The Mountain Side

Michael Pintar - professional photographer, Western artist, PRCA rodeo photographer, veterinarian, animal health educator, and Arthramid representative. With a deep appreciation for art and the American West, Michael rediscovered his creative passion after receiving his first DSLR camera over a decade ago. Since beginning his professional photography career in 2015, he has developed a reputation f...

Brandon Girtz - is a professional fighter and top lightweight contender in Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA, known for his explosive style, toughness, and relentless approach to competition. His most recent battle earned a Fight of the Year nomination, adding another chapter to a career built on grit and memorable performances. A seasoned mixed martial artist, Girtz began his professional MMA career...

Dan Gates - Executive Director of Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management ( C. R. W. M. ), host of Though the Gates podcast. Dan Gates is a passionate advocate for responsible wildlife management and preservation. As a lifelong sportsman, he has dedicated himself to ensuring the sustainability of Colorado's natural resources. For more than two decades, Dan Gates has been at the forefront of...

Alana English - is a former competitive freestyle skier, HYROX competitor, hybrid athlete, and accomplished DJ who has built her life around chasing challenges and refusing to stay in one lane. Originally from Pennsylvania and now living and training in Colorado, Alana has spent much of her life testing the limits of what she is capable of. Her athletic career began in the mountains as a competiti...

Wyatt Montoya - is a collegiate golfer at Arizona Christian University and a PGA member who has spent much of his life dedicated to the game of golf. Growing up in Colorado, Wyatt developed his game through years of competition, becoming a Colorado State qualifier and placer during his high school golf career. His passion for the sport has continued into the collegiate level, where he continues to...

Nick Black - is an experienced emergency and trauma nurse whose medical career began as an EMT in Southern California in 2009. After working 911 and ambulance services throughout Los Angeles, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from West Coast University and relocated to Colorado, where he became a trauma nurse at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central, a Level I Trauma Center. Nick later spe...

Josh Fremd - is a professional mixed martial artist, UFC veteran, PFL middleweight, and BKFC bare-knuckle fighter. Currently ranked #9 in the PFL middleweight division, Fremd is fighting out of Denver, Colorado, by way of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Fremd began training during his senior year of high school and stepped into the cage for the first time as a college freshman. After capturing two...

Michael Alessi - is an elite videographer, filmmaker, mountaineer, rock climber, musician, devoted father, and passionate Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. With an eye for authentic storytelling and a relentless pursuit of adventure, Michael has built a career capturing compelling visuals in some of the world’s most challenging environments. Whether he’s behind the camera on demanding productions,...

Evan Jeffries - 20-year veteran of the Denver Fire Department, cattle rancher, conservationist, entrepreneur, and devoted father whose life has been built around service, hard work, and a deep appreciation for the outdoors. As the co-founder and co-owner of The Lazy Butcher in Evergreen, Colorado, and Black Hat Cattle Co . Restaurant in Kittredge, Colorado, Evan has helped create businesses that c...

Brandon Royval - UFC Flyweight, Brazilian jujitsu Back Belt, Youth Mentorship. Royval is a professional mixed martial artist known for his exciting style in the UFC's flyweight division. Royval is one of the UFC’s top-ranked flyweights, currently sitting at No. 3 in the world. A Denver, Colorado native and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Royval has built a reputation as one of the most exciting an...

Earl Strohl - Cutter Stabilizers| Antelope Obsession | Building an American-Made Archery Brand A passionate outdoorsman, conservationist, and entrepreneur, Earl shares how Cutter Stabilizers grew from a simple need in the antelope fields into one of the most respected names in hunting-specific archery equipment. He discusses his commitment to building durable, U.S.-sourced products, why authentici...

The Mountain Side Podcast | Independence Day Special – Celebrating 250 Years of America w/ UFC Light Heavyweight Dustin Jacoby This Fourth of July, The Mountain Side Podcast celebrates a historic milestone—the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States of America—with one of the toughest and most respected fighters in the game, Dustin Jacoby. Currently ranked among the top light he...

Doug Mathis - is one of the most recognizable voices in professional rodeo, earning a reputation as one of the sport’s premier announcers through decades of passion, authenticity, and unmatched knowledge. Known for his commanding presence behind the microphone and his ability to captivate audiences, Doug has become a staple at many of the nation’s most prestigious professional rodeo events, bringi...

