The Grapplezilla Podcast

Grapplezilla
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  • WRESTLING
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Grappling, Wrestling, BJJ, Sambo, Judo, MMA, Chidaoba, Bokh, Catch Wrestling, Shooto, SSireum and more. We live and breathe everything about the Grappling arts. The history, the inside stories, and the tips that will make you a better grappler and a better human being. Now what makes our podcast different is we can veer off into unexpected territory and like a bunch of guys in the Wrestling team locker room, just have fun too! So come listen to our podcast and enjoy! The Grapplezilla Podcast.....Grab, Throw, Tap!

  1. #41 - Emanuele Papa - WRESTLING IN CHINA: The Shuai Jiao Deep Dive!

    26/12/2025

    #41 - Emanuele Papa - WRESTLING IN CHINA: The Shuai Jiao Deep Dive!

    🎙️ Wrestling the Soul of China: Shuai Jiao, Bokh, and the Philosophy of Grappling.In this episode of the Grapplezilla Podcast, we sit down with Emanuele Papa, a dedicated Shuai Jiao practitioner living and training in the heart of China. Emanuele isn't your average grappler. With an Anthropology degree and a Master’s in Philosophy, he offers a profound, high-level perspective on why we fight and how culture shapes the way we grab each other. While his primary focus is the fast-paced, jacket-wrestling art of Shuai Jiao, Emanuele also shares his unique experiences training in Mongolian Bokh and Korean Ssireum. In this episode, we dive into: - Life in China: What it’s actually like training Shuai Jiao at the source. - The Chinese Style of Folk Wrestling: Explaining and comparing the mechanics, history and cultures of Shuai Jiao and Bokh. - The Scholar-Warrior: How philosophy and anthropology change the way you perceive a takedown. - Cultural Preservation: Why folk wrestling styles are the "DNA" of a nation's history. Whether you are a BJJ black belt, a Judo enthusiast, or a fan of martial arts history, this deep dive into the technical and historical world of Chinese Shuai Jiao is a must-watch. We HIGHLY recommend following Emanuele’s Instagram account as well as check out his website, both have GREAT content and we’re sure you will really enjoy it! The links to Emanuele’s IG and Website are here below: Instagram: @manupapa94 Website: https://papaemanuele94.wixsite.com/shanpuying-chronicle Emanuele will be holding a Shuai Jiao camp this summer around August, once he closes a date and I have more info, I will place it here for you guys to check out and I am sure it will be a great experience. If you want to get some AWESOME Grapplezilla Shuai Jiao merch, check then link below as we have great Shuai Jiao shirts and mugs. ⁠https://grapplezilla-shop.fourthwall.com/products/the-shuai-jiao-shirt⁠ ⁠https://grapplezilla-shop.fourthwall.com/products/the-shuai-jiao-mug⁠ If you would like to support the Grapplezilla Podcast and buy me a coffee, I’ll leave a link below as any support is always appreciated: https://buymeacoffee.com/grapplezilla Also, if you enjoyed this episode of the Grapplezilla Podcast, we invite you to subscribe to Grapplezilla’s YouTube channel for more great Grappling and Wrestling content updated regularly. Until next time…Grab, Throw, Tap!

    1h 8m
  2. #40 - Les Allen - Former Lion's Den Fighter, Pancrase and MMA Legend!

    10/11/2025

    #40 - Les Allen - Former Lion's Den Fighter, Pancrase and MMA Legend!

    🎙️ Welcome to The Grapplezilla Podcast! In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking to Les Allen who is an absolute legend and pioneer in the world of Pancrase and MMA. Get ready for a great insight into how it was in the early days of MMA and how it was to be part of Ken Shamrock’s Lion’s Den, training in Japan, Training in Brazil and the UK’s MMA scene. Whether you're a seasoned Grappler or just starting your journey, this one's packed with insights, stories, and techniques that'll level up your game. Don't miss it! You can check out Les Allen’s socials and website here: Website: https://www.lahybridcatchandbjj.com/ Instagram: @lahybridcatchwrestlingandbjj Threads: cc_catchwrestling I highly recommend checking out Les’s accounts and if you are in the Halifax area of the UK, you definitely want to check out Les’s school as Les truly is a great coach! I invite you to subscribe to the Grapplezilla Podcast for more great Wrestling, Judo, Grappling and MMA videos uploaded regularly. If you would like to buy me a coffee to help support my channel I will leave the link below as it is always appreciated: https://buymeacoffee.com/grapplezilla Also, I have some great Grapplezilla Merch, so if you are looking for awesome Wrestling , Grappling and Judo focused T-shirts and more, here is a link to my store: https://grapplezilla-shop.fourthwall.com/ Until next time…Grab, Throw, Tap. #catchwrestling #catchascatchcan #grapplingpodcast #catchwrestler #lesallen #lahybridcatchwrestlingandbjj #wrestlingstyle #martialarts #cacc #lionsden #pancrase

