Mitch Clarke, former UFC lightweight and current grappling coach at Shave Bears MMA dropped by to catch up! Mitch was on an earlier episode and someone who has become a great friend over the years! He's competed for us a few times, competed against some of the best names in the sport at the highest levels and now competed against the famous Maritime Madness One Chunk Challenge! Take a listen, take a gander and enjoy, and try for yourself at www.maritimemadness.com!
Dan Hubler, the former co owner of Newaza Apparel, Dream Jiu Jitsu Tournaments and the now owner of IPAJJF.com! We spoke about reducing workload to enjoy life more, living in California and the expectations that come with it! We covered the hard parts of tournaments and why they can be so draining on an event organizer & the entire process. Dan is heavy into the MMA sports betting and someone who really is getting heavy into this, playing live lines, multiple bookie sites and taking advantage of some really great odds! Give him a follow online and try it out, great way to make some extra money and enjoy the fights a tad more! Fantastic episode with two great people of our fight community! Thanks for listening and enjoy!
Smooth conversation with both of these guys! Brett Beaton, talented boxer out of the City of Lakes Boxing Club in Dartmouth and the co-owner of Hustle.Believe.Achieve joined us to chat about his amateur career, why it's important to him to lead by example and how nutrition and training people has really become a big motivator for him. A super great guy with a fantastic head on his shoulders, nothing I love more than someone who is talented, hard working, young and doing the right things! Big future for this guy when he turns pro, the former Maritime Champion has it going in the right direction! Ryan Rohovich also popped by to chat about being the main event for our first card and having the fight get cancelled the day before due to a snow storm! He handled it like a boss, very classy and understanding although it was a gut wrenching call for Jon and I to make! We discussed the impacts of having more cancelled pro fights then actual matches, the mental side of overcoming that when living in a small community and being the only professional fighter. His role models, and the super important role his family plays in his career! A candid conversation with two fantastic men and athletes! Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!
Dave Feldman, President & CEO of Bare Knuckle FC joined us today to discuss the BKFC brand, his work over the last decade to build it to this point and the struggles behind the scenes to become as big as they are today! We covered how athletes can become a BKFC athlete, the important steps any athlete should be taking to become noticed and what's important to Dave as he continues to take his brand to the global scale! BKFC possibly coming to Canada, the movement from his most recent signings and more! An extremely wise man with alot of knowledge in our sport that comes from an incredible humble background and has constantly faced the odds and beat them! Honoured to chat with Dave and stay tuned for some BKFC Canada news:) Thanks for watching, enjoy!
So much fun catching up with these two talented athletes out of Kansas City! These guys are both Black Belts out of the Mid West who travelled to Nova Scotia back in 2017 to compete for our Chokes By The Ocean event! We spoke about the trip, why they made it and what the experience was like. We covered the differences between the US & Canada and why the US is struggling so bad with Covid and being divided, shocking we couldn't find an answer! Jiu Jitsu & Fighting and how it changes lives, Dark Matches for the WWE, learning to wrestle under the famous Harley Race and the effects this sport has had on both of their lives. Truly wonderful conversation with two really great men with positive and welcoming attitudes on life! Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!
Matt Poulin, the head coach for the Canadian National MMA team and owner of TMAC in Timmons, Ontario! Matt has cornered over 500 fights all over the world and has an extreme wealth of knowledge in martial arts! A fantastic guy who understands the importance of support at the grass roots level. Living 10 hours north of Toronto, he knows what it is like living like we do on the East Coast. We spoke about his team, how his gym is the HUB for alot of the high end training in Northern Ontario & Quebec and the experience level you gain from having the different rule sets at amateur versus pro. He is someone that understands the game inside and out and wants the best for everyone involved. A really informative chat with someone who has been in the game in Canada for almost 20 years, in almost every corner of the martial arts game! Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!
