Mike Macchiavello | The Bader Show (Ep. 485)

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:02]Hey, welcome everybody back to another edition of the Bader Show. I'm your host Mark Bader and this is episode 485.

[00:00:10]Uh pumped as we move into Final X, which is in June 19th. Well, most of them are.

[00:00:16]Uh we're talking to one of our competitors at 92 kilos. It is Mike Mchavello. Mike, how the heck you doing, man?

[00:00:23]>> Great, man. Uh life's good. No complaints over here. Um, just finished training and a little PT stuff. Now back at the house and uh, yeah, catching up with you, man.

[00:00:33]>> Yeah. Excellent. Uh, man, three-time US Open champions, your second time back in Final X, so a little wrinkle this time.

[00:00:39]You're wrestling your good buddy, uh, Trent Hidley. So, that's going to be interesting. I want to get into that, but I we will get into that. I got a couple questions and I want to go talk about the US Open. A couple things first. First of all, and maybe it's because I see you now with the hair past, you wear a headgear and freestyle.

[00:00:54]Is it because of the hair? Or is it another reason why you wear head gear?

[00:00:58]>> 100% because of the hair. Uh I did the hair tie for a little bit and then there was like a lot of breaks in the action and then I freaking hair tie was coming out or people's fingers were getting caught in my hair and so I'm either going to keep using the headgear or I'm just going to shave my head. So those are my two options right now.

[00:01:19]>> Okay. But usually the the headgear is just a nice little way of managing the hair so it doesn't get in the way or cause a break in the action because I want to wrestle the match with a good pace and I don't want to take breaks. I don't want the other guy getting breaks. So it's, you know, keeps the momentum going, too.

[00:01:39]>> Okay, fair enough. I wanted to get that out of the way. Appreciate the answer.

[00:01:43]Um, US Open, you just won the US Open 92 kilos. And I watched your postmatch interview. One thing I thought was interesting is he said, "These young guys, man, they are so good and so hungry." And I don't know if you said I underestimated their how good they were and how hungry we were or if I just kind of read between the lines there, but tell me about And it is. You see it 61 kilos. You see it a lot of these like the young crap is really good. Your thoughts on them?

[00:02:11]>> Yeah. So, honestly, I felt like last year was gonna kind of be my year and uh I had won gold in France and then I got bronze in the ranking series in Croatia and then I went to the ranking series two weeks later and got bronze in the ranking series in Albania and I felt like I was wrestling really really well and I had a ton of momentum going to the opening. So, I just kind of thought like, all right, this is kind of my year. I feel like uh I show up and do my and and and perform my best. I I'll be the guy or at least I'll be in the mix at final acts and then I freaking lose in the semis in a one-1 match to 19-year-old young Aiden Sinclair from freaking Missouri. And I'm like, okay, uh that uh doesn't make sense to me. How did I end up here? Um, and honestly, I really genuinely I didn't know what to expect with him as an opponent. I genuinely thought I'd be kind of I'd be able to go out there and just kind of do whatever I want. Um, in that match, him being younger, me being a little bigger, a little older, a little bit more experienced, and I think I just kind of assumed that the match is just going to kind of go my way. And, you know, next thing you know, you're in a one-1 match, and you're like, "All right, how are we here?" you know, and and obviously he's a he's had a tremendous season, a tremendous year, and I honestly enjoy watching him wrestle. I think he's a good wrestler, you know, and so I think that that's kind of part of what what what I was kind of referring to when I was saying that in interview was just like these kids are good, man. Like, you can't overlook anybody. And I think one thing that I've been trying to work on is just kind of like kind of just I feel like having a good sense of humility allows you to stay confident, but stay confident in a way that's not superficial. It's like it's like I don't have to tear down an opponent or or bury them in my mind to feel confident. I can acknowledge that somebody's really really good in these areas or this is a really really good competitor and I can also still be very very confident in my ability to go out there and perform and get the result that I'm looking for. So, um, and that's kind of just kind of what I was saying.

[00:04:15]It's like, yeah, I mean, you know, I feel really good about my wrestling and what I what I can do when I perform my best, but also I I acknowledge and I'm well aware that like these kids are also really really good.

[00:04:25]>> Yeah. Another thing I I caught in that interview and it was a real quick you said it and there wasn't really a followup, but you said um you just like briefly kind of casually mentioned like I had to get deal with some internal stuff or you you said something like that. There was some internal stuff I had to get right or deal with or something like that. Do you remember that part of the interview and and what were you I do talking about?

[00:04:46]Uh, I think I was just kind of referring to generally just like emotions, you know, like uh I uh I feel like the the sports psychology side of the sport is like super super important. when he talks about how mental the sport is and how mental performance is and and and honestly that's kind of what I was referring to is just like dealing with the internal things and I feel like each individual athlete has their own things that they're dealing with internally that can either can contribute to a really strong performance or can honestly like kind of make it difficult for them to perform their best where they come out a little bit of tight they're a little bit tight they're a little bit nervous and >> and uh I think that's where the relationship ship building when it comes to coaching really has a ton of values because you really really get to know your athlete really really well on a personal level. And so it's easier for you to identify what could be the internal things that are kind of holding this athlete back. So you can kind of help them address them, grow through them, whatever it is, so that way they can perform their best or they can perform the way that you know they can, you know what I mean, and get the most out of them. And so but that's kind of what I was just referring to. And I feel like um for me specifically, it's just kind of like one, the humility piece. Not that I think I'm this some arrogant a-hole, you know what I mean? It's just like, >> no, look at me. I'm like, Mark, you know what I mean? It's it's more of just like when you're a competitor, you definitely have an ego. And I think kind of managing that and keeping it in check where it's like I'm not going into a match thinking against a young kid thinking like, "Oh yeah, I got this."

