New Jersey Mat Chat

Peter Normandia
  • 5.0 (5)
  • WRESTLING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The #1 video podcast and content provider for New Jersey high school wrestling. Up close, in depth and uncensored.

  1. 035: Under Control with Amari Vann

    6D AGO

    035: Under Control with Amari Vann

    Delsea standout Amari Vann joins New Jersey Mat Chat for an honest, unfiltered conversation about wrestling, leadership, nutrition, and big goals. Amari talks openly about missing last year’s postseason, learning from weight cutting mistakes, and how he’s turned things around this season. He breaks down his role as a team captain, his college wrestling ambitions, freestyle dreams, and what it will take to reach Atlantic City and compete for a state title. From mindset to match prep, this episode is packed with insight for NJ wrestlers, parents, and coaches. 🤼‍♂️ Delsea Wrestling 🎯 138 Pounds 📍 Built in New Jersey 00:00 – Show Open & NJ Officials PSA 01:40 – Meet Amari Vann | Delsea Wrestling Star 02:00 – Season Check-In: How Things Are Going 02:30 – Is Delsea Where They Want to Be Yet? 03:10 – Being a Team Captain and Leading by Example 03:50 – Academics and Favorite Subject (Math Guy!) 04:15 – College Plans and Wanting to Leave NJ 05:00 – Big Goals: Wrestling in Warm Weather 05:40 – Why He Missed Last Year’s Postseason 06:30 – Weight Cutting Struggles and Lessons Learned 07:20 – Fixing Nutrition and Taking Accountability 08:15 – Freshman Success and Returning to Form 09:00 – Postseason Goals for 138 Pounds 09:40 – Freestyle vs Folkstyle: Which Is Better? 10:25 – International Wrestling Dreams 11:00 – Jordan Burroughs Inspiration 11:30 – One Wrestling Rule He Would Change 12:15 – Training Partners in the Delsea Room 13:05 – Advice to His 11-Year-Old Brother 13:40 – First Meal After the Season Ends 14:10 – Previewing the Big Delsea vs Delsea Dual 15:10 – Match Predictions and Team Confidence 16:00 – Guaranteeing Another State Title 16:30 – Final Thoughts & Send-Off Become a wrestling official - http://njwoa.net

    14 min
  2. 034: No Holding Back with Aidan Flynn

    FEB 3

    034: No Holding Back with Aidan Flynn

    Princeton commit Jackson Weller (Delran HS) sits down with New Jersey Mat Chat to talk leadership, recruiting, training mindset, and what it really takes to compete at the highest level of New Jersey wrestling. From choosing Princeton over other Ivy League programs, to staying loyal to a public high school, to how he prepares mentally and physically before matches — this episode is a must-watch for wrestlers, parents, and coaches. 🎧 Leadership. Discipline. NJ pride. 📍 Delran Wrestling | 🎓 Princeton University 🤼‍♂️ Built in New Jersey. 00:00 – NJ Wrestling Officials Needed (Quick PSA) 01:00 – Meet Jackson Weller | Delran Wrestling Leader 01:25 – Delran Wrestling 2025 Outlook & Key Returners 02:20 – What Being a Team Captain Really Means 02:50 – Training Partners & Practice Room Culture 03:05 – Princeton Commitment Story (Recruiting Breakdown) 04:10 – Final 3 Schools: Princeton, Penn, Cornell 04:25 – GPA, Academics & Engineering Goals 04:55 – Folkstyle vs Freestyle: Which Do You Prefer? 05:20 – Training Differences: HS Season vs Freestyle Season 05:55 – Weigh-Ins, Diet & Cutting Weight the Smart Way 06:35 – Pre-Match Routine & Mental Prep 07:10 – Music Before Matches (What’s on the Playlist?) 07:40 – Wrestling With Dad on the Coaching Staff 08:20 – “My Mom Knows More Wrestling Than Most People” 09:10 – Describing Coach Marty in One Word 10:10 – Rivals, Pressure & Chasing State Titles 11:20 – Advice for Young Wrestlers Watching 12:35 – Public School Pride 13:44 – Be part of the journey Become a wrestling official - http://njwoa.net