Braulio Estima, a legend of the grappling world. 3 time world champion, ADCC champion and 3rd degree Black Belt, Braulio Estima joined us for an incredible discuss on life. He went over alot of great philosophy on life learnt through competition and training at the highest level. He spoke about us coming out of COVID in a few years time with a new level of appreciation for the things around us that our generations has yet to feel. He dove into his prep for competition and how, why he wanted to always improve and get better, which led him into the life he lives still today, helping others and improving himself daily, being a better version of Braulio on his own terms, not others. The evolution of Jiu Jitsu, why there is no right or wrong answer, just love Jiu Jitsu. An incredible journey into the mind of one of the greatest ever to compete in professional grappling! Stay tuned for an Episode coming up on September 2nd with Braulio as he will dive deeper into his philosophies into this mindset! Thanks for tuning in & enjoy!
If you are an MMA fan, especially a Canadian one, you best know this guy! Mark Hominick, one of the true originals of the Canadian MMA scene and heritage. A veteran of the UFC, WEC & Affliction, this guy put our country on the map with the likes of GSP, Patrick Cote, Rory MacDonald and Sam Stout! We were really excited to have Mark join us and catch up as it's been a few years since we spoke! We spoke about his days fighting, his days with TKO and the experience he gained moving to the bigger stage. Mark goes over what he feels day to day, still loving the sport as much as he did in Grade 9 when he fell in love with it. We spoke about his travels, the fun times, the eras of fighters over the years, sponsorship in combat sports and how coaching and building other people up around you can only benefit everyone in the gym! A true pioneer that I am lucky enough to call a friend! Honoured! Enjoy and thanks for tuning in!
The 100th! Such a great episode and a big mark for us, especially during COVID and the shit year that everyone in our industry has had, regardless if anyone watches, we hit 100:) Had a blast catching up with old friend Stuart Cooper about his journey in the sport and working with Team Envisage owner Kev Johnson on the fantastic pre work out coffee, available soon here in Canada! Make sure to grab this product on amazon or message me personally to chat about it! Clean, delicious and gets the job done right! As well, super honoured to chat with UFC Hall of Famer, Stuntman, Actor and all around bad dude, Mr Frank Trigg! We spoke alot about movies, acting and the stuff that happens behind the scenes in his new line of work, living in California and the shit that comes with it, how fighting has changed, coming to Nova Scotia and the East Coast while growing up in Rochester and the god damn expense that comes with being a California resident! So many laughs, great episode that you cannot miss! Remember to like, share and subscribe! Enjoy
Everyone's favourite agent, Matt Dodge joins us to chat about his busy schedule for his athletes in the coming weeks, how impressive the UFC has handled this pandemic along with the local promotions in the US! The importance of his agency and working with his athletes to ensure everyone is on the same page, happy and part of the Feel Good, Look Good, Fight Good process! A truly great guy with good intentions, upcoming athletes do get in touch! Mr Joey Torres, a big part of Dodge Sports and the co owner of The Scrap News popped by to chat about joining Dodge Sports and becoming a sports agent. What has changed in media today, what makes his brands differently and what he thinks is the future for working with athletes in big brand sports! A knowledgeable and great conversation! Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!
Super show full of Canadian talent across the board! Were talking to three Canadian MMA athletes who put a mark on the sport here in our country! Starting off with Dejan Kajic, originally from Bosnia & Herzegovina and moving to Canada in the mid 90's to avoid the war, ending up in Vancouver. As he says, it's like winning the life lottery to end up in Vancouver and our beautiful country of Canada. A record of 12-7, we spoke about some of the things he could have done differently throughout his career, the goal of reaching the highest level of our sport, past fight issues and why promoters need to understand what roles they play. Lyndon Whitlock, an athlete who spent alot of time on the East Coast during his fight career competing quite a few times for ECC and Elite 1 along with other promotions in Canada. Lyndon was a guy I grew up seeing on TV when the sport was taking off in our country. A stand up guy who always was super entertaining to watch and really made me love this sport! A motivator, genuine person and a guy that's really helping Parabellum MMA become one of the top gyms in Canada! Finally, we had the Belt Collector, Mr. Matt MacGrath join us to chat about the early days of MMA in Nova Scotia. Training with Team Titans and the incredible team they had and the talent that was produced. We spoke about the big events, why he got into the sport and the success that came with it. We spoke about his love of his family, the decision to step away from the sport and his new role of training at his beautiful facility in PEI. A true legend of Canadian MMA and a guy who has done alot for the East Coast Scene! Thanks to all the guys on the show and everyone that has helped them this far in the career! Great listen, tonnes of wisdom for up and coming athletes! Enjoy!
