In episode 40 I got to talk to YouTuber and content creator Angel David Castro. He runs the YouTube channel El Pugilato, a Spanish-language platform for fight fans. We talk about his Puerto Rican Heritage, the Mexican vs Puerto Rican boxing rivalry, the current state of boxing, and much more. You can catch him on all social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as @elpugilato. His website is www.elpugilato.com
In episode 39 I got to interview ASF, Antonio San Francisco, El Dulce Niño Hispano, The Sweet Hispanic Boy. This is the first in a series of interviews for Latino Heritage Month. ASF wrestles out of Laredo, TX and we talk about how he got into wrestling, being a smaller guy in the locker room, his goals and upcoming shows, and much more. It's also National Lucha Libre Day, which is observed in Mexico, so the interview is a celebration for that as well. He's booked for Game Changer Wrestling's event in NYC on September 24th. You can follow ASF on Twitter @theasf_27, Instagram @theasf_27, and Facebook. You can pick up his merch at Pro Wrestling Tees, too: https://www.prowrestlingtees.com/asf
In episode 38 I have a conversation with Christopher Maverick, a cultural theorist and good friend of mine. Mav is also a former independent professional wrestler. We talk about his early interest and ability in reading, his indy wrestling experiences, The Fast and the Furious franchise, teaching writing, and his creative endeavors. Mav is online as @ChrisMaverick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. He hosts The VoxPopcast, which is on all your favorite podcast apps. Follow @VoxPopcast on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. And he's also the co-host of Oh Gosh, Oh Golly, Oh Wow, a podcast about the Marvel comic Excalibur.
In episode 37, I point out my favorite parts of AEW's All Out PPV and interview Nate Jolly, a bodybuilder and former pro wrestler. This is round 2 with Nate and we briefly talk about his wrestling background before moving on to his goals as a competitive bodybuilder. He tells us about his motivations for competing, inspiring others, and how his body feels in different stages of preparation. You can follow him on Instagram and Facebook
In episode 36 I recap a little UFC and the Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley boxing event before interviewing writer Danika Stegeman Lemay. She's a poet and the author of Pilot, a poetry collection inspired by the television show Lost. We talk about how she got into writing, erasure poems, her favorite Lost character, and how she used a computer program in the creative process. Danika reads the poems "Outlaws" and "MACHINE Walkbout" from her book. Her website is danikastegemanlemay.com. She's on Twitter, @danikaslemay, and Instagram, @danikaslemay, too. Pilot can be bought at Spork Press.
In episode 35, I recap CM Punk's return to wrestling and I interview Luis "Spartan" Ramirez, a pro wrestler and head coach of Five Star Wrestling Academy in Laredo, Texas. This is Round 2 with Luis, as he was on episode 1 of the show. This time we talk a little more about being a wrestling coach and the methods he uses to train his students. Spartan's Instagram: instagram.com/luisrmz0 Spartan's Twitter: twitter.com/spartanrmz Five Star Wrestling Academy website: fivestarwrestlingacademy.com Instagram: instagram.com/fivestarlaredo Facebook: facebook.com/earnyourstars Twitter: twitter.com/earnyourstars Youtube: youtube.com/user/5SWEarnYourStars Email: earnyourstars@gmail.com
In episode 34, I interview Christian Schmidt, a ring announcer for boxing, MMA, and professional wrestling. We talk about how he got started in announcing, how he preps for a gig, and the differences between announcing for each combat sporting event. I wrap up our conversation by asking Christian what he thinks about the current boxing landscape and a few boxers, past and present. You can follow him on Facebook.
In episode 33, I quickly recap UFC 265 and interview TJ Koracin, a professional wrestling cameraman. This is Round 2 with TJ, as he was on episode 12. We talk about how he got the Tom Puppet moniker, the current WWE editing style, wrestling deaths, and wrestling tv shows. The matches he records for LLE, Lucha Libre Entertainment, as well as other promotions, are all on his YouTube channel, youtube.com/tompuppet. You can get updates on Instagram @tompuppet and on Twitter @tom_puppet.
In episode 32, I interview V. Joshua Adams, a poet, critic, and translator. He calls in from Louisville, Kentucky and tells us about how he got into writing. Joshua reads us "Circles," a poem that appeared in Posit. Then, we talk about the cultural positioning of Playboy, his interest in vintage cars, and we finish up with some boxing memories. You can buy his chapbook, Cold Affections, from Plan B Press. He posts on Twitter @vjoshuaadams and has a website, vjoshuaadams.com.
In episode 31, I interview Lauryn Lueken, an armored combat athlete. She fights for the Dallas Mythics and trains at Warlord Combat Academy. Lauryn and I talk about how she first got into armored combat and steel fighting, what it’s like being a woman in a male-dominated sport, her recent injuries, and her goals to represent the USA at the international level, which were stifled by the pandemic. We finish up talking about her dogs and reading and writing interests. She is on Instagram @lovely_lauryn. On Facebook, you can follow the Dallas Mythics, as well as Warlord Combat Academy.
