The Drewsperience

John Politis is an entrepreneur & investor in the fitness industry who comes on to discuss how the fitness industry has been affected since March 2020. John discusses the importance of money management as the pandemic highlighted how gym owners are one crisis away from insolvency finding strategies to keep afloat with good streams of income & investments. John details how in a post-pandemi...

Danbury Hat Tricks hockey forward Nikita Kovalev made his return while Jonathan Ferri made his podcast debut talking hockey. The boys discuss the most memorable hockey memories in DEK & ice hockey to fave players and the importance of community in sports & life. To connect with Nikita & Jon:  Nikita Kovalev: IG NKOVI17, Twitter: kovithekid Jonathan Ferri: Ferribaws IG, Ferribawss Twitt...

Jim Lawson is the head writer of Jiujitsu Mag, Brazilian Jiujitsu's largest magazine covering the fastest growing martial art. Jim discusses how he found BJJ in a fun-filled conversation including MMA, technology & other sports. To connect with Jim:  IG: Jiujitsumag Youtube: Jiujitsumag Twitter: Jiujitsumag Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0NQiaeQf1aJo2JQHgyGqnz?si=4513755fc91545b2 Apple...

Jason Andrada returns to the Drewsperience to make a huge announcement as a martial artist & what it was like to be in Florida for UFC 261 cornering Women's Flyweight Champion Valentina "Bullet" Shevchenko before the first live crowd event in a year. Jason also discusses nutrition, philosophy making a great fighter, and how Andrada Muay Thai has grown since the first conversation. To connect w...

Denis Kang is a former middleweight mixed martial artist & pioneer of Canadian MMA. Denis discusses his martial arts journey finding MMA through BJJ & competing in promotions Pride FC, Dream & UFC. Denis highlights his most memorable moments & how he found his calling in coaching his post-fight career. To connect with Denis:  IG: thisisdeniskang Facebook: Denis Kang Spotify: https:...

Bob Buchanan is a Kyokushin Sensei & Champion of Ring Wars North America’s most prestigious open Kyokushin tournament. Bob came on to talk about his discovery of Kyokushin, competing in Shihan Rene Cruz’s Ring Wars becoming champion of the USA to discussing how he has managed his dojo during the pandemic. To connect with Bob:  IG: Senseibob Facebook: Bob Buchanan Spotify: https://open.spotify....

Nasar Kasab is a Kyokushin Karate blackbelt from Australia who came on to talk about his Kumite experiences. Nasar spoke about his latest tournaments, his love of competing & his future goals in Kyokushin, kickboxing & beyond. To connect with Nasar:  IG: Nasr_kasab Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0NQiaeQf1aJo2JQHgyGqnz?si=4513755fc91545b2 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/c...

Sensei Pat Pinto teaches Kyokushin Karate out of Melbourne, Australia. Pat's second appearance had him talk more about his basketball career before finding martial arts to the latest news on what he is doing with his ventures in Kyokushin Shuffle, Kumite Fit, Forever the Teacher. To connect with Pat:  IG: senseipatpinto, the_kyokushinshuffle, kumite_fit Facebook: Patrick Pinto Youtube: Kyokushin S...

Scott Heaney is the brains behind the largest Kyokushin online blog The Martial Way covering all aspects of Kyokushin. Scott discusses the current state of martial arts with plans of improving Kyokushin awareness by doing interviews as well as a weekly show called Real Talk with Shihan Terry Birkitt on all matters Kyokushin unfiltered. Scott details his 2021 goals for the blog as his shows have pi...

Shihan Hamid Asna-Ashari, black belt, 7th Dan, is head of Canada Kyokushin-Kan Organization & All Americas Chairman. He is also a member of the Honbu International Committee. Shihan Hamid covers how he discovered Kyokushin in Iran to build the art up from the ground up to traveling, living in Japan, meeting then Shihan Royama who would become Kancho Royama. He discusses a variety of subjects,...

Cameron Quinn is a Kyokushin Karate Shihan who's also the author of The Budo Karate of Mas Oyama. Cameron spoke about how he discovered Kyokushin, traveling to Japan, meeting Sosai Oyama, becoming his interpreter, seeing a young Andy Hug rise up on the world stage among other Kyokushin legends. Cameron discusses why Bunkai should be applied more and how martial arts is constantly evolving in the 2...

Sasha Tadayoni is an entrepreneur of Modern Warrior & Sempai in Kyokushin Karate under IKO Nakamura in British Columbia, Canada. Sasha spoke about discovering Kyokushin, why it is not only about competition but Kyokushin as a lifestyle being a better person in all areas of life. Sasha covers how a freak injury led him on a downward spiral before finding his “why” to persevere becoming a change...