Jesse Gough, coach at ATC MMA in London, Ontario under the guidance of Mark Hominick as well as a black belt under Jake MacKenzie! We caught up to chat about his recent experience travelling to YAS Island for Fight Island with Jesse Ronson and the amazing win, how they got there and the rollercoaster experience it was right up until the fight happened. We spoke about why he wasn't supposed to be in this position and the things he overcame to get there, and what experiences helped him along the way. Fantastic human, great chat! Andrew Keyes, local bartender and martial artist jumped in to catch up on the local scene and the importance of learning a new sport in that industry, learning to take care of your body and the adjustments it takes in the bar industry to be a sober bartender. We had some audio issues but got the point across with some great conversation around this issue and what his move to the East Coast from Ontario has been like! Thanks for the patience with the technical glitches in Andrews interview, damn streaming! Enjoy!
Shane Monaghan, an Irish native, now living in Windsor, Ontario for the last 6 years who has made the leap into martial arts! Starting when he moved to Canada for work, he did his research and found himself at MTC, one of the greatest gyms in the country with a group of high level athletes such as the Laramie brothers and Kyle Prepolec! We spoke about why he started, the confidence it builded and the success he found at amateur as he became a two weight class champion for Prospect FC! Shane shares lots of great wisdom for up and coming amateur fighters, what he thinks about Irish MMA and when he thinks we will get back to running events sometime in Canada. A great athlete, with a fantastic mind for the sport! Hope you enjoy and thanks for tuning in!
Another talented prospect out of Montreal jumped on to join us tonight! Mr Brandon Lee, a talented bantamweight with a tonne of amateur fights popped by to chat about the career, why he's chose it and what it's been like moving clubs from Quebec City to Montreal full time. We chatted about him overcoming many mental health struggles and why he's determined to be a role model and great influence for up and coming athlete, people and anyone around him. The team at H20 MMA in Montreal is a very close and tight knit community, led by Richard Ho. A tight team with a super positive, respected and genuine coach can be a beautiful thing! Fantastic episode, thanks for tuning in!
Please skip between Bobby & Mat's interview as there is a 15 minute technical delay in the podcast! Our apologies!
Bobby Poulter, 2-0 as a pro out of Burlington, Ontario. Moving to the area, at 18 years of age from northern Thunder Bay was nothing easy, alone and with a dream that seemed attainable, here he is. Hearing about someone following a dream is something that inspires me as well, knowing there is still people out there that do and live the same way I have always done. Bobby talks to us about the level of Parabellum, fighting on some great promotions close to home and how things have changed for him over the last five fights including a barn burner in his last fight at Prospect FC! Also joined on this episode by Mat Hinchey out of Fredericton, NB! A super classy guy, who helped our promotion in our first event and is also around local events doing his part to help out. A pro bantamweight, with a 1-0 record and also an avid boxer and boxing fan! We spoke about his last fight in Bermuda, on super short notice and the experience he went through. We spoke about mentors and who is important to him and how mental health is something that he has dealt with and really uses his music and talents to help other people! A real down to earth, great and genuine person with a conversation good for the sole! Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!
A fantastic, flowing episode with really good conversation! Sifu Patrick Marcil is a staple name in Canadian MMA, producing high level athletes such as Dave Leduc, Marc Andre Barriault, Julien LeBlanc and more! Originally starting they main academy in 1994 with good friend Stephane Patenaude, now becoming one of the best gyms in the province of Quebec! We spoke about the changes in the sport, what his approach to being a coach involved, the positive impact you can have on people and the brutal reality of the fighting scene in Canada right now. Love picking the brain of coaches that get it, want the scene to prosper and do whatever they can to help it grow, that's the attitude we need.
Frederik Dupras, Pro MMA Bantamweight out of Laval, Quebec also popped by to chat his career. We spoke about coming off a loss and not fighting since 2018, being a big part of the team at H20 MMA and the influence of Mr Richard Ho has on him. The importance of nutrition and how it affects him before and after weigh ins, the distractions and how important it is to step back from the sport and do fun things with your friends to get away from the constant grind! Super fun episode, thanks for tuning in, enjoy!!