[00:06:23]It's like, no, I'm keeping my ego in check and and I know that's like, all right, these kids are really really good and if I'm not performing my best, like, yeah, I could lose the match. That's not making anything up. It's it's like, no, it's it's a real possibility and I need to I need to be humble enough to admit that without losing any confidence and and I need to use that to make sure that I'm focused and ready to go. And so another thing would just be kind of like like an internal thing like an example for me it's like um losing to a young kid. What does that mean? It's like oh maybe maybe he's on his way out. maybe he should think about retiring, you know, maybe it's and so I think like I think that's like an example of how that could hold somebody like me back or or and and it's different for each person, but as I'm old as I age and as I get a little bit older and I've been on the scene longer and you see these young kids perform well, it's like all this new era is coming in versus the next era out and it's like but none of that's true.

[00:07:19]Wrestling is wrestling at the end of the day. If your skills are there, you've been training, your discipline, you're in shape, it's like it doesn't matter how old you are, you'll be able to perform at a world class level. And I think making sure that I'm not in my worrying too much about what these external voices are saying where it's like, okay, well, obviously I know this kid is good. Obviously, I know I can win, but if I lose, are people going to be saying this is this is what that's going to look like? Is this just all this stuff that's just purely fabricated and doesn't really matter? just like train, pair, compete your best, and go out there and do what you know you can do and and then let the let the outcome take care of itself. But that's kind of more what I was referring to.

[00:07:59]>> Sure. And and you know, the internal things, the emotions we wrestle with or struggle with or just deal with, right?

[00:08:07]That's got to be I don't know, ratcheted up or on a different level in in this scenario coming up because he's your buddy, you're wrestling Trent, you've known him forever, right? I we'll get into maybe how those things are effective. I just want to like back up and like >> when did you meet Trent? When he was in high school? Was he coming up or like when you were in college? I want to hear about the start of your relationship as maybe just wrestling partners evolving into a friendship and you can kind of take it any way you want.

[00:08:29]>> Yeah. So honestly kind of crazy. So I mean obviously he went to NC State and so his brother Hayden was my roommate my senior year at college. So the year I won NCAA's um and Hayden made the finals and had the undefeated campaign all the way to the finals as a red shirt freshman. We were roommates and I had met Trent when he was a senior. He'd come on campus a few times and that's kind of when I first met him.

[00:08:54]Um I remember playing cornhole in the on right outside of the tally and tally has this like open space and it's me Hayden Trent. I don't know maybe we had some event going on. That's when I first met him. and he comes to campus and he's on the team and I graduate fresh off an NCA title, my first year part of the RTC and he's comes in his first year as a as NC State Wolfpack student athlete and that was um fall of 2018 um is when we really started to kind of grow and he was an 84 pounder. I just won 97 won 197 I was still wrestling 92 and 97 kilos and um and we just trained a lot man and um and and I feel like for me it being my alma mater and a place that I I care deeply about it's like I want to see the team do well. I want to see the guys do well >> of course >> and I and I'm a big relationships guy so it's like whether the whether a kid is a really good athlete or he may not crack the lineup. like, you know, I want to, you know, build friendships and make these connections and and help these guys in any way that I can. And and that's just kind of naturally how our relationship kind of started. It was just like, we're training partners and whatever you need, man, you let me know.

[00:10:06]And so, um, and then it was just me trying to help and and do whatever I could to just help him and see him have a ton of success. And, and that's just honestly been how our relationship has been from the very beginning. And obviously, he's graduated. He's had his own success now. He's his own guy now.

[00:10:24]He's mentoring and pouring into the next generation of athletes at NC State and he's doing his thing. But I mean, we still catch up, you know, once a month, you know, and like that's not like a plan thing. We just talk often, you know what I mean, on FaceTime and um and it's just like it's it's uh it's it might seem unique to people looking outside, but it's like if you're in the Wolfpack room, you know how close we are as a group. And and I think even then our relationship is just even a little bit beyond that just because we were both upper weights and we both wrestled so so often together.

[00:11:00]And you know in 2023 when I made Final X, I brought him as his as my training partner.

[00:11:07]So he was warming me up to get ready for my match with the Heat. And so he you know he he got to go to the credential center and kind of experience that and stuff like that. and um and and that's a guy I trust a lot, you know, and and I would like to say that, you know, he feels the same. So, we just our our relationship goes like way beyond the sport of wrestling, you know. So, >> awesome. Awesome. As far as the wrestling goes, I got to assume when you win an NCAA title, he comes on campus the next year, right? You're beating him like every time you wrestle likely, right? Like it's just >> Yeah.

[00:11:41]>> logic tells you that. And and over the years, can you maybe describe I'm guessing he he closed the gap, right? As you know, you're pretty good.

[00:11:48]>> Of course, I mean, he's >> Yeah, exactly. So, maybe describe when you like felt him like, okay, I used to smash when he could never take me down.

[00:11:56]Then he touched my legs and then he started taking me down and then or you know when did you feel like was it right away? Was it a year middle of his career college or more recently? And I don't know when exactly you guys stopped playing together.

[00:12:07]>> Comments first. I we come in moments.

[00:12:09]So, um, you know, it's like he he's always been the type of guy who, man, this kid just never gives up. He's got so much fight in him. You know what I mean? And that's part of what makes him him. And I think the the way he won his finals match was like it couldn't have been more Trent just because it's like that guy's a fighter. He'll be a fighter the rest of his life. You know what I mean?

[00:12:33]He he uh he he's uh he's the type of kid who uh doesn't matter how many times you knock him down be in your face, you know. And so um but yeah, it just a natural progression, you know, he just continue to develop and as he got better, it was just like that's awesome. Oh, that was good. That was great. Or oh man, all right. And then it's, you know, iron sharpening iron type deal. And you know, we're pushing each other and it was a it was a great training situation. Then you know you have Isaac Trumbull who came in and then you know even Timmy McCall who was there at the time who was in the mix and then you have Gu. And so we you know at that time we had a really really great upper weight training situation. So um even Malik McDonald who's on staff there now was you know like wrestling a bunch and so we just we've always kind of had a really good upper training situation there at NC State you know. So I'm super grateful for that. Obviously, I know Trent is and um but yeah, it was just all of us just kind of like just imagine all these guys just trying to take each other's heads off.

