CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 2:48
From MMA retirement to triathlon obsession (and learning to swim)
Joe and Paul open by talking about how Felder replaced the competitive void of fighting with triathlon training. Felder explains how he stumbled into the sport during the pandemic, got hooked on structured run workouts, and realized triathlon offered a new “three-discipline” rabbit hole—despite not even knowing how to swim at first.
- •Why retired fighters need a new competitive driver
- •Discovering triathlon through Lionel Sanders’ training videos
- •What tempo runs are (zones, pacing, threshold vs tempo)
- •Triathlon as a multi-skill challenge similar to MMA
- •Starting from zero in swimming (and joking about Bilal’s swimming)
- 2:48 – 6:00
Half-Ironman basics and the brutal reality of 70.3 racing
Felder breaks down triathlon distances and formats, including Super League’s multi-leg chaos. He explains why he jumped straight into the 70.3 (half Ironman), how long it is, and why it left him looking dangerously depleted—like a weight cut on steroids.
- •Sprint vs Olympic vs 70.3 distance breakdown
- •Super League format: repeated swim/bike/run cycles
- •70.3 specifics: 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, half marathon
- •Post-race depletion and extreme fatigue/weight loss
- •How endurance events mimic weight-cut misery
- 6:00 – 8:01
Cardio as a weapon in MMA: Diaz brothers, pace, and demoralization
The conversation pivots from endurance sports to endurance inside the cage. Joe and Paul use Nick and Nate Diaz as case studies in pace, toughness, and the psychological damage of hurting someone who refuses to break.
- •Why elite cardio creates a compounding advantage in fights
- •Nick Diaz’s “pace + body work” approach
- •Paul Daley vs Nate Diaz: power shots, resilience, and momentum swings
- •How toughness and taunting can break an opponent mentally
- •Josh Thomson’s head kick as a rare true stoppage on Diaz durability
- 8:01 – 11:23
XTERRA, ocean swims, and the ‘getting eaten’ problem (sharks & open water)
Felder explains XTERRA-style triathlons and the added fear factor of rugged environments. Joe and Paul spiral into open-water anxiety—sharks, tragic bite stories, and the unsettling reality of mass-start swims in dark water.
- •What XTERRA is: trail running + mountain biking + rougher swims
- •Rio ocean swimming paranoia and “floating object” scares
- •Peter Attia’s extreme swims and shark-risk training waters
- •Oceanside race nerves (ocean start, wetsuits, seal silhouette joke)
- •Risk calculus: thousands of swimmers and “just be lucky”
- 11:23 – 14:28
Alligators, crocodiles, and nature tangents (Florida water is never safe)
From sharks, they drift into gators and crocodiles—especially the Florida reality that any pond can hold a prehistoric predator. They discuss brutal attack videos, risky animal stunts, and the bizarre “Florida man” ecosystem of survival stories.
- •Gators near race swims and the ‘thank God I saw it after’ problem
- •Why Florida water is uniquely risky (gators everywhere)
- •Croc/gator attack videos and human stupidity around predators
- •“Florida man” alligator story skepticism and meth jokes
- •Comparing wildlife risk to the controlled violence of MMA
- 14:28 – 19:11
Retirement decision and Felder’s origin story: TKD kid → theater major → fighter
Joe asks what made Felder retire while still competitive, and Felder traces the arc back to how he started. He describes growing up in South Philly, doing Taekwondo from childhood, studying theater, then discovering the addictive adrenaline of amateur MMA walkouts.
- •Retiring around 37 after the Hooker fight; starting pro late (28)
- •Taekwondo competition background and getting in trouble for hitting hard
- •Theater school and working in Philadelphia’s theater scene
- •First amateur fights: anxiety, vomiting, but immediate addiction
- •Early lessons: getting humbled by grappling (triangle loss) and leveling up
- 19:11 – 21:14
Regional rise to the UFC and the weight-cutting regret
Felder details his early pro run, big regional finishes, and getting signed at 8–0. He also reflects on the long-term cost of bulking up between fights and doing extreme cuts—something he now views as a major mistake.
- •First pro fight chaos: one-ambulance show stoppage (CFFC)
- •Cage Fury and regional development before the UFC
- •UFC signing at 8–0 with multiple early KOs
- •Trying to match ‘big lightweights’ by adding size between camps
- •Regret: staying too heavy off-camp and paying for drastic cuts
- 21:14 – 25:17
The toll of fighting: rhabdo, kidney scares, lung surgery, and broken bones
The discussion gets medical and sobering as Felder lists the injuries that pushed him toward retirement. He explains rhabdo symptoms, the kidney monitoring aftermath, a collapsed lung that required surgery and stapling, and the common forearm breaks from striking mechanics.