    1h 7m
  3. #39 - Val Childs - North American Catch Wrestling

    30/10/2025

    #39 - Val Childs - North American Catch Wrestling

    🎙️ Welcome to The Grapplezilla Podcast! In this episode, we're diving into North American Style Catch Wrestling with Val Childs! Get ready for a great insight into this style of Catch Wrestling as we explore the Val's viewpoint nd experience in the world of Catch Wrestling! Whether you're a seasoned Grappler or just starting your journey, this one's packed with insights, stories, and techniques that'll level up your game. Don't miss it!You can check out Val Child's socials and website here:Website: https://combatcitysa.comInstagram: @cc_catchwrestlingThreads: cc_catchwrestlingI highly recommend checking out Val's accounts and if you are in the San Antonio area, you definitely want to check out his Catch Wrestling school as Val is a great coach!I invite you to subscribe to the Grapplezilla Podcast for more great Wrestling, Judo, BJJ, Sambo, Catch Wrestling, Grappling and MMA content uploaded regularly.If you would like to buy me a coffee to help support my channel I will leave the link below as it is always appreciated:https://buymeacoffee.com/grapplezillaAlso, I have some great Grapplezilla Merch, so if you are looking for awesome Wrestling , Grappling and Judo focused T-shirts and more, here is a link to my store:https://grapplezilla-shop.fourthwall.com/Until next time…Grab, Throw, Tap.#catchwrestling #catchascatchcan #grapplingpodcast #catchwrestler #valchilds #combatcitycatchwrestling #wrestlingstyle #martialarts #cacc