[00:13:33]>> I love it. Uh when was or if you remember the first time like when you remember like man we might I might end up wrestling him at the US Open and overseas like when when it came reality in your head like and not that that means bad blood that just means the reality is we might we might hit >> Yeah.

[00:13:53]Yeah. Um, well, it wasn't until I moved because he was always 86 kilos and I just, you know, just like I was naturally bigger, he was naturally lighter, so I never ever really crossed my mind to be honest. Um, and then when I moved to Lehi, we were catching up, one of our normal catchups, and uh, he was like, "Oh, by the way, I want to give you a heads up of whatever. I think we go up to 92 kilos." And so he just kind of I was like, "Oh, man. Whatever you feel like you need to do, whatever you think is best for you, that's awesome." You know what I mean? like and and then we were joking around like, "All right, see you at Final X."

[00:14:26]And we were we were saying that, you know, last year, you know, joking around. And uh obviously I didn't end up uh making it to Final X last year, but here we are another year later. We're we're both in Final X. And so I don't know if it's like too much of a surprise. It's something that we've joked around about, but you never really know how things came out.

[00:14:48]And so, you know, fast forward to here we are. But it definitely like last year the idea of having to compete against him was definitely a little strange. Um because I'm like man this is a guy I poured so much into and you know mentored a ton and it's like if I lose to him what does that mean?

[00:15:08]Does it mean I should you know move on to the next thing? Does that mean I'm on the edge of it? And so I I feel like that's just like a human thing man. Like one thing that I've learned as I've continued to compete at this level um just a little bit longer, just a little bit longer. I think I just kind of gained maturity and experience as a competitor and as a wrestler, but also just as a person, you know, and I'm just like it doesn't necessarily mean anything bad. It just means I'm human and I have feelings and emotions just like everybody else. And I think >> every situation, every circumstance produces different feelings and emotions and this one's definitely unique and I think I experienced some of that last year and you know this year I feel like I got a great hold on it and uh I kind of know I'm in a great space you know what I mean I'm in a great head's in a great space so this year I don't know if it feels awkward but last year if we would have wrestled at final X I think it would have been very awkward I think it would have been very strange I think it I think it would have affected me internally a little bit and um But, you know, funny enough, it's like because I could feel some of that creeping up on me last year. It was something that I was like, I need to figure this out.

[00:16:25]And so, I've just kind of been spending time kind of figuring that out and and I I've spent time thinking about this. Um, so this this isn't something that I I've just like all of a sudden, okay, I won the US Open, now I have to figure this out. It's like, no, I' I've been I've been uh I've been processing this for a while. So, um, and I and I'm and I'm excited. You know, like I said, it doesn't necessarily guarantee anything, but it definitely it definitely is crazy. You ever seen that movie Warrior?

[00:16:54]>> I'm familiar with it, but I can't I can't recall.

[00:16:56]>> It's like an MMA movie where two brothers have to fight each other.

[00:17:01]>> Okay.

[00:17:02]>> In an MMA fight. And I'm like I was watching someone like pulled up like uh Jordan was watching this movie like a couple months ago and I'm like, you know what? That's crazy. I feel like that's what it would feel like to like wrestle Trent. It's just like, you know, an older brother and a younger brother and and uh, you know, you're both grown, both really, really good. It's just like weird. It's like I I don't want to beat this guy.

[00:17:26]>> You know what I mean? It's like I want to see him go on and like continue to freaking win more and more world championships and, you know, you know, win the Olympics and and have an incredibly successful career, which he has. You know, and I think one of the hardest things about leaving NC State for me was one, my younger brother was on the team, and so I had to have a discussion with my younger brother, but then you have Isaac, you have Trent, and all these that that entire team was just a group of guys that I felt incredibly close with. But I felt I felt one of the things that I I felt like and made it hard for me to leave was I didn't want to let Trent down because he was going to his last year and he hadn't won NCA's yet. And uh you know I I just felt like I was like ah maybe I should stick around. And it was just kind of that internal battle, you know, where you really want to see somebody have success and care about them, but like you don't want to you don't want them to feel like you're leaving them out to dry. And honestly, he was so cool about it and he was super supportive about me getting whatever I needed. And um you know, he didn't go on to win an NCA title that year, but he made it to the finals. He had an awesome, really, really dominant campaign at 197. And then a year later, he's freaking world champ.

[00:18:32]>> Yeah. Want back up. You said uh I've been preparing for this. It would have been awkward last year. This year, you know, now I prepared and I'm I or something like that.

[00:18:42]>> Yeah.

[00:18:42]>> If it's not a what, if you can put it into words, right? Awkward is not the right one. Maybe that would have been last year. What emotions do you feel?

[00:18:48]And when you say I'm prepared for this, I'm I believe you mean emotionally to handle pressing my friend. How did you get there? What did you do? If that is a fair question.

[00:18:59]Um I think I just would I just been like um well one >> I think sports psych's super important.

[00:19:08]So I I met with sports psych four years in college and then on and off since postgraduation but no this is a topic that I brought up you know >> um where you know I go and compete against you know I brought this up like hey you know like interesting like I I can definitely feel that this is kind of >> create some some emotion I'm not quite sure what that means and so it's like I want to make sure I'm performing well things like that and this was last year right and so Um, but you know, just just general stuff like that and just kind of acknowledging like, okay, what? I definitely feel something. It's definitely I definitely there's something there. I'm not quite sure what I'm feeling, but I'm feeling something.