    14 min
  3. 033: Bearing Down with Jackson Weller

    JAN 14

    033: Bearing Down with Jackson Weller

    Princeton commit Jackson Weller (Delran HS) sits down with New Jersey Mat Chat to talk leadership, recruiting, training mindset, and what it really takes to compete at the highest level of New Jersey wrestling. From choosing Princeton over other Ivy League programs, to staying loyal to a public high school, to how he prepares mentally and physically before matches — this episode is a must-watch for wrestlers, parents, and coaches. 🎧 Leadership. Discipline. NJ pride. 📍 Delran Wrestling | 🎓 Princeton University 🤼‍♂️ Built in New Jersey. Become a wrestling official - http://njwoa.net 00:48 Meet Jackson Weller | Delran Wrestling Leader 01:13 Delran Wrestling 2025 Outlook & Key Returners 02:09 What Being a Team Captain Really Means 02:39 Training Partners & Practice Room Culture 02:54 Princeton Commitment Story (Recruiting Breakdown) 03:59 Final 3 Schools: Princeton, Penn, Cornell 04:14 GPA, Academics & Engineering Goals 04:44 Folkstyle vs Freestyle: Which Do You Prefer? 05:09 Training Differences: HS Season vs Freestyle Season 05:44 Weigh-Ins, Diet & Cutting Weight the Smart Way 06:24 Pre-Match Routine & Mental Prep 06:59 Music Before Matches (What’s on the Playlist?) 07:29 Wrestling With Dad on the Coaching Staff 08:09 “My Mom Knows More Wrestling Than Most People” 08:59 Describing Coach Marty in One Word 09:59 Rivals, Pressure & Chasing State Titles 11:09 Advice for Young Wrestlers Watching 12:24 Why He Stayed at Delran (Public School Pride) 13:29 Final Thoughts & Delran Wrestling Shoutout

    14 min
  4. 032: The Pit with Greg Troxell & more

    JAN 8

    032: The Pit with Greg Troxell & more

    The Phillipsburg “Pit” isn’t just a gym — it’s a proving ground. In this episode, we step inside one of NJ wrestling’s most iconic venues with Greg Troxell and the legendary voices who’ve called matches here for decades. From historic rivalries to “Pit Magic,” this is about legacy, pressure, and what it means to wrestle in front of a crowd that never lets up. 👇 Chapters below 00:00 Intro 00:50 Why NJ Wrestling Needs Officials 01:27 Welcome to the Historic Phillipsburg “Pit” 02:00 Greg Troxell: Growing Up Wrestling in the Pit 04:51 Why Phillipsburg Still Hosts Matches Here 05:24 The Reality of Hosting a Match in the Pit 06:16 Troxell’s Career: Wrestler, Coach, Leader 07:01 The Legendary Rivalries (Highlands, Paulsboro, Del Val) 08:14 “This Place Tests Your Soul" 09:19 Home-Mat Advantage Is REAL Here 10:46 Losing in the Pit (And Remembering It Forever) 12:42 Wrestling for the Names That Came Before You 14:54 Why NJ State Titles Are Brutal to Win Today 16:22 What It Takes to Be Elite Now 17:30 Who Greg Troxell Idolized Growing Up 19:26 Wrestling vs Football (And Penn State) 22:10 Mike Moore: The Voice of the Pit 23:27 Has Wrestling Gotten Better or Worse? 25:17 The Loudest Moments Ever in the Pit 27:03 What “Pit Magic” Really Means 29:46 Another Legendary Voice Joins In 32:30 Announcing 5 Sports for 30+ Years 34:10 The Wildest Night Inside These Walls 36:09 – Why This Match Belongs in the Pit 36:57 Be part of the journey Become a wrestling official - http://njwoa.net