- •Rhabdo after Hooker fight: ‘Coca-Cola’ urine and hospitalization
- •Near compartment syndrome and cumulative damage from prolonged fights
- •Collapsed lung from a ‘bleb’ burst after a knee (James Vick fight)
- •Surgery details: stapling lung and adhering it to chest wall
- •Forearm break vs Mike Perry and why spinning backfists snap arms
- 25:17 – 28:56
Leg kicks and calf kicks: why they’re misunderstood (and how they changed the sport)
Joe and Paul break down the brutality of leg kicks, focusing on calf kicks and why casual fans underestimate them. They discuss placement, nerves, “fake checks,” and how modern fighters weaponize low kicks far more effectively than earlier eras.
- •Why shin-to-shin exchanges are like ‘baseball bats’ colliding
- •Calf kicks: placement near the shin bone and nerve pain
- •How a kick can ‘look checked’ yet still do major damage
- •Examples: Hooker’s touchy placement; early UFC adoption (Benson Henderson)
- •High-profile proof points: Poirier–McGregor, Adesanya–Pereira leg compromise
- 28:56 – 34:28
Adesanya vs Pereira: power, size, style differences, and the rematch questions
They analyze Pereira’s unique kickboxing style, freakish leverage, and how quickly he compromised Adesanya’s leg. The conversation expands into matchups, grappling threats, and what adjustments might matter most in a rematch.
- •Why tall, lean fighters can hit ‘sneakily’ harder than muscle-bound athletes
- •Pereira’s stance, leverage, and elite Glory kickboxing experience
- •Scoring context: Adesanya up on cards before the finish
- •Rematch intrigue: avoiding early leg damage and using timely grappling
- •Matchmaking themes: how wrestlers might test Pereira differently
- 34:28 – 37:18
Weight, muscle, and nutrition myths—plus Oliveira’s transformation
Felder calls out the common claim of adding huge ‘lean muscle’ in a short camp and jokes about what that implies. Joe and Paul discuss weight-class moves, Aldo’s successful drop, and how Oliveira reinvented himself after being labeled a quitter.
- •Why ‘10 pounds of lean muscle in 6 weeks’ is usually nonsense
- •Roy Jones Jr. bulk-up and deflation example after dropping weight
- •Aldo’s bantamweight success via lifestyle/nutrition changes
- •Oliveira’s early ‘quitter’ reputation and later championship dominance
- •How severe weight cutting may contribute to injuries (micro-tears, fragility)
- 37:18 – 50:34
Wanting to come back, being a commentator, and social media pressure
Felder admits the urge to fight still sparks—especially when surrounded by elite fighters in commentary. He and Joe talk about imposter syndrome, the psychology of criticism, and why engaging with online comments is a losing game.
- •Recurring temptation to return (even joking about new weight classes)
- •Commentary desk dynamics alongside champions (DC, Dom)
- •Imposter syndrome despite top-level fighting credentials
- •Why reading/responding to comments harms focus and mental health
- •Examples of fighters being trolled and how it can derail careers
- 50:34 – 54:10
Diet debates and food nostalgia: vegan skepticism, carnivore months, bread lust
Joe and Paul debate vegan diets versus animal-based nutrition, focusing on absorption, protein quality, and practicality. The conversation turns into comedic food talk—sushi cheats, dessert, and an extended love letter to bread, gravy, and comfort foods.
- •Why they think veganism can work but isn’t ‘optimal’ for many athletes
- •Protein absorption differences (plant vs animal) and common pitfalls
- •Joe’s annual carnivore January and how he ‘cheats’ (sushi, rice, bread)
- •Bread-and-gravy childhood ritual and Italian bakery nostalgia
- •How cravings and comfort foods collide with performance goals
- 54:10 – 59:48
Philadelphia pride: cheesesteaks, iconic food identity, and local fight culture
They riff on Philly’s identity being tied to cheesesteaks, the best spots, and why tourist places still rule at 3 a.m. Then they pivot to Philadelphia’s fighting legacy—boxing history and rising star Boots Ennis.
- •Why Philly became synonymous with the cheesesteak (and ‘whiz wit’)
- •Jim’s vs Pat’s/Geno’s: quality vs tourism vs late-night chaos
- •Philly’s deep fight lineage (Hopkins, Frazier, Rocky mythology)
- •Boots Ennis: slickness, footwork, and Felder’s early training memories
- •How local gyms and cultures shape combat-sports talent
- 59:48 – 3:08:14
Camps, coaches, and the sport’s evolution: Cowboy’s ranch, Duke Roufus, scoring, and what’s next
Felder recounts gritty camp life—training with Cowboy at the Tapout house, then finding his long-term fit with Duke Roufus. The conversation broadens into Muay Thai history, judging/scoring problems, global talent pipelines (Russia/Eastern Europe), injury recovery tech, and ends with predictions and upcoming fight talk before wrapping the episode.
- •Cowboy ranch ‘fight house’ realities: bunk beds, bad diets, hard sparring culture
- •Why Duke Roufus became ‘the guy’ (Muay Thai padwork, deep knowledge)
- •Muay Thai’s impact on striking evolution (leg kicks, elbows)
- •Judging/scoring flaws (10-point must limits) and debates about cages/arenas
- •Global talent boom + previews and thoughts on major upcoming matchups
