Beyond the Mats

In this episode we are joined by Sophia Foyer, a 19 y/o blue belt competitor who’s been training for the last 6 years. She is also the host of Combat Talk Podcast, originally starting as a radio show in her highschool video class, now her very own podcast! Sophia shares how she got into the martial arts scene, more about her mindset and what drives her, she emphasizes the importance of independenc...

Dylan Ruane, a rising professional MMA fighter from Colorado Springs, discusses his journey from wrestling to MMA. He emphasizes the importance of mindset, community, and cross-training in his success. Dylan also highlights the transformative power of MMA, describing it as a form of therapy for those who feel out of place in society. Discipline, not motivation, drives success in MMA. Showing up co...

Hurricane Hope Chase, a professional MMA fighter from Pittsburgh, discusses her journey from sport karate to MMA. She credits her upbringing, including training with her sister and being inspired by Gina Carano and Chris Cyborg, for her success. Hope emphasizes the importance of giving 100% in every fight, regardless of the opponent. Off of the Mats, Hope is a writer, owning her own publishing com...

Cody Rogelstead, a 10th Planet Omaha affiliate training out of Backwoods Combat Collective Cody has been training in judo and low-level wrestling to improve his stand-up game, shifting from a guard-pulling strategy to a more balanced approach. He emphasize the importance of mental preparation and live training (CLA training) for competition, as it simulates the intensity and unpredictability of a...

Anthony McCormick fights this Friday night! June 19th LFA 235 at Freedom Hall, in Louisville Kentucky, tune in! Anthony McCormick, an undefeated professional MMA fighter from Louisville, Kentucky, discusses his journey into martial arts. He started with jujitsu, competing in tournaments for a year and a half before transitioning to striking and training at Triumph Combat. Anthony shares his experi...

Brett Moyer, a repeat guest on the podcast, reflects on his experience in the PGF season 9, describing it as a fulfilling and demanding experience. He highlights the significance of the competition and the media attention. Brett discusses his lifestyle in Las Vegas, emphasizing his dedication to the sport and the sacrifices made during his career. He highlights the importance of taking breaks to p...

In the last week of her camp, Rachel talks about emotions leading up to a fight, whether it be jiujitsu, mma, or bareknuckle, the nerves don’t change. Don’t forget to check out her Pro bareknuckle boxing debut this saturday, May 30th! Check out her instagram @rachel_unbreakable_beauchamp for more info Follow us on spotify and leave a review, if you or someone you know is interested in doing our ne...

Max Stary, a 19-year-old MMA fighter from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, discusses his journey from karate to MMA. He started training martial arts at 8, transitioning to jujitsu and wrestling at 10, and eventually focusing on MMA at 14. Despite initial struggles, including a challenging wrestling season, Max’s dedication and family support propelled him forward, leading to a successful career in MMA thus...

This week, Rachel focused on improving her cardio with bike sprints and sparring rounds, receiving feedback from her coach. She feels mentally ready for the fight, experiencing a mix of high and low emotions as the fight approaches. One more week before her fight May 30th!

Eben Petrides is a 19 year old martial artist from Hillsborough , North Carolina, where he trains at the Fighting Society. He trains jiujitsu, judo and wrestling along side coaching kids soccer and going to school to become an EMT. He emphasizes the importance of learning to lose and bounce back from setbacks, a lesson he learned early through various sports and later through wrestling. Eben highl...

Kenneth Cade Risen, a 19-year-old MMA fighter from Colorado Springs, started training in martial arts at 17, initially focusing on grappling before transitioning to MMA. He credits his brother, Dylan, for motivating him to train at Team Underground and Genesis Training Academy. Kenneth aims to become champion in Muay Thai, with plans to compete in Thailand. Mindset is crucial in Muay Thai, as it d...

Rachel is in week five of her fight camp, feeling more confident and prepared than the previous week. Her coach increased the intensity of her training after she expressed a need for more challenging workouts. Rachel is focused on maintaining her cardio and speed for the upcoming fight. Follow for more! IG - @Beyondthematspodcast

Matt Wahlstrom, a 45-year-old black belt under Tom DeBlass and founder of Epic Roll BJJ, shares his journey in Jiu-Jitsu and how he made it this far. He discovered BJJ through the UFC, despite initial struggles, he became passionate about the sport. Matt’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to start Epic Roll BJJ in 2018, which has since grown into a successful brand with a global presence. In this ep...