[00:19:48]This doesn't feel like a normal opponent. Normally, when I'm wrestling somebody, I don't really care about beating the brakes off of somebody or going out there and trying to like take the head off, you know what I mean? But like this one's like a guy I care a lot about. So, it's like that's weird. I don't know what that, you know what I And so just acknowledging that and kind of being honest and real about like um just kind of whatever emotions and feelings it generates. And so um that's been that's been cool because it's it's helping me learn a lot about myself also, but it's also teaching me as a competitor um how to deal with different internal circumstances and situations. And and one of the reasons why I still compete is because I'm like I don't feel like I've learned everything I could learn as an athlete quite yet. And I feel like the longer I compete, the more information and data I can collect to just be a better coach and help other guys at some point down the line deal with these unique circumstances and situations that could be affecting their performance. So for me, it's just been like it's been like a game. It's been like studying. It's been like trying to learn how to master the mind and how to master tech just like you're trying to master technique, stuff like that.

[00:21:00]>> Yeah, I love it. That's that's fantastic. Uh so you guys wrestled and Zagreb was it in February of this year?

[00:21:08]>> Yeah.

[00:21:09]>> Yeah. Right. And and I think the semi-finals at a ranking ranking series 33 he wins on criteria. what did you learn from that match? Or or it could be as far as wrestling him technically and tactically as an opponent or it could be wrestling him as my friend and managing emotions like you were just talking about.

[00:21:25]>> Yeah.

[00:21:27]>> Uh I learned that not that he doesn't care, but I learned that like we have so much respect for each other as friends, but he's going to do whatever he has to do to win.

[00:21:40]>> That's how I learned.

[00:21:41]>> Yeah.

[00:21:41]>> He's gonna do whatever he's got to do to win. and he's uh he's not gonna back down. He's gonna fight for a full six minutes every match. And if he's down, he's going to be he's going to bring more intensity and up the level a little bit. And uh he's not going to give up. He's going to be Trent, you know, and so not that that surprised me, but it just was like for he's he's good. He's also really good, right? It's like and they the other unique thing is like you know a lot of stuff that I learn or like nuance things like we share a bunch of stuff. So it's not like this isn't stuff that he thinks about or it's not stuff that he's not preparing for. You know what I mean? So it's like >> he he he knows how to prepare. He knows how to win and he knows how to bring his best and that's what I'm expecting. But I I learned that he's going to bring his best. It doesn't matter what our relationship is.

[00:22:36]And and I just watched that match yesterday or maybe even today again >> and I and I was for that reason not like who wins and what happens but like how do they handle each other or you know like what is that dynamic like right and >> I I picked up on maybe something like it's not that he didn't care it's that he seemed like able to shut everything off friend emotional wise and he the match ended and he was still whatever feeling the way he was feeling about the match and he like went and slapped her hand and it wasn't a dick move. It was just like I'm thinking about the match. Okay, good job. You know, and walked away. I was like, "Oh man, Trent's like still in in mode." And it's not like the six minutes went up and >> he turned it off and wanted to hug you.

[00:23:19]He there was no ill will, >> but Yeah. Of course. Yeah. It's not what you described.

[00:23:23]>> We were talking in the back like, >> you know, >> before. Yeah.

[00:23:27]>> Yeah. Yeah. you know, and like uh you know, we that was like the end of that round and we had a two hour, three hour break, go back to the hotel, come back for the metal rounds, and you know, we're talking and my back's messed up, his neck or shoulders messed up. We're both on the training table getting looked at by trainers just like, dude, my freaking body just we're just catching up, you know? So, it wasn't I think I think people kind of like saw that and were just like, man, what's he mad about? But like >> it's just being Trent, you know? It's not% there. personal just he's a competitor and you know he wants to win, he wants to dominate. I think it was just Trent being himself. I don't think that there was any thing that particularly set him off about me or anything that I did. Um the other thing that um that was interesting is he was already fired up going into the match because we were on we were in different pools. Our bracket was small. We were on opposite sides of the bracket. He went undefeated in his pool. I got second in my pool.

[00:24:30]So, they cross bracketed us.

[00:24:32]>> Yeah.

[00:24:32]>> And I think he was pissed that we even had to wrestle because he's like, "What the freak is going on now? I got another hard match and I just won my pool. This is ridiculous.

[00:24:43]Why is the tournament set up this?" And then I think the other aspect was he didn't just have another hard match.

[00:24:48]They put us on the boutboard right away.

[00:24:52]But after he got off the match, the round before he had like 15, 20 minutes to get ready for his match with me. And so he was pissed about that. And we're in the tunnel like, "You got five more minutes." He's like, "Let's just do it now."

[00:25:06]I was like, "No, I'm ready now." And I'm like standing right behind him in the tunnel and I'm laughing because I'm like, "That's Trent. That's my guy.

[00:25:16]>> He's he's >> just uh he he it was just it was just a lot of different things. So, I don't think it was a personal thing. I think it was just there was a lot of things that were just kind of like we definitely should have more of a break.

[00:25:28]I don't know if I agree with the cross bracketing where the second place in the pool wrestles first place in the other pool. It's like going to feed in your pool, you should just be sitting in the finals because that happened to me in in France in in in February. I won my pool.

[00:25:39]Then they cross bracketed me with Cardinus who lost in his pool and then I lost and the guy I beat is wrestling Cardinus in the finals and I'm like this doesn't make any sense.

[00:25:51]>> Sure.

[00:25:52]>> So, um I think it was had more to do with that.

[00:25:55]>> Yeah. And Trent is uh self admittedly a very emotional at least wrestler maybe just an emotional person and not in a bad way just like cares and a lot of emotion comes out of him.