    1h 26m
  4. #38 - The Hidden Science of Wrestling: 10 Secrets Only 0.01% Know

    14/10/2025

    #38 - The Hidden Science of Wrestling: 10 Secrets Only 0.01% Know

    🤼‍♂️ THE HIDDEN SCIENCE OF ELITE WRESTLING 🧠 Ever wonder why Olympic champions seem to react before their opponents even move? Or why your shots stop working in the third period even though your legs feel fine? This video reveals 10 scientific principles that elite wrestlers understand—but only 0.01% of competitors actually know. These aren't just techniques. These are the invisible systems that make techniques work. ⚡ WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER: - Why elite wrestlers react in 120-180 milliseconds (while others take 300-500ms) - The exact heart rate zone that builds wrestling-specific endurance - How grip fatigue reduces your ENTIRE body's power by 20-30% - Why feints work at 180ms intervals (the psychology behind it) - The circadian rhythm secret: why time of day changes performance by 12-18% - How to read attacks 50-100ms BEFORE they happen - The stance drift that kills technique (and how to fix it) - Energy system transitions that cause sudden fatigue waves - The vestibular disruption elite wrestlers use to "disappear" - Positional economy: why champions concede points to save energy 📚 BASED ON REAL SPORTS SCIENCE: This isn't bro-science. Every concept is rooted in actual neuroscience, exercise physiology, biomechanics, and motor learning research. I've synthesized insights from: - Russian, Iranian, American, Turkish, Georgian, and Mongolian training systems - Sports science literature on reaction time, energy systems, and fatigue - Elite-level coaching methodologies used by Olympic programs ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) - Introduction: The 0.01% Advantage (00:42) - #1: Automatic Reactions vs Conscious Decisions (01:47) - #2: Lactate Tolerance Training (The Real Cardio) (02:55) - #3: Positional Economy (Wrestling as Chess) (04:00) - #4: Circadian Rhythm & Performance (05:07) - #5: The Grip Fatigue Cascade (06:18) - #6: Perfect Feinting Science (07:31) - #7: Biomechanical Stance Drift (08:39) - #8: Reading Pre-Movement Signals (09:40) - #9: Energy System Transitions (11:07) - #10: Vestibular System Attacks (12:18) - Final Thoughts: Applying This to Your Training 🎯 WHO THIS IS FOR: ✓ Wrestlers who want to understand the "why" behind elite performance ✓ Coaches looking for science-backed training methods ✓ Athletes who feel stuck at their current level ✓ Anyone fascinated by the intersection of sports and science ⚠️ IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The specific numbers and training protocols mentioned are based on sports science principles but should be considered starting points for exploration, not absolute prescriptions. Always work with qualified coaches and test what works for YOUR body. Want to dive deeper into these concepts? Check out: → Website: https://grapplezilla.com/ → IG: @GRAPPLEZILLA → YouTube: @grapplezilla 💬 LET'S DISCUSS: Which concept surprised you most? Drop a comment below! I read every single one and love discussing wrestling science with this community. 🎓 ABOUT GRAPPLEZILLA: We break down the science of grappling sports—wrestling, BJJ, judo—to help athletes train smarter, not just harder. Every video is researched, tested, and designed to give you an edge. If you would like to buy me a coffee to help support my channel I will leave the link below as it is always appreciated: https://buymeacoffee.com/grapplezilla Also, I have some great Grapplezilla Merch, so if you are looking for awesome Wrestling, Judo, and Grappling focused T-shirts and more, here is a link to my store: https://grapplezilla-shop.fourthwall.com/ If you enjoyed this Wrestling video, I invite you to subscribe to Grapplezilla’s YouTube Channel for more great Wrestling, Judo, Grappling, and MMA videos uploaded regularly. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly wrestling science breakdowns 👍 LIKE if you learned something new 📤 SHARE with your training partners #Wrestling #WrestlingScience #SportsScience #WrestlingTraining #EliteWrestling #Grappling #WrestlingTechnique #AthleticPerformance #SportsPerformance #WrestlingTips

    14 min
  5. #37 - The Inside Story of The Karelin Lift

    31/08/2025

    #37 - The Inside Story of The Karelin Lift

    The Karelin Lift…one of the most iconic Heavyweight Greco Roman Wrestling Techniques of all time and synonymous with the Great Aleksandr Karelin.Here’s the inside story of why and how Karelin added and perfected the Karelin Lift to dominate the Greco Roman Wrestling World and trust me…you’ll enjoy this one!If you enjoyed this Aleksandr Karelin video, we invite you to subscribe to Grapplezilla’s Spotify channel for more great Wrestling and Grappling content uploaded regularly.You can get the awesome Aleksandr Karelin T-shirt I’m wearing in the video at the Grapplezilla Shop in the link below:https://grapplezilla-shop.fourthwall....---------------------------------------------------------------------If you would like to buy me a coffee, I’ll leave the link below here:https://buymeacoffee.com/grapplezilla---------------------------------------------------------------------Until next time…Have a Great Day and Thank You for Watching!#grecoromanwrestling #wrestling #karelin #reversebodylift #karelinlift #olympicwrestling #aleksandrkarelin #wrestlingstyle #wrestlinghistory #wrestlingbreakdown #freestylewrestling #flowrestling #grappling

    4 min
  6. #36 - Khamzat vs Dricus - The Lessons Learned.

    30/08/2025

    #36 - Khamzat vs Dricus - The Lessons Learned.

    The Khamzat Chimaev vs Dricus Du Plessis fight at UFC 319 was one of the biggest MMA Fights of the year. The fight was a very one sided fight but had many many lessons to learn for both Khamzat and Dricus as well as the MMA community and in this video, I discuss what I think the main mistakes Dricus made are as well as I touch on something that Khamzat could add into his grappling game. So sit back, enjoy and let me know what you think and share your thoughts in the comments. Btw, if you see me doing some weird tics, I have Tourettes Syndrome which is a neurological issue so it is nothing to worry about. If you liked this Grapplezilla podcast episode, I invite you to subscribe to Grapplezilla’s Spotify Channel for more great Grappling, Wrestling and MMA content uploaded regularly. If you would like to buy me a coffee to help support my channel I will leave the link below as it is always appreciated: https://buymeacoffee.com/grapplezilla Also, I have some great Grapplezilla Merch, so if you are looking for awesome Grappling and Wrestling focused T-shirts and more, here is a link to my store: https://grapplezilla-shop.fourthwall.com/ Until next time…Grab, Throw, Tap. #mma #ufc #ufc319 #khamzat #dricusduplessis #chimaev