Adam Caplan is the host of Unanimous Decision Podcast & a certified boxing coach while Wesley Jensen is a Kyokushin Karate sensei, dojo owner, one of the hosts of KRT. The gang discusses the differences between Dutch, Thai, K1, Kyokushin martial arts styles, how they’re applicable & who uses/used them best in martial arts. Adam, Drew & Wesley break down who their favorite strikers are...

Shihan Itzik is Shihan of IFK Israel’s Kyokushin. Itzik spoke about how he discovered Kyokushin having knowledge and background in other martial arts before settling on Kyokushin. Itzik covers why it is challenging to keep adults competing in Kyokushin due to Israel’s political situation where returning practitioners train for themselves and not competition and solutions to build and sustain Israe...

Rob Rivest is the coach in charge of the amateur development in Tristar MMA. Rob spoke about discovering martial arts through anime and how he moved from Ontario to Quebec finding Muay Thai becoming obsessed with martial arts in training and competing. Rob details his philosophy of coaching and why it is important to always be present in training. Rob breaks down which fighters got him into MMA an...

Cory Schafer is President of ISKA & Bellator MMA's Director of Regulatory Affairs. Cory spoke about him why to take martial arts and meeting Scott Coker the founder of Strikeforce MMA, current Promoter of Bellator MMA. Cory details the negotiating process for sanctioning combat sports events. Cory spoke about the plan to get kickboxing legalized and how ISKA is helping aim to raise the bar for...

The pride of Israel David Alverdian came on to talk about his boxing career. David spoke about how his parents met immigrating to Israel to provide a better life for themselves. David speaks about his most memorable tournaments in amateurs to how he became professional and what his current goals are to become champion as he builds his resume in his journey for greatness. To connect with David:  IG...

Ali Reza is a podcast host from Ali on the Street who talks about daily events in Canada he experiences Ali spoke about moving to Canada from Iran to going into mob stories about what he thinks of former mobsters giving stories to how there are too many social media platforms to people needing to get back to work as this pandemic has made many too sensitive with woke culture ruining sports. To con...

David "The Crow" Loiseau is Quebec's pioneer in mixed-martial-arts. David spoke about his come-up during the Wild West Days of mixed-martial-arts experiencing the explosion of the sport n 2005 with TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) fighting for the title in 2006 helping grow the sport North of the Amerian Border. David also spoke about how he parlayed his fighting career into entrepreneurship becoming a...

Jeremy Rubin is an entrepreneur who is also the general manager of Tristar MMA. Jeremy spoke about the work ethic that helped him in Judo to finding other projects in helping Montreal's special needs community to create inclusion for all sports & martial arts. Jeremy spoke about MMA history in Quebec highlighting his most memorable moments and how he used these opportunities to create memorabl...

Shihan Pierre Cataford is the branch chief of IKO Nakamura Canada who came on to detail how he discovered martial arts eventually landing on Kyokushin Karate which led to 47 years of practicing, 37 years of teaching. Pierre stressed the importance of being a good human through martial arts regardless of belt rank to experiencing how Quebec, Canada became a powerhouse in martial arts in kickboxing...

Nikita Kovalev is a junior professional hockey player who played for MHK Atlant Mytishchi in the MHL & currently the Danburry Jr. Hat Tricks in the NA3HL. Nikita spoke about learning hockey under his dad Russian superstar Alexei Kovalev growing up in Montreal, Quebec. Nikita spoke about his experience in martial arts training in kickboxing & Taekwondo to work on mobility. Nikita detailed w...

Angry Monkey MMA owner Justin Etheridge & decorated martial arts teacher Chris Shawbell from California came on to discuss how the AAMQ began during the pandemic & why martial arts are and should be deemed essential. Justin & Chris detailed what the AAMQ has done to date giving all martial arts schools regardless of discipline a voice to have them re-opened so owners can make a steady...

From representing “Smokin’” Joe Frazier during Boxing’s Heyday, meeting then Zuffa heads the Fretittas & Dana White helping build the UFC into the juggernaut it is, becoming director of Alliance MMA Fighter relations, to battling his biggest battle with colon cancer & starting his own promotion Burt Watson has seen it all. Burt dove into how he got into combat sports, detailing most memora...

Melanie Shernofsky is a personal trainer and part-owner of Orangetheory Fitness in NDG, Quebec. Melanie spoke about how she got into personal training, building her brand/craft. Melanie went into how she became a part-owner of Orangetheory with the goals of 2020 before the pandemic hit. Melanie went into how her gym and many others did everything in their power to make a clean and safe environment...