JRE 154 · April 4, 2024

Matt Serra, Din Thomas & John Rallo

mmabusinesssportspsychology

Who is Matt Serra, Din Thomas & John Rallo?

Joe is joined by mixed martial artists John Rallo, Matt Serra, and Din Thomas. John owns Shogun Fights and also serves as the owner and head coach at Ground Control Mixed Martial Arts Academy. Matt is the host of the "UFC Unfiltered" podcast with Jim Norton and is the owner and lead instructor at Serra BJJ. Din is a host on "SiriusXM Fight Nation," "Josh Cohen & the Home Team" on ESPN West Palm, and "Fight Court."

Topics and Timestamps

01Matt Serra, Din Thomas, and John Rallo discuss their careers in MMA and coaching
02Conversation covers the evolution of MMA training and technique over the years
03The guests talk about running their own gyms and academies, including Serra BJJ and Ground Control
04Discussion of podcast work including UFC Unfiltered and SiriusXM Fight Nation
05MMA fight stories and experiences from their time in the sport
06Insights on coaching philosophy and developing fighters
▶Introduction and background of the three guests0:00:00
▶Discussion of running combat sports academies and gyms0:10:00
▶Talk about podcast work and media presence in MMA0:25:00
▶Stories from their fighting careers and experiences0:45:00
▶Coaching philosophy and developing the next generation of fighters1:15:00

The Show

Joe brings together three pillars of the MMA coaching world for JRE 154: Matt Serra, Din Thomas, and John Rallo. This is a rare opportunity to get three different perspectives on combat sports from guys who've lived it at the highest level and are now shaping the next generation of fighters.

Matt Serra brings his championship mentality and now hosts UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton, which gives him a unique platform to talk MMA at a different level than just training. John Rallo owns both Shogun Fights and Ground Control Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Baltimore, so he's got his hands in promotion and grassroots fighter development simultaneously. Din Thomas has become a media fixture on SiriusXM Fight Nation and other platforms, so he's constantly breaking down the sport.

The energy of having all three together means you get real talk about what's happening in MMA right now, how the sport has changed, and what these coaches see in the next generation of fighters. These aren't guys performing for the camera either, they're established enough in their lanes that they can just speak honestly about the business and the sport itself.