Rachel Beauchamp reflects on week four of her bare-knuckle boxing fight camp, highlighting a successful sparring session with her coach and positive progress in her training. She emphasizes the importance of controlled sparring and discusses her approach to rest and recovery, including the use of a massage gun. Looking ahead to week five, Rachel anticipates increased cardio training and a focus on...

Xavier Bermudez, a 22-year-old MMA fighter from South Carolina, shares his story with Beyond the Mats this week! He discovered MMA in Oklahoma after moving from New Jersey, where he grew up in foster care. Xavier believes his diverse upbringing and past struggles give him a mental edge in fights, allowing him to push through fatigue and adversity. Xavier shares his journey into MMA, starting with...

In week 3 of Rachel Beauchamp’s Pro bareknuckle boxing camp, she struggles with balancing rest with training. Having a scare on Wednesday, she looks to lock in some well deserved rest time. Rachel Beauchamp discusses her training camp progress, highlighting improvements in hand conditioning and the effectiveness of Zombie Sport Co balm for healing minor injuries. She acknowledges the need to refin...

Amateur MMA fighter and Jiujitsu blue belt out of Cies MMA in Colorado Springs, Olivia Romero, joins Beyond the Mats for episode 24! Olivia discovered martial arts in 2022 first by training kickboxing just for fitness, but a break in changed everything for her. After this moment she found Cies MMA, originally having no intention of ever stepping inside the cage. Now, at the age of 36, she has comp...

In week 2 of Camp Check In for Rachel Beauchamp’s pro bareknuckle debut, she faces one of the most difficult decisions in a fight camp, especially so early into it. From recovery to training, Rachel shares with us her 2nd week of camp. Every Tuesday be on the lookout for Camp Check In to stay up to date with Rachel’s camp, all the way til fight night! Don’t forget to follow and leave a review on S...

In this episode of Beyond the Mats, I was honored to speak with Shawn Melanson, owner of Precision Jiujitsu and competitor for the Philly Phenoms. Also known for his Instagram content, you may know him as “Dr. Shawn”. Shawn breaks down how he found Brazilian Jiujitsu at 19 while chasing an MMA career, and how that path eventually led him to go all in on nogi. We talk about his experience competing...

Camp Check In is where we have a quick conversation with fighters who are actively going through fight camp. We have a conversation with them every week leading up to their fight! The first fighter we’re going to be doing this with is Rachel Beauchamp! Rachel has her first ever Pro Bareknuckle Boxing match coming up 7 weeks from when we did this short interview and we’re going to be following her...

In Episode 22 of Beyond the Mats, we sit down with Israel Wilkes out of Boone, North Carolina, a 23 year old purple belt bringing a completely different kind of movement to jiujitsu. Before stepping onto the mats, Israel’s background was anything but traditional. From ultimate frisbee to parkour, he built a foundation around balance, coordination, and body control skills that now show up in his gr...

Episode 21 of Beyond the Mats features Jared Haymon, the founder of Pit Boss Grappling, one of the most unique and intense formats in the game right now. We dive into how Pit Boss Grappling was created, from the original idea to building a combat environment unlike anything else. Jared breaks down the signature elements that make it stand out: fighters competing in suits, the high-pressure pit wal...

In Episode 20 of Beyond the Mats, Mel Trueblood shares one of the most intense journeys we’ve had on the show. After a life-changing moment in 2023, Mel found MMA as a way to channel his anger into something positive—and never looked back. He opens up about getting shot, fighting with a bullet still in his hip, and the mindset it took to step into the cage under those circumstances. From surgery a...

In Episode 19 of Beyond the Mats, I sit down with Brett Moyer of the Colorado Wolverines to talk about his journey through Jiu-Jitsu and what it’s like competing in the fast paced format of the Professional Grappling Federation (PGF). Brett breaks down the unique PGF team format, what Week 1 of the season was like, and how the Colorado Wolverines, one of the newest teams in the league, drafted him...

Raised in a family of fighters, Tyson was truly born into the fight. He shares what it was like growing up around combat sports, how that environment shaped his mindset, and why he ultimately chose boxing as his path. We dive into the mentality it takes to pursue greatness and the family culture that makes Warrior Built special. This episode is about discipline, pressure, belief and building somet...