In episode 30, I interview Jenny Valentish, an English writer calling in from Australia. She's the author of several articles in places like The Guardian and Rolling Stone, and the author of three books. Most recently, she wrote Everything Harder Than Everyone Else: Why Some of Us Push Our Bodies to Extremes. We talk about her start as a journalist and the ethics of immersion journalism. When we discuss the content of her book, we cover performance enhancing drugs, porn, bdsm, and deathmatch-style professional wrestling. We wrap up talking about her amateur muay thai bout. You can follow Jenny on Twitter @JennyValentish and Instagram @JennyValentish_public. She provides writing coach services at www.valentish.net
In episode 29 of Writers and Fighters, I recap UFC 264 and interview Jose Hernandez Diaz, a writer, poet, and author of The Fire Eater. We talk about how he got into writing and why he chose to focus on prose poetry for The Fire Eater. He reads a couple of poems for us and we finish up with some fight talk. Follow him on Twitter @JoseHernandezDz and Instagram @jose_hdz_dz. Pick up a copy of the book here: https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781680032086/the-fire-eater/
In episode 28 of Writers and Fighters, I interview Raphael "Trouble" Igbokwe, a professional boxer with a 16 - 2 record. He boxes at middleweight and tells us how he got started. He was born in and fights out of Houston and tells us the importance of H-town in his life. Trouble explains what it was like moving to Nigeria during his adolescence and how different the culture is from the USA. It was a great one, so follow him on Twitter at @troubleralpho and Instagram, also @troubleralpho. Enjoy!
In episode 27, I interview Nadia "La Conchita" Morales, an amateur boxer out of California. We talk about her nickname being based off a Mexican pastry, as well as the importance of Mexican heritage in her boxing training. Nadia tells us about her start in boxing, as a woman in a male-centric sport. We talk about how the pandemic derailed her pro boxing debut and her hopes for the future. She is on instagram @nadiaamorales_ and Twitter @Team_Conchis
In episode 26 and I recap Claressa Shields’ MMA debut along with the Anderson Silva vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. boxing match. Then I interview Colby Applegate, a writer and editor. He tells us about his education and interest in writing, working for WWE’s NXT brand in production and marketing, his overall interest in pop culture, collaborating with Thunder Rosa, and his latest projects. Just a few months ago he released Ring Post Journal #1: A 2020 Women’s Wrestling Year in Review. Colby is on Twitter @ColbyAppleG8, as is his media company @Meteora4Media.
In episode 25, I quickly recap Brandon Moreno’s win at UFC 263 and interview Rocio Franco, a poet from Chicago. We talk about a few of her poems in Acentos Review and Exposition Review. Rocio also tells us about surviving cancer, training in Brazilian jiu jitsu, and her upcoming readings. You can follow her and her writing on Instagram: @chio_la_chingona Reading on June 27: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/counterpult-a-roots-wounds-words-storyteller-showcase-june-2021-tickets-156268827269 Poems in Acentos Review: https://www.acentosreview.com/December2020/rocio-franco.html Poem in Exposition Review: http://expositionreview.com/issues/vol-vi-hunger/a-6-month-follow-up-visit-opens-my-mouth-in-anguish/ Brandon Moreno first Mexican UFC Champion post-fight interview from UFC 263: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM6ox5UGFC4
In episode 24 I interview Mickey Guida, an armored combat athlete, while he was on the road training and competing. We talk about how he got started, how the sport is organized, and the connection to other martial arts. We even talk about traveling in his camper bus and motorcycle, and wrap it up with a dialogue about psychedelic medicine. Mickey is on Instagram @mick.the.merc. You can also follow Nashville Armored Combat @nashville.armored.combat and follow them on Facebook. If you want to get involved in the sport, follow Armored Combat Sports on Facebook and they’ll help you link up with a local chapter.
In episode 23 of Writers and Fighters, I interview former pro boxer and current coach, David Mario Ramos. He owns and operates State Street Boxing Gym in Salt Lake City, Utah. We talk about his early training, transitioning into competition, why he started his gym, and the importance of boxing for inner city youth. You can follow the gym on Facebook and on their website.
In episode 22 of Writers and Fighters, I interview Scarlett Harris, a writer and culture critic from Australia. Her articles have appeared in The Guardian, The New York Times, Playboy, VICE and several others. Her book, A Diva Was a Female Version of a Wrestler: An Abbreviated Herstory of World Wrestling Entertainment, was released In March 2021. We discuss her initial interest in wrestling, watching wrestling critically, and her future project, compiling and editing a book of essays about the work of television producer Jenji Kohan. Learn more about her and her work at her website scarlettwoman.com.au or on Twitter @ScarlettEharris.
In episode 21 of Writers and Fighters, I interview Lemus Dos, an independent pro wrestler. We talk about how he started training in lucha libre and his family’s involvment. Lemus II tells some stories and memories from his many years in the business. He explains how he became known as “The Menace from East L.A.” and his love for Mexican and Chicano culture. We wrap up with his Canadian whiskey recommendations. You can find him on Instagram @lemus_dos and Twitter @LemusDos.