Grant “The Truth” Neal - Light Heavyweight & Middleweight Fighter, Mix Martial Artist, Premed Student, Botanist, 2 Time State Wrestling Champion, D2 National Football Champion, & Outdoorsman. Grant Neal is currently the Ignite middleweight Champion, quickly climbing the ranks to become the MMA middleweight champion of the world. Born and raised in Colorado, Neal played as many sports as po...

David Booth - Retired Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), serving more than 22 years in federal law enforcement, including assignments with the ATF Special Response Team (SRT) and the agency’s Quick Reaction Force teams. Prior to his career with the ATF, David served in the United States Army operating Bradley Fighting Vehicles and later worked as a wi...

Haze “The Huntsman” Hepi is rapidly rising as one of the world’s top-ranked heavyweight bare knuckle fighters, representing New Zealand and Australia’s Gold Coast with ferocious knockout power and warrior spirit. Known for his devastating performances inside the BKFC Ring, Haze is more than just a fighter — he’s a proud Māori warrior, dedicated family man, entrepreneur, and founder of his clothing...

Adam Nelson - dedicated conservationist, passionate outdoorsman, former first responder and paramedic, and co-owner of Salida Gun Shop in Colorado. Before fully immersing himself in the outdoor industry, Adam spent years serving others on the front lines as a paramedic, bringing the same discipline, resilience, and service-driven mindset he carries today. Deeply rooted in the values of hunting, wi...

Jason “The Dragon” Lee - Underground Fighter | K.O.T.S. Champion | Professional Mixed Martial Artist | Peak Performance TC Colorado Jason Lee is a fierce competitor born from hardship and shaped by resilience. Raised in a turbulent family environment, Jason’s early life took him through the rough neighborhoods of Charlestown and Lawrence, Massachusetts—places where struggle was part of the daily r...

Mel Tolone - is Australia’s own powerhouse—an elite-level athlete whose journey spans the brutal worlds of strength sports and bare knuckle fighting. A Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) heavyweight fighter, Mel brings a rare combination of raw power, resilience, and real-world grit into the ring. Before stepping into bare knuckle boxing, Mel made his mark as a world-class strongman competi...

Christine Koeppen - is a native Coloradan, mother, barrel racer, hunter, and a strong advocate for protecting the Western way of life she was raised in and now passes on. She has dedicated her life, education, and career to agriculture and conservation, firmly believing that the two must flourish together. Her roots are in horses. She came up in the barrel racing world, where she developed grit, t...

Chris Camozzi  – BKFC Cruiserweight World Champion | UFC Veteran | BJJ Black Belt | Colorado Native. Camozzi is a professional fighter, coach, and combat sports legend whose name has become synonymous with toughness, skill, and longevity in the fight world. A proud Colorado native, Camozzi has carved out an extraordinary career across multiple disciplines — including mixed martial arts, kickb...

Joe Gauvain - is an active-duty Chief in the United States Coast Guard and the co-founder of Drifter Hydration , an innovative hydration system built for the toughest environments on earth. Throughout his Coast Guard career, Joe has been stationed in multiple locations around the globe, spending much of his service in the rugged, unforgiving terrain & seas of the northwest and Alaska, where re...

Luke Caudillo  - Former UFC fighter, now a trainer/coach for some of the top UFC fighters like Justin Gaethje. Caudillo also has his own podcast  GU Unfiltered  and is the host of  Gladiators Unleashed  based on big game hunting. Born and raised in the railroad town of North Platte, NE. Like a lot of rural Americans, Caudillo began hunting and fishing with his brothers, co...

Jermaine Hodge  - World Elk Calling Champion, US Army Combat Medic Veteran, Team USA Wrestling Alumnus & USA Wrestling Coach. Jermaine is a multifaceted sportsman and serviceman known for his remarkable achievements in various fields. As a World Elk Calling Champion, he has demonstrated his exceptional skills in wildlife calls, earning widespread recognition in the hunting community. Beyo...

Dan Gates  - Executive Director of  Coloradans For Responsible Wildlife Management  ( C. R. W. M. ) Host of  Though the Gates  podcast joins Bobby Marshall in studio for a powerful, co-released episode focused on the future of wildlife management in Colorado. A lifelong sportsman and passionate conservation advocate, Dan has dedicated his career to protecting Colorado’s wi...