[00:26:04]>> Yeah. I think he's just intense, you know, honestly. I I He comes with a lot of passion. Like I think honestly I wish more guys were like that because I think about like other sports in other countries like >> soccer in Argentina, you know, there I was in we were in Panensz in 23 and it's like um the cab driver basically was just saying like it's an illness for us. That's how much they love soccer. It's like we're infected with it, you know, and I feel like, >> you know, that's wrestling in Trent, you know, he he loves the game so much that there's just so much passion and intensity, and I think that's that's what people see. It's just raw, you know. It's very raw.

[00:26:42]>> Yeah. Um, another thing I don't know if it was this interview after the I just remember you you referenced Russ Zahed at Final X and then losing and then talking to him later and he laid out this giant game plan that he had for you and that maybe that opened your eyes like holy crap this is how he did. So maybe you know you you realized I guess the tactic he worked or the game plan that was involved because you guys are all at such high level and you Trent wrestled a thousand times and you don't have to give me the game plan obviously but is there like a game plan is there tactics or t you know are we just going to let it rip?

[00:27:20]Um, no. I I'll have like I mean obviously I just gonna let it rip, but like I mean he knows what I do.

[00:27:31]I'm not going to do anything new or anything that surprised him. I know what he does. He's not I mean he might you know and I might too you know I might surprise him you know like but like I think for the most part like we we have our tendencies and our patterns and the things that we kind of lean towards and I think that's every competitor and I think that's where watching film super important and you know having tactics for game plan but but it's a double-edged sword man. You can plan too much and then all of a sudden you're not wrestling your own way and all of a sudden you're you've just now taken yourself out of the match. So, um, what I don't want to do is take myself out of the match. I want to wrestle my match. I want to wrestle the way I want to wrestle and, um, I want to compete the way I want to compete and I'm going to make that the priority. So, >> sure. Have you guys talked since the US Open?

[00:28:20]>> Yeah, actually. Is it like logistics and wedding stuff or is it just >> uh we talking about this the matchup like >> between you two >> dates like what we want to do the date and then also just like location and then uh >> um how I need to send in my RSVP for the wedding. Just like normal life stuff, man. Yeah.

[00:28:45]>> Yeah.

[00:28:45]>> You know, and I'm on him and L on FaceTime just like um you know, we joke around about like we should just do it at the reception, you know, just like L just made a joke last time on Facebook like you guys got to keep up the bit, you know? Just like >> it was great, >> you know. But it's good, man. Honestly, it's like there's a quote that I I shared with him not too long ago and I've been sharing it with everybody like so many people. But Tim Tibo, I saw an Instagram reel uh that Tim Tibo was giving in like an on the street interview and uh he's like, "If you could leave one piece of advice to the next generation, what would it be?" And he gave hit him with this quote. And it was like the greatest tragedy in life is being successful at everything that doesn't matter.

[00:29:36]>> And I'm like interesting. And it's like I think often times we man we we pursue these lofty goals NCA titles, world titles, Olympic titles and things like that and they do matter. Not saying they don't matter, but you know, I think other stuff matters equally and if not sometimes more. You know, I think about like family or, you know, if I if I had to choose, all right, my mom or world championship, I'm picking my mom, you know, like >> and so I think that quote kind of makes me think of that. And so the way that I I've kind of been trying to approach things since I heard that it's been months now is just like I don't want to sacrifice one for the other. I want to make both important and I want to do well at both. I wanna I wanna I want to make sure that I'm prioritizing my relationships with my friends and my family. And I also want to make sure that I'm prioritizing my training and my prep so that way I can perform my absolute best and do these really really cool things that I think I'm capable of doing like winning a world title and making a world team, you know, and being a great coach or whatever it is. And so it's just like to me I feel like it just kind of keeps me a little grounded and not too lost in getting so caught up in just like it has to go this specific way or else >> it's the end of the world.

[00:30:47]>> Yeah.

[00:30:47]>> Because it it's not there's there's a lot more to life than just >> arresting that, you know. And don't get me wrong, it's still super important to me. like I don't like losing at all. But >> yeah, >> you know, I also understand that like there there's life has a lot to offer and this is just one of the awesome most amazing things that life offers us is the sport of wrestling.

[00:31:09]>> Well, like there's two come up. It's more important for Trent, right? But he's getting married and that then there's this big match which is crazy.

[00:31:15]Yeah. Two questions.

[00:31:17]>> Are you in the wedding or just just attending? And >> I'm not in the wedding. I'm just attending the wedding.

[00:31:22]>> But that's cool. And uh >> Yeah.

[00:31:25]Have you guys set a date for not for the wedding? The wedding's June 19th, Final X.

[00:31:30]>> Yeah. So, we're waiting to hear back from USA Wrestling. Um I think we have a meeting tomorrow maybe and so they're working on logistics and things like that and we've had a couple Zoom calls with them and >> um you know they've been you know planning things and we've been discussing where it's like car uh Carrie myself Jal Trent USA wrestling all in on a Zoom call and we just all been having discussions about the dates locations things like that trying to >> trying to coordinate and I think it's a little bit easier with it being Trent and I but if it was somebody else two different clubs two different whatever I think it's it's like, "Oh, we're not changing the date. We got to figure it out or whatever." And so, I think I think it's been pretty cooperative. It's just a matter of like finalizing things, logistics with event planning, things like that. And, you know, can we plan this event here on this date at this time? And so, it's just a matter of logistics now, I think.

[00:32:22]And so, uh, we'll see. We've talked about the week before the wedding, which would be, you know, the 12th, 13th around there, or um that's the tenative kind of date we've kind of been discussing, but we'll see. I think a lot of it just has to, a lot of it just depends on logistics.

[00:32:40]>> Is there like a time when you, you know, do you think it'll be set this week?

[00:32:44]Like they'll have it set and announced this week or if it's the 12th, you got to hope by next week at the latest, right?

[00:32:50]>> Yeah. Yeah. So, uh I would I would hope so. Um, but I'll know more. We have another Zoom meeting tomorrow where they'll update us on things and give us some answers. So, um, but as of right now, I I'll find out more tomorrow.

