The Full Tilt Podcast

Jim Ravannak looks back on a life shaped by wrestling—from leading USA Wrestling and helping preserve the sport’s Olympic place to building the Gator Wrestling Club and supporting athletes like Daniel Cormier. He shares stories from Olympic and international team trips, recalls the people and moments that stayed with him, and reflects on why creating opportunities for athletes matters as much as winning medals.Timed highlights: 00:00 – The call that set the effort to preserve Olympic wrestling in motion 01:50 – Building a wrestling family and recognizing Daniel Cormier’s talent 11:04 – Growing Superior Energy while taking on wrestling leadership 14:20 – Why coaching and creating opportunities for young athletes mattered 18:14 – Early team-leader experiences and traveling during uncertain times 23:07 – What a team leader does to support athletes and coaches 26:03 – The campaign to keep wrestling in the Olympic Games 32:44 – The Gator Wrestling Club’s athletes, legacy, and eventual transition 37:16 – Opening training camps to help build the strongest possible team 42:00 – A memorable trip to Iran and the connections made through wrestling 48:33 – Olympic memories and a friendship with Bruce Baumgartner 51:06 – Ravannak’s bond with Daniel Cormier and stories from their years together 57:51 – Giving back and helping athletes find a clear path forwardIf you enjoy this episode, hit subscribe, drop a comment with your favorite story, and tell us which wrestling legend you want to hear from next!www.thefulltiltpodcast.comItsYourShow.co

Newly elected Iowa Wrestling Hall of Famer Matt McDonough joins Full Tilt at Mission Athletics in Cedar Rapids for a wide-ranging conversation about the people and experiences that shaped his career. Matt looks back on growing up around wrestling, learning from coaches and training partners who pushed him, winning two NCAA titles, and facing the setbacks of his senior season. He also reflects on Anthony Robles, the lessons he’s carried into coaching, and how Mission Athletics came together.Timed highlights: 00:30 Matt reacts to being inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame 02:22 The mindset behind his success—and why he never thought of himself as an especially talented wrestler 03:16 His father’s influence and the family’s wrestling history 05:07 How young wrestlers learn techniques from social media 07:04 Matt’s early years in wrestling and finding his “wrestling bug” 10:37 The impact of coach Pablo Bassa 15:29 Seeking out training partners and challenges who push you 17:00 The Mark Ironside practice that changed how Matt viewed tough training 20:46 Moving to 125 pounds and learning not to cut weight just for the sake of it 23:43 Winning his first NCAA title after an early-season loss 26:54 Wrestling Anthony Robles and the story behind their famous championship match 35:16 Recovering from the Robles loss and returning to win another national title 43:47 Matt’s injury, weight-cutting challenges, and tough senior season 50:19 How Matt became involved with Mission Athletics 54:52 A look inside Mission Athletics and its training and recovery facilitiesIf you enjoy this episode, hit subscribe, drop a comment with your favorite story, and tell us which wrestling legend you want to hear from next!www.thefulltiltpodcast.comItsYourShow.co

At the Fargo wrestling tournament, host Hatch talks with wrestling legend Bruce Baumgartner about his path from an unheralded high school wrestler to an NCAA champion and one of America’s most decorated wrestlers. Baumgartner reflects on Olympic and world-level competition, the training habits that kept him improving, memorable matches overseas, and carrying the U.S. flag at the 1996 Olympics. He also shares how USA Wrestling can support athletes and help the sport grow.Timestamps:00:00–05:00 — Fargo, Baumgartner’s New Jersey upbringing, and how he got started in wrestling.05:00–10:00 — His development in college, NCAA finishes, and early international experience.10:00–14:00 — A long career built “one year at a time,” with steady, incremental training goals.14:00–19:00 — Conditioning routines, including AirDyne workouts, hill sprints, and learning to perform when tired.19:00–27:00 — International competition and adapting his technique to wrestle larger opponents.27:00–32:00 — The 1984 Olympics, the boycott, and the demanding Tbilisi tournament.32:00–35:00 — Baumgartner’s experience carrying the U.S. flag at the 1996 Olympics.35:00–39:00 — His 1992 Olympic gold, best performances, and toughest opponents.39:00–42:00 — USA Wrestling’s goals, supporting athletes, and growing participation in the sport.If you enjoy this episode, hit subscribe, drop a comment with your favorite story, and tell us which wrestling legend you want to hear from next!www.thefulltiltpodcast.comItsYourShow.co