One of Canada's most humble and up and coming grapplers joined us to chat about the game, how he's finding himself in it and what's become important to him. Shane Fishman, originally from Ontario, and now residing and training full time in Dublin, Ireland under professor Darragh O'Connell! We spoke about moving to Ireland for school, the Euro scene and how hard it is to compete every weekend while working full time. The politics and how to avoid them in our sport, what is important to him now and where he's eventually looking to go with this sport after school! Such a genuine, down to earth person who has done alot for our brand! One of the nicest guys we ever dealt with, up and coming athletes - be more like Shane! Thanks for listening and enjoy!
Christine Royal Fader takes over the hosting duties for the first of it's kind on our platform, the All Female Round Table #1! Three incredible athletes and woman from the East Coast Combat Sports community joined us to discuss being a female in the combat sports community, the good bad and ugly of how it works and how we as males can learn, embrace and continue to make it a friendly, competitive and fun space for everyone to train. Melyssa Hutchinson, black belt and owner of Synergy Training Center along with Morgan Milbury, a blue belt out of the Halifax BJJ system joined Christine to discuss! Hope you enjoy and stay tuned for #2 in the coming weeks!
Tanner Boser, UFC Heavyweight currently in Abu Dhabi joined us live at 4 am from the hotel to discuss his fight this weekend, the protocols surrounding the event and the process that's gotten him to that level! As always, great catching up with Mr Boser! Canada's best Heavyweight!
Wayne Rushton, good friend of the show joined us to take the famous ONE CHUNK CHALLENGE from our sponsors at Maritime Madness! Absolute hilarity from this funny guy from the online tv show, North Shore Live!
Great laughs, great episode, enjoy and thanks for tuning in!
Great episode with tonnes of great conversation! Starting off, we chatted with Canadian grappling sensation, Dante Leon about living full time in the USA for years, why it's nice to have a little fat on the bones sometimes and what it's like being a professional athlete in such a rare sport. Gabe Sagman popped by to discuss his life as a martial artist and the influences behind his career. We chatted about the opportunities the sport has given him, the people he's met and what's to come for this talented bantamweight in the future! Finally, we were joined by TUF veteran and Canadian welterweight, Michael Hill. We spoke about becoming a father, living in Powell River, BC and the experience of competing on a reality show and the good / bad things that came with it. Great wisdom from a veteran of the scene, fantastic episode! Thanks for listening, enjoy!
Quebec talent & Pro Fighter, Michael Dufort joined us to chat about growing up in the infancy of Quebec MMA with such important role models. The importance of great coaching, how one factor can play such an important role in getting to the UFC and how hard it's been coming off an injury after being so close to the big show! Thanks for listening, enjoy!
Talented Canadian standout boxer & local East Coast star Ryan Rozicki dropped by along with talented MMA Fighter out of Vancouver, Bryce Gougeon! We spoke with Ryan on the pressures of fighting in front of a home town, the goal of becoming the world champion and the ups and downs that go along with it. At 25, he's got a long future ahead of time. Bryce Gougeon, a west coast native chats about the differences you can make when you start taking care of your body properly. Lots of insight on how older athletes can stay primed and ready for the young bucks! Great listen, enjoy!!
Jon and Derek sit down to go over the future! After working very hard on our proposal, it was turned down quite quickly to begin running our events again, starting on August 22nd. It's a very frustrating component to life when someone controls your ability to earn an income and produce the product that you worked so hard to build, not even mentioning the lost years and fights for upcoming and athletes in the sport right now. Sad times but we focus on positivity and building towards the future and are very grateful for the relationship we have with the NSCSA and the safety and opportunities they provide Nova Scotia athletes.
Enjoy!