[00:33:04]>> Okay. When's the last time, aside from Zagreb, when's the last time you guys wrestled or trained together?

[00:33:12]>> Um, it was before as a grab. I think we had a camp in January where we wrestled a little bit.

[00:33:24]>> Um I think that was it. But it was like it wasn't live. We were just training, you know, like everybody's finding a partner. You know, one day I'm going with Snyder, next day I'm going with Trent.

[00:33:36]>> Yeah.

[00:33:37]>> Whoever. So it's just But uh yeah, it was at it was at national team camp in January.

[00:33:42]>> All right.

[00:33:43]He wins Worlds last year. describe where did you watch that finals match? Who were you with? You know, it was a crazy comeback like set set the stage and like help me understand where you were and what that experience was like for you watching your friend win a world title.

[00:33:59]>> Yeah. I was in the living room actually at this place downstairs.

[00:34:04]>> Hell yeah. I'm sitting on the couch watching on my phone and I had talked to him like very briefly um on FaceTime the week of um and uh my uncle actually had just recently been diagnosed with cancer at the time like couple months prior and I think he had just found out from somebody else text me hey just you want to let you know like sorry about uncle and you know thinking about you stuff like that. kind of said, "Oh, I appreciate it, man." And um and so, but then like, you know, at that point it was just like a couple months later and um we root for each other a lot by the way.

[00:34:42]Like when I wrestled that PWL match >> uh >> against Gaji Makabov, he was texting me like and I saw my phone. I was like he's like amped up and I was, you know, was like let's freaking go, you know? And so like, you know, we uh we definitely root for each other a ton. So I was rooting for him obviously and it was just kind of like you know showing him support and so we we talked that week and then I had texted him that morning I think I had said something like dude you're the best of the world there's not a single other guy out there that can hang with you you know or something like that and um because he was about to wrestle the guy that I had just wrestled uh two month two and a half months prior and I he knew that you know he knows how good he is and um and then I'm watching the match and it was like I couldn't believe what was happening at first. Uh just the way it was like the way the match was playing out. I was like, "All right, the four whatever I was like, yo." And then it happened again.

[00:35:42]Everything was happening so quickly and I was just like, "Dude." Then there was one exchange where it he got underneath and he almost got head pitched, but he kept the legs. And so if he didn't keep the legs, it would have ended up being a tech fall. They awarded him too and then it was but like in that moment I was like dude you got to be kidding me like no freaking way just like and then they gave him the two instead and then next thing you know you see this like comeback that's like mounting and all of a sudden just starts chipping away and uh it was emotional for me too man. I'm just like this feels just as good as winning you know. I'm like this is awesome you know. Yeah, >> it was it was definitely emotional for me just because it's like um you know you you want to see people that you're close to win >> and when they do and they have success it almost feels like you win too.

[00:36:43]>> Well, I'm sure >> and that's >> Yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead.

[00:36:47]>> I just gonna say yeah, it just feels like feels like we all win, you know?

[00:36:51]So, it just it was a cool moment. I was I was uh I was so happy for him, especially because I I personally know how hard he works and how much time and investment he's put into the sport. And you know, I do think he was good enough to be an NCA champ and you know, he didn't get it and it eluded him for a long time. And when he was when he was at world championships and and won that world championship, it was just like good for you, man. You deserve it, you know? So, >> yeah. And that had to feel sat a p a piece of that had to feel satisfying for you because you know you did pour all this energy and time into into helping him over the years. And whether or not you directly helped him win that day, but your support friendship, your support on the mat, you know, you guys are always tied together. So >> that's awesome. Uh and I think um it's going to be a weird thing. I'm excited for it. Whatever it is, um totally pumped to watch it happen. I got a couple more questions that are off this topic and these are just like new questions I like to ask. Well, some of them new summer won't just like general questions I want to ask you. Um, this one I'm interested because I think you do somehow, but I don't know how. Do you use art? Artificial intelligence is it's here. It's here to stay.

[00:38:06]We need to learn how to utilize it the best. Do you use AI? And if so, how?

[00:38:11]wrestling for fun, for logistics, for work, for you know, I don't know, for re research of anything, build me a playlist of music. I don't know. Do you do you anything? Do you use AI? And if so, how?

[00:38:25]>> Uh, yeah, I do. Uh, I do use AI. Uh, just for like everyday random things almost like Google, but also like I'll use it to kind of like um I don't use it as like a coach. I I I don't It's more of just like any factual information that I I feel like I want access to, I'll use AI and then I'll prompt it in certain ways to kind of like if there's something I'm curious about that I think could maybe move the needle in my training or something like that or any like research driven facts or articles or something like that that pertain to sports performance and sports psychology or even just human psych. ology, right?

[00:39:06]It's like, you know, just kind of understanding like human behavior, right? And trying to get actual information about that so I can just kind of understand human behavior a little bit more and um process emotions better so I'm I'm more aware of like what I need to be handling. And then also just like from a nutrition um side of things, right? Like obviously I talk with Nwani who's our nutritionist for USA wrestling and I work with Alex Lar Roelle who's our strength condition coordinator with USA wrestling. So I'll have meetings with them to come up with with plans for training. But you know if I'm at the grocery store and I'm really really like looking at like two options.

[00:39:47]I'm like, man, I really want this option, but let me make sure I'm like, and then I'll take a picture of like out of these options. And then I'll prompt to help me determine like, all right, what's a better option for my training or my goals, you know what I mean? Based off of >> what the ingredients are, you know, or something like that. So, >> but I I definitely use it. I think it's uh it's pretty interesting. It's not an end- all beall for me, but I think uh you could definitely use it as a sounding board. I don't I don't let it like kind of make decisions for me, but I'll use it and prompt it in a way that helps me have more information so I can make better decisions for what it is that I'm trying to do.