    37 min
  5. 031: Outside-in with Kurt Pellegrino

    12/10/2025

    031: Outside-in with Kurt Pellegrino

    We sit down with the Jersey Shore wrestling legend, BJJ phenom, and UFC veteran Kurt Pellegrino to chat about everything from wrestling to coaching, to parenting, to mental health. 00:00 Intro 00:18 Pellegrino MMA 01:20 Welcome Kurt Pellegrino 02:00 Becoming a hammer 05:00 Your opponent doesn't matter 08:57 Beat the midget 09:54 Championship Mentality 14:22 College, Dislexia & Dip 17:00 'Kut' Pellegrino 18:50 I hate fighting 21:55 Coaching 23:20 Reclassing & Education 29:30 Parenting 34:15 Coaching St. Rose 46:26 Little Nicky 50:47 Be part of the journey Try out Pellegrino MMA in Manasquan, NJ https://www.pellegrinomma.com/ Guest Instagram: @kurtpellegrino

    51 min
  6. 030: McCandid with Armani McCann

    11/23/2025

    030: McCandid with Armani McCann

    We sit down with Jackson's own Armani McCann to discuss the Liberty & Memorial merger, martial arts, and his surprising choice of music... 00:00 Intro 00:18 Pellegrino MMA 01:20 Welcome Armani McCann 01:38 The Merge 03:21 Season's coming 04:23 Young Karate kid 06:55 Steady rising 10:30 Academic comeback 12:25 College visits 13:16 My sis used to beat my.... 14:43 Elite Inner Power 15:45 Freestyling 17:54 Match day 19:53 Trust my coaches 21:00 Inspirations & Nutrition 23:55 Inner Power Martial Arts 24:30 Be part of the journey Try out Pellegrino MMA in Manasquan, NJ https://www.pellegrinomma.com/ Guest Instagram: @armani.mccann

    25 min
  7. 029: Humble & Hungry featuring Tanner Hodgins

    11/18/2025

    029: Humble & Hungry featuring Tanner Hodgins

    Tanner Hodgins, one the top 190 pounders in the country, is back on after his fun at the world championships in Greece. This time we went down to 'the barn' to discuss his college recruitment, and how he narrowed it down on where to continue his storied wrestling career. 00:00 Intro 00:18 Beato Baits 00:58 Welcome back Tanner Hodgins 01:45 Repechage & Competing Internationally 06:15 Official Visit: Arizona State 07:50 Official Visit: NC State 09:10 Official Visit: Virginia Tech 10:15 Official Visit: Michigan 12:40 Official Visit: Oklahoma State 14:40 Plains, Pains, & Automobiles 17:08 Advice to future recruits 20:00 Narrowing it down 22:11 Senior Rebel 25:14 The Choice 28:08 Be part of the journey Guest Instagram: @tannerjhodgins Beato Baits Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/beatobaits/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@.beato.baits

    29 min
  8. 028: Quiet Storm with Dominic Marino

    11/12/2025

    028: Quiet Storm with Dominic Marino

    We sat down with Cinnaminson's very own 138 pounder to discuss their program, his first trip to Atlantic City, college expectations, alignments, and more... 00:00 Intro 00:18 Beato Baits 00:58 Welcome Dominic Marino 01:18 Atlantic City 02:30 No off season 04:35 Freestlyling 05:31 Cinnaminson Program 07:20 Weight game & Goals 08:21 College Goals & Prep 10:59 Mat side weigh ins 13:40 Out on Alignment 18:19 Be part of the journey Guest Instagram: @dominic.marino09 Beato Baits Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/beatobaits/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@.beato.baits

    19 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

The #1 video podcast and content provider for New Jersey high school wrestling. Up close, in depth and uncensored.

Information

  • Creator
    Peter Normandia
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    ©2025 Edit Cellar LLC All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    New Jersey Mat Chat