Tonnes of fun in this episode! Honoured to be joined by three other MMA promoters across Canada to discuss what it's like to promote an event with the highs and lows of our sport! Wisdom, knowledge, laughs and advice were shared among four promoters from across Canada, quite possibly a first in our sport in any country. Mr Lee Mein runs Rumble In The Cage and has done 63 events, Mr Adam Lorenz runs Modern FC out of Saskatoon and Mr Jamie Champion runs Prospect FC out of London, Ontario. A must listen for any upcoming athlete, avid MMA fan and anyone who understands business. Great conversation, enjoy!
Diving deep into what it takes to make it to the highest level of professional sports. Michael Malott, an Ontario native that came to Halifax for school and changed his life forever. From being a 19 year old kid at Titans MMA, to now the striking coach at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California working with the best and most talented athletes in martial arts! Fantastic story about following a dream and making yourself marketable. We also had the chance to catch up with Mick Roy, brown belt and owner of Royal Jiu Jitsu in Quebec City! The new dad has tore up the Canadian scene in grappling and told us how he became so mentally strong. A background in professional snowboarding developed through an extremely tough work ethic, along with his mentor Max Perrault made him, but his new family life has changed him! Take a good long listen and enjoy!
Please skip the first 16 minutes due to technical issues
Kolton Englund, professional lightweight out of Huffman, Texas with a pro record of 6-3! Had some good laughs with this guy about Texas, the state of the world and why it's important to stay ready for that call. A tenacious athlete with an incredible story of overcoming cancer and finding out just 10 minutes before his last fight! What a guy, what a story and so motivating! As well, we caught up with Windsor, Ontario native Kyle Prepolec on his future on getting back to the UFC, his mental adversity and what makes him a tough fight, the importance of his team and supporting like minded athletes like the Laramie brothers! Great laughs and tonnes of important knowledge of the fight game! Till next time, enjoy and thanks for listening!
Joined by four club owners in the Newfoundland and Labrador area to chat about COVID 19 and how it has impacted business for them. Lots of great insight, but frustration is mounting for our business. There hasn't been a case in over 30 days in Newfoundland & Labrador and still, nothing. Take a listen, learn the importance of physical and mental health through martial arts and why its needed for some people. Time for the people to wake up, if you can go to walmart, you can train...period.
Mike Samson - St Johns BJJ & Judo
Colin MacMichael -Cornerbrook BJJ
Kyle Pawlett - Lab City BJJ
Paul Clancy - NFT BJJ
Joey Morency, hailing from Labrador and residing in Ottawa for the last number of years! A talented welterweight with a big focus on Strength and Conditioning. He's coming off another horrible injury, suffering two in his last two big fights. We chatted with him on how he overcame this, the importance of knowing your own body and the growth of the scene in the Ottawa / Gatineau area! Also joined by Kevin Bastien Popowick to chat about his recent transition and putting on some real muscle, how it's changed the training for him and what he overcame after his last fight and loss. A young and upcoming prospect in Canada, excited to see him compete in the near future! Fantastic listen with two gems of the Canadian scene! Enjoy!
Christien Savoie, outside of the big organizations, this is the guy on the East Coast! Two weight division champion from Elite 1 and holding a record of 8-0, this guy is on his way! Representing Saint John, NB and port city, he's done great things on the East Coast the last several years and now he's on his way to making his mark at the higher level. We chatted about being a clean athlete and how important that is, getting different training looks from City Kickboxing to Rofusport and beyond and what his plans are moving forward with his career. Great listen! As well, joined by one of the most experienced pro athletes in Canada currently competing in Eric Wilson! Recently made the move east, now training with Titans MMA under Peter Martell and Gavin Tucker, he's got a renewed fire. The scenery, the air and the people drew him here and now he's looking forward to learning, supporting the scene and getting back in there to show some new tricks! So happy to have this guy East, welcome to a home away from home Eric, and special shoutout to long time friend of the promotion, Eric Andre! Enjoy!