    12 min
  7. #35 - Enrique Matute - Sambo, Judo & Life

    01/05/2025

    #35 - Enrique Matute - Sambo, Judo & Life

    On this episode of the Grapplezilla podcast, I had the pleasure of having Enrique Matute as a guest. Enrique is a great Sambo and Judo practitioner as well as has one of the most solid grappling backgrounds a martial artist can have. Enrique Matute has been consistently training in martial arts since 13 years old. His first two martial arts were Judo and Freestyle wrestling. After a few years of some modest success at competing Enrique wanted to try something new. He began his journey in BJJ and Combat SAMBO in 2017. He would later make the switch to precision MMA later that year.Enrique has his blackbelt (shodan) in Judo (2012) and purple belt in BJJ in ( 2022). He has competed in Judo (4th at Junior nationals and Hatashita International Silver and Bronze) Freestyle wrestling, BJJ ( Silver at the Canadian BJJ Nationals), and SAMBO ( both Sport Sambo and Combat Sambo) (Arnold sports festival Battle of Columbus 2023) and has achieved modest results. Enrique continues to compete and has started teaching at Precision Martial Arts as the Grappling coach If you enjoyed this episode of the Grapplezilla Podcast, we invite you to subscribe to the Grapplezilla Podcast for more great Grappling focused content uploaded regularly! --------------------------------------------------------------------- You can follow Enrique Matute through his social accounts below:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoyajudoka --------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out our Grapplezilla Merch at our store below, we have great merch for Grapplers from any style and it helps support the Grapplezilla Podcast: https://grapplezilla-shop.fourthwall.com/ Until next episode, Grab, Throw, Tap!

    1h 12m
  8. #34 - Liav Ben Shalom - Coaching Kids, MMA & Life.

    27/04/2025

    #34 - Liav Ben Shalom - Coaching Kids, MMA & Life.

    On this episode of the Grapplezilla Podcast, I had the pleasure of having Liav Ben Shalom as a guest on this episode.. Liav is an excellent coach with kids and his methodologies produce results when coaching kids. He has over 15 years experience in guiding and coaching children, youth and adults as well as Liav has been practicing martial arts since 2004. Liav holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has a very good striking and self defense background and currently runs the Akachi Academy in Tel Aviv Israel. He also holds an international referee certificate (Jiu-Jitsu) from the ADCC Submission Fighting Organization. We dive into how he teaches kids as well as youth and adults, how he deals not only with kids but their parents in building a child’s confidence, we speak about MMA, Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling and the current state of Grappling and of course we speak about his love for Japanese Anime (Which I found very cool). Just a small correction on a comment I made about the latest Nick Rodriguez vs Kaynan Duarte at the grappling competition - Who’s Number One 27 on April 18 2025. I said that Nick Rodriguez had submitted Kaynan Duarte (as I only saw brief clips of the match) and I was not correct as Nick did not submit Kaynan although he did beat Kaynan to win the match. If you enjoyed this grappling podcast, we invite you to subscribe to Grapplezilla podcast for more great Grappling, Wrestling, Judo, BJJ, Sambo, Chidaoba, Bokh and MMA content uploaded regularly! Here are Liav Ben Shalom’s social media accounts and website: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akachi_academy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mmakachiacademy Website: https://www.akachi.co.il/ You can also check out our great Grapplezilla Merch at our store here:https://grapplezilla-shop.fourthwall.com/ Until next time, have a great day and Grab, Throw, Tap!

    1h 18m
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About

Grappling, Wrestling, BJJ, Sambo, Judo, MMA, Chidaoba, Bokh, Catch Wrestling, Shooto, SSireum and more. We live and breathe everything about the Grappling arts. The history, the inside stories, and the tips that will make you a better grappler and a better human being. Now what makes our podcast different is we can veer off into unexpected territory and like a bunch of guys in the Wrestling team locker room, just have fun too! So come listen to our podcast and enjoy! The Grapplezilla Podcast.....Grab, Throw, Tap!

Information

  • Creator
    Grapplezilla
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Grapplezilla
  • Show Website
    The Grapplezilla Podcast