[00:40:24]>> I think yeah, I think that's a great way to use it. And I think and I encourage people to just just try to use it. If you don't at all, use it a little bit and ask it some get to know it because I think we all need to figure out how to utilize this most efficiently and effectively. It sounds It sounds like you're doing that and I I'm trying, you know, we're all >> We're all trying to hopefully. So, it's But it's >> How do you use it?

[00:40:46]>> Oh, man. I'm starting making thumbnails, you know what I mean? Uh >> Oh, yeah.

[00:40:51]>> My kids My cat's got a cough, you know?

[00:40:53]Okay. What's How do I or whatever, you know? I mean, all all kinds of stuff.

[00:40:57]Yeah. Um why can't I stay on Christian Piles? I'm kidding. I love Christian. No, he's the man. All those guys are great. Um but yeah, I use it for work. I use it for personal stuff. I use it for for uh you know family all you know it's it's I try to use it every day like this morning I woke up my ear hurt and I was like okay my ear hurts on the inside it's like this this whatever I went to a pool over the weekend oh it's probably that you know if it you're okay but by tomorrow it hasn't changed and it's just like you know walking you through it. It's like I okay doctors are good but for little things >> I don't need to go to a doctor to see my ear even though it kind of hurts and it's already better. You know what I'm saying?

[00:41:38]>> Yeah. I I I try to use it a lot. Uh, okay. Next one. I may have asked you this in the past, but >> if so, I'm going to ask you again.

[00:41:45]All-time favorite wrestler. Who's your all-time favorite wrestler? Mike one.

[00:41:48]>> My all-time favorite wrestler.

[00:41:52]>> Oh, man.

[00:41:55]I feel like I'm good friends with a lot of guys who are really good at wrestling. I don't want to pick one friend over the other. You know what I mean?

[00:42:02]>> You can go back as far as you want, right? It's, you know, it could be current or or >> dead. Doesn't matter.

[00:42:11]>> I mean, I love watching of wrestle. I mean, that dude is like, it's like watching an artist. Like, >> everything looks effortless.

[00:42:21]Everything's just very fluid.

[00:42:23]>> And I'm just like, I watch and I'm like, I wish that was my style.

[00:42:30]>> Don't we all?

[00:42:32]I'm like, man, wouldn't that be nice?

[00:42:35]Like, oh man. But he he's a beast, man. I really enjoy watching his wrestling and just kind of like you could tell that like >> I mean, he really understood the sport of wrestling like in a way that you could only understand wrestling through like years and years and years of experience and feel and >> you know, just beast.

[00:42:58]>> Yep.

[00:42:59]>> What about you?

[00:42:59]>> Okay. My favorite wrestler.

[00:43:02]Well, it's trick because he's a friend, but honestly, it was Ben Asin probably, you know, just just watching him through that era and like, you know, that that was awesome. And like being connected to Missouri and all that. So, >> I think I dropped my mic.

[00:43:14]>> I I will say uh if I had to pick another one, it would be it would be JB. Like, I watched him in high school and things like that. And then >> just being able to build a really good friendship with him over the years has been awesome. And and I tell him this all the time, but I was like, I got more respect for you because of how you are as a husband and a father than Dude, I watch him, you know, and how he treats his wife and how he raises his kids and I'm like, >> yeah, he's the man, >> you know, because I spent a lot of time with him and I'm just like that's one of the reasons why he's because one of my favorite wrestlers because he's he's obviously had a lot of success in wrestling, but he's also like know what we talked about. He cares about the other things that matter just as much if not more. So, and and he's who he is, man. He treats me as a member of the media as well as any wrestler's ever treated me. Just And you're nice, Mike. And everybody, you know, most people are nice, but he's like, >> everybody's coming after him and he just gives you me as much time as anybody else. You know what I mean? He's just like, >> we shot with him and done with for a full day and his wife like, "You want to come out to dinner with us?" I'm like, "Even when the kids go out, but thank you. I appreciate it. But we we spent all day. You guys don't need me. I know.

[00:44:24]I don't need to impose, right? Like, but that's just that very inviting and very Yeah.

[00:44:29]>> Yeah. 100%.

[00:44:31]>> Uh, one more. Uh, wins and whoopins. We may have done this in the past, but I don't know. But all all the matches you wrestled in your entire life from your first one to your most recent, think of one win that stands out as memorable. It can be a national title. It can be somebody on JV who always beat me or anywhere in between. Just one win that's memorable for any reason at all. And then one straight ass whooping. We've all had our butts whooped at least once.

[00:44:56]We don't want to talk about it, but I'm asking it just share a story.

[00:44:59]>> Does it have to be training or does it have to be >> If you got a training story you want to go with, that's fine. And you can do either one first.

[00:45:04]>> Think more like competition.

[00:45:06]>> That's kind of the idea of it, but it's, you know, whatever. There's no real rules here.

[00:45:10]>> Um, one of the most memorable wins I would say That's a tough one. Um because different wins mean something different to me just Yeah. over the year, you know. Um I feel like the easy easy answer would be NCA title, you know.

[00:45:34]>> And that's fair. Yeah, of course.

[00:45:36]>> But uh yeah, we'll just go with that.

[00:45:40]But I I think that one just means a lot just because it was like I guess my first taste of like, you know, kind of really having success at an elite level.

[00:45:50]And um and uh yeah, I think that one is the one of the most meaningful just because it was like I was a North Carolina native. You know, I started wrestling in 8th grade and I didn't wrestle year round. I only wrestled in season from November to February all four years of high school. And I went to flo nationals twice but then it wasn't like I was training year round and I was playing football for a travel soccer team and then got to college and I was tough like I was super athletic and strong but like I definitely needed a lot of skill development and just kind of like going from losing record non-starter all the way to that in five years was like just that journey I think kind of just showed me that it's like man you don't give up you can do some pretty cool stuff.