Tyler Vankill, native of Morell, PEI who hails in BC. Amateur two weight division champion in California, this guy is hungry to get his name on a card in Canada. We spoke about the agonizing wait to get his pro debut, fighters pulling out of contracts and the reason he made his way to Toshido MMA under the guidance of David Lea. As well, lots of great conversation with Canadian standout, Jamie Siraj on overcoming some terrible injuries on the way to the big show, how he dealt with it and kept a positive attitude & his next steps! This kid deserves a shot, fingers crossed it's not long for this talented athlete out of British Columbia! Great listen with these two! Enjoy
Four Martial Arts business owners and competitors joined us to chat about the impact of COVID 19 on the East Coast businesses, more importantly the steps they are taking to get back into the gym and training full time with students. Lots of insight from these four individuals representing Victory Jiu Jitsu Academy in Moncton, Wulfrun / Summerside in PEI, Halifax BJJ Society in Halifax and of course Clinch Training Center in Sackville, NS. A wonderful conversation with great men who are leading the way in those respective communities. A great listen for some wonderful insight on the behind the scenes of these businesses and the advice they can give to others on how to get back to action! Enjoy and subscribe!
Jake Cunningham, a super nice heavyweight out of Fredericton, NB! Lots of experience as an amateur at 3-1 and just turning 25, this guy has a bright future. A heart of gold, the right attitude and lots of support around him makes this guy a dangerous opponent for anybody! A really candid conversation about life and why he decided to get back into Martial Arts after taking five or six years away from the sport! Justin MacKenzie also joined us, one of Cape Breton's rising stars! An athlete under Wayne Jenkins and crew out of SOB MMA, a purple belt who has alot to prove in 2020 and beyond. Cape Breton is a beautiful island connected to the mainland of Nova Scotia that has produced a tonne of top boxing, fighting, sports, musicians and talents from across the board. We chatted about life on the island, the benefits and how big an event will be when FLA makes it way to the island! Enjoy
Scott Boudreau, owner of BUDO Vancouver and East Coast transplant joins us from his club in BC to discuss the new rules for COVID in BC, how he's been dealing with the massive loss of revenue and how he made his way across the country and started a new career at 30, inspiring story! Chris Robinson, Judo Black Belt and former Team Canada member also popped by to discuss competing at a young age in Judo, the level you need to compete nationally and how important it is to immerse yourself in the art. Finally, joined by former pro fighter, now official Ryan Potter. Talented martial artist who has given alot to the East Coast and fought on our first card, took home the win and laid down the gloves, honoured to finish off the career with this gem! Enjoy!
Martial Arts Legend & 3rd Generation Gracie - Rolles Gracie joins us on the show to discuss growing up in jiu jitsu royalty & the family support starting at such a young age and the effect Mr Renzo Gracie has had on him. We spoke about the history of jiu jitsu and how we must accept the changes in the sport and embrace the future, finally discussing the Kasai Pro series and the future of Kasai events! As well, super honoured to be joined by Terry "GoodTime" Lemaire, a professional fighter out of Timmons, Ontario! We spoke about his competiting for other organizations, travelling the world for a living and the love he has for a small community in Northern, Ontario. A really great interview from two really fantastic individuals who are in our sports for the right reasons. Enjoy!
Dan Robertson, voice of the Montreal Canadians on TSN joins us to chat about traveling with a professional sports team, what a day on the road looks like and how he got into being a professional play by play announcer! Lincoln Steen, one of Canada's best known wrestlers joined us to chat about the local scene, promoting shows, placement on the fight card and how much he enjoyed his six week tour in the Northern part of Canada. Last but certainly, not least, Uncle Hack joined us to chat about Danger Catz and how it came to be. Canada's hottest blue collar comedy. Check them out online @dangercatz and join the fun! You will see this guy all over the place in the coming years! Enjoy & Subscribe!
Scott Squires, a veteran of almost 20 years in East Coast Media! He joined us to chat about the state of media in the East Coast, how it's changing and what to look forward to in the future for many productions and media networks! As well, honoured to be joined by old friend Amanda Leve! Based out of North Philly, this girl is on her way. Previously competing in Nova Scotia for us in 2016, before moving on to destory the ADCC trials and compete on the world stage at the ADCC 2019! Current co owner of Leve Jiu Jitsu with her brother Evan, pay attention to this talent! Enjoy!