Cadet World Champion and Virginia Tech Hokie Bo Bassett breaks down the “nothing changes” mindset that powers his legendary work ethic, comeback wins, and faith-driven life.Bo shares how a heartbreaking loss at age seven changed everything, why burnout is a myth if you truly love wrestling, and how 5 a.m. “mental warfare” workouts, family, and faith shaped his path from Young Guns to world titles and Virginia Tech.Great listen for wrestlers, parents, coaches, and anyone obsessed with elite mindset and purpose-driven success.Timed Highlights:0:00 Nothing changes: Bo’s core mindset for being up or down in a match 3:00 Building a platform: faith, family, and using influence to glorify God 6:30 Wrestling campers for hours and trying to create life-changing moments for kids 10:00 Young Guns origin story, the Stripmatter brothers, and a room that raises everyone 13:30 Role models becoming peers: Spencer Lee, James Green, and full-circle opportunities 17:00 5 a.m. workouts, “mental warfare,” and the Iran reminder at 4:55 a.m. 21:00 Early years: pre-school workouts, sleep, and confidence from consistent extra work 24:30 The seven-year-old heartbreak: missing Pennsylvania states and going “all in” 28:00 Burnout myths, loving the sport, and why passion beats predictions 31:30 World and national stages: U17 world title in Budapest and chasing more gold 35:00 Learning from losses: changing diet, attacks, and adding new layers to his game 38:00 Falling in love with freestyle, learning Greco, and training with overseas-level guys 41:00 Choosing Virginia Tech, the Hokie room, and being part of a young, hungry roster 44:00 Backyard grind: monkey bars, sleds, and the crazy workouts that built his toughnessIf you enjoy this episode, hit subscribe, drop a comment with your favorite story, and tell us which wrestling legend you want to hear from next!www.thefulltiltpodcast.comItsYourShow.coSponsor: Syntag Body Wash (faith-based charity supporter)Edited by: https://redrumcreative.com/

Joe Russell, Manager of Freestyle Programs at USA Wrestling, sits down with Hatch for an honest, funny, and powerful conversation about surviving a catastrophic motorcycle accident, relearning how to walk, and eventually coaching world and Olympic champions. Joe shares wild rehab stories, life lessons from Jay Robinson and Dan Gable’s coaching trees, what separates elite college wrestlers from world-level medalists, and how USA Wrestling is quietly using data and AI to stay ahead of the world.Timed Highlights: 0:00 Intro ad – Hatch, Custom Community, and Full Tilt Podcast setup 0:40 Meet Joe Russell – “I just do what Bill Zadick and J’den Cox tell me” 3:05 Growing up on the mat in Oregon and early ties to the Zadick family 7:10 USA Oregon Club: 3–4 hour practices, six days a week, year-round 10:25 High school “magical year”: junior nationals, age-group worlds, senior-level success as a teen 14:20 Pavel Katsen, Greco influence, and “real men wrestle Greco” 18:05 The 1985 motorcycle accident that nearly killed him 22:10 Brain surgery, “you’ll never walk or talk again,” and proving doctors wrong 25:35 Waking up hungry, refusing to “forget how to swallow,” and sneaking in a Big Mac 29:15 Brutal rehab: kids’ wheelchair with a flat tire and learning everything from scratch 33:10 First trip out in public – staples in his head, people staring, and a lesson in empathy 37:45 Redshirting high school, getting beat by guys he used to dominate 41:00 Why Minnesota and Jay Robinson still believed in him 44:20 Being the worst guy on the team… and getting voted captain anyway 48:15 The real J Rob: Vietnam, world teams, secret generosity, and his camp legacy 53:10 Classic Minnesota–Iowa stories: Shelton Benjamin’s pin and Carver-Hawkeye atmospheres 57:30 2001 NCAA title run: 10 All-Americans, 0 champs, and winning in Carver 1:01:40 Leaving Minnesota to rebuild George Mason and life at a have-not D1 program 1:06:10 Getting the call from Bill Zadick and jumping to USA Wrestling 1:09:00 2017 Worlds: going from losing at George Mason to coaching a world team title 1:12:00 What really separates college All-Americans from world and Olympic medalists 1:15:05 Film study, tendencies, and how AI is starting to creep into wrestling game plans 1:19:00 Multiple trips to Russia: Dagestan, Ossetia, Yakutsk, and insane wrestling environments 1:23:20 Yakutsk story: diamond mines, permafrost, and haircut from an Olympic champ’s son 1:27:00 Why Joe calls the accident “more blessing than curse” and what it taught him as a coachIf you enjoy this episode, hit subscribe, drop a comment with your favorite story, and tell us which wrestling legend you want to hear from next!www.thefulltiltpodcast.comItsYourShow.co