[00:46:31]>> Pretty remarkable. Um, another thing that popped into my head and this was I don't know when you're on the show in the last three years, five years ago or a couple and you're like, man, WWE offered me a thing and I had an opportunity, but I turned it down because it must have been before 24 I think cuz or maybe it was before 20.

[00:46:48]>> It was uh >> 23. Nope. Um, I got this Olympic dream and and I'm chasing it. Is that any, you know, and I hear you talking this just now about, it sounds like maybe moving forward and being a wrestling coach or something someday, but I don't know. Are you still open to to this pro wrestling WWE one day or are you more like, "No, this is wrestler and then and then coach or or whatever else you might do."

[00:47:12]>> Yeah. I mean, I'm I'm I'm the type of guy I'm open to whatever. I don't ever shoot anything down. Yeah.

[00:47:18]>> Um I I will say just like timelinewise it' probably be a little bit tougher to transition something like that just because I think those companies are so huge. They're they're they're targeting like a specific age group and stuff like that. That doesn't mean it's impossible.

[00:47:32]But like if the opportunity ever presented itself and it made sense like yeah why not you know but it just I don't know. Right now, my focus is just kind of getting ready for Final X and >> of course, >> um, and then pouring pouring in these kids at West Point and America's team and doing whatever I can to help that program and help Troy Nickerson and Scott Green, all the people involved there, and just kind of like uh hopefully we make some noise when people are like, "What the heck is happening at West Point?" Which I feel like uh that's going to happen. And so I'm really really excited to see what that looks like by just like, you know, giving everybody my absolute best and and and supporting where I can.

[00:48:08]>> So are you going to be on are you going to be coaching at West Point then?

[00:48:13]>> Yeah. Uh not right now. So right now I'm still at Lehigh training and stuff like that. So I'll be hereing stuff like that. But then after Final X, I'll move to West Point um at the end of June. Um like like very end of June, maybe in like July 1, June 30th, whatever. But um and then I'll I'll join staff there officially and then I'll kind of coach there and they give me the flexibility to still compete. You know, if they wouldn't have given me that flexibility, I wouldn't have taken the job.

[00:48:44]>> Yeah, that's awesome.

[00:48:46]>> But uh yeah, it's just uh it's cool. I think uh also you know one of my one of my best friends KD is 45 minutes from there.

[00:48:53]>> Okay. Yeah.

[00:48:53]>> So, you know, and so uh I got that connection with him and so we'll be spend a lot of time together too and um so yeah, I'm excited. You know, a lot of great things happening.

[00:49:04]>> Awesome. Um that's pretty much all I got. The last thing has nothing to do with anything we talked about, but you know, when you stare at somebody for a while and and have an interview with them, they're you start to be like, what? I'm like, am I looking at Jorge Mazvidel? I swear to God, there's been times when you look exactly like him.

[00:49:20]I'm just staring at you and I'm like, I know I'm talking a mock, but this dude, he looks just like Gamebre. You've heard that before.

[00:49:26]>> This can't be the first time.

[00:49:27]>> I've definitely gotten that before. I've had somebody like ask me, especially when I let my a little longer.

[00:49:32]>> Sure.

[00:49:34]>> Yo, you look Has anybody ever told you you look just like Jorge Mazel? I'm like, yes, I've heard that before.

[00:49:42]>> Um, I don't know if I'm too upset about it. I mean, we're both Hispanic, you know what I mean? And like Cuban. My mom's from Mexico.

[00:49:50]>> Um, >> and I could definitely see it. You got the long hair and the freaking combat sport athletes.

[00:49:56]>> Yep.

[00:49:58]>> Fantastic.

[00:49:59]>> Yeah. Um, in terms of whooping though, >> Oh, that's right.

[00:50:04]>> I forgot to answer that question.

[00:50:05]>> Yes, I forgot you was almost finished the show without letting you finish the answer.

[00:50:10]Um, terms of whooping, um, I would say uh, one of my first senior level competitions, it might have been my second or third. I was in Bellarus at the medbed and I wrestled a returning world finalist and I just came out like amped up, super physical, clubbing him really hard. Like I was trying to impose myself physically and like I was marching forward. I was pressuring forward like hard and as I'm like beating this guy up, you can tell he's like upset and he doesn't like I'm pressuring forward and then he just times it perfect. Arms throw just Yeah. And then he ends up like into a laser gut and I get teched and I'm like, "All right, that was really just not what I was ready for. You know what I mean? I think that was in 2019 >> some time, but that really sticks out to me.

[00:51:15]>> Yeah, that one backfired a little bit. I thought I was Oh, boy. You know, Olay.

[00:51:21]Awesome. Well, Mike, I appreciate you coming or chat with us, getting on here.

[00:51:26]Um, June 12th, 3rd, 20th, I don't know. Good luck whenever you go. you know, we're gonna be watching and and and super excited for you and and Trent to lock horns. Man, I I'll leave you with the final word, though. Say anything you want to say about anything.

[00:51:41]>> Um yeah. Um I'll go with that quote that I shared earlier. I think it's a good one and I think it's just like uh yeah, the greatest tragedy in life is being successful at everything that doesn't matter, you know? So, it's like don't be afraid to be great, you know, but also just remember that like there's a lot of other important things too that you don't want to neglect. You know, life's got a lot to offer and so don't pigeon hole yourself, you know, and enjoy it, embrace it, and and uh yeah, live a good one. So, >> hell yeah. Well, Mike, I appreciate it, man. It's always fun talking with you. I always like feel like I'm learning something and being mentally engaged.

[00:52:18]So, good luck to you and the rest of your training and uh we look forward to seeing you whenever this matches. Have a great day. Take care. Appreciate you, Bader.

[00:52:26]>> You bet, man. I'll talk to you, man.

[00:52:28]>> All right. Thanks. Bye. Bye.

[00:52:30]>> All right, folks. That'll do it for today's show. Thanks for being here.

[00:52:33]We'll see you next time.