Tristar Athlete, Tyler Wilson is a Kingston, ON native who has been super active on the Canadian MMA scene for the last few years! 6-3 as a pro and 10-3 as an amateur, this kid is all about the progression and testing himself at the highest level. Lots of fun gaining insight with this veteran of the Canadian scene! Hopefully you will see him on FLA2! Connor Rideout, one of the most touted prospects out of the Ontario amateur scene. He made his pro debut in 2019 and has held titles in two american organizations! Very talented, lots of personality and this kids just 23, big things for him in whatever he chooses to do! Enjoy!
Two brothers from Nova Scotia join us tonight! Jerico Copeland MacPhee splits his time between Breakthrough Jiu Jitsu and Tristar MA in Montreal, coming off his first pro fight for FLA in February, he laid down his future plans and how life has been since coming back home to Scotian since the pandemic! Justus, his brother is an extremely successful competitor on the local scene here on the East Coast & co owner of Breakthrough Jiu Jitsu in Amherst, Nova Scotia! Loved catching up with this guy to chat about family, opening a new school and how running sucks! Enjoy!
All about the recovery on this episode! Joined by two super knowledgable and wonderful people on this episode! Dr. Nikole MacLellan is located in Nova Scotia and works as a Dietitian and Sports Nutritionist with alot of local athletes at the high level, from her office at Pro Active in the HRM! She also runs a podcast, called the OffSeason and is involved in many different aspects of helping communities thrive! As well, super honoured to have Jordi Sullivan "The Fight Dietitian" to chat about working with his incredible list of athletes like Israel Adesanya, Alexander Volkanovski, Dan Hooker and the list goes on and on! Stay tuned for another episode with these two in the coming weeks where we will have them breakdown an athlete's habits and nutrition, live on our podcast! Enjoy this one folks, very interesting stuff!
Sam Micale joined us to chat about his grappling career in upstate New York and how COVID 19 has taken a toll on many businesses in the area! Kent Peters popped by to talk with the guys about Supernatural Survival Gear and how the business and social media is keeping him going in a positive direction; along with one of Canada's best black belts, owner of On Guard Jiu Jitsu - Matt Kwan joined the round table to discuss BC and why using a platform is so important. Enjoy!
Joined by High Profile Sports Agent, Matt Dodge and four of his up and coming clients! Had a tonne of fun chatting with UFC star, Andre Ewell on Fight Island and overcoming the broken arm is his last fight. Anthony Romero, a rising Canadian Lightweight spoke about the importance of family and having an agent you can trust really is in sports. Tobias Baker, recently competing last weekend at SUG popped by to talk about that experience and how important the right gym is to an athlete. Finally, we chatted with Canadian Wrestling OG, Chris Prickett & his student, Jasmine Jasudavicius on her transition into female MMA and the importance of being a role model for up and coming female athletes! Enjoy!
Fantastic episode finished off with Kevin L Johnson from the hit series, Ozark! He plays Sam Dermody in the series and dropped by to chat the differences between fighting and acting, how he got into the sport and how fun it is shooting with Jason Bateman and others! Also has the chance to speak with Dylan James Bowker about his history covering MMA in Canada and the future of his amazing book on the entire history of Canadian Mixed Martial Arts and our friends Brad & Taralynn Sullivan drop by to chat about Arbonne and how it's changed the way their family lives! Super interesting stuff! Enjoy and thanks for tuning in!
Super talented bantamweight fighter out of Quebec, Adam Sako joined us to discuss fighting and where it's left him and what his future may hold. The current state of the world and how we can continue to listen, talk and learn. Craig Allen joined us to discuss Fight Night Picks and how the whole youtube channel started, super interesting guy and make sure to give them a follow if you like fight break downs! Scott McNaughton caught up with up to break down his three amateur fights, losing all of them and what behind the scenes led him to getting caught up in the beard game and the support network it has created for him. Finally, JM Holland, a black belt under Eddie Bravo and a super tough athlete who has competed pretty much everywhere and definitely holds some grappling history from Combat Worlds and more! This guy bleeds honesty and no bullshit, my kinda guy! Enjoy this one folks and thanks for listening!
East Coast Round Up #2 - joined by four members of the MMA community on the East Coast to discuss the martial arts business side of things and how we can work together coming out of Covid 19. Fantastic dialogue with great guys, enjoy!