The Bader Show

By Mark BaderSports Wrestling

The Bader Show episodes

November 05, 2025 World Champion Kylie Welker | The Bader Show (Ep. 460)
Kylie Welker just won a U23 world title for Team USA. She also is the main character in the series HAWKEYES: The First Season With Iowa Women's Wrestling.
0:45 - Another world title
1:30 - Won her 2nd senior World Bronze, a little disappointed
2:55 - First international trip
5:00 - Kylie finally has her process down!
8:00 - Kylie can flip that switch and be mean
10:10 - Was very confident she would win U23 gold
11:00 - Watching her Gold medal match
14:40 - Kylie will take some time off the mat
17:20 - Being followed by cameras all season
19:20 - The dramatic final scene in HAWKEYES!
23:40 - Being vulnerable and sharing personal things
26:30 - Lilly Luft’s story was heart wrenching
28:15 - Watched episode 2 in Serbia one day before World Championships
28:58 - Kylie is dating Austin Gomez
29:30 - Ella Schmit is goofy as they come!

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34 min
October 22, 2025 Ben Askren | The Bader Show (Ep. 459)
Ben Askren continues to make progress. He updates us on his recovery, talks building a club/business, National Duals, coaching philosophies and more.
0:40 - Had a great workout and more good days than bad
3:00 - How sensitive is his chest/scar?
4:20 - Coaching from the chair
6:15 - AWA success, make the kids enjoy it
8:55 - Don’t cut any/much weight
10:00 - Don’t over compete
10:50 - LIttle to no 8th grade national success
12:15 - Mitchell Mesenbrink, take days off
13:20 - Making the wrestling room a place they love being in
14:00 - Dan Gable philosophy was meant for adults
16:20 - “They don’t go hard enough” (Stand up to the parents)
17:35 - Reading athletes and knowing what they need
19:15 - Adults talking to adults vs adults talking to kids
21:35 - Sinclair vs Ferrari at National Duals
23:44 - RAF02
28:50 - If you build it they will come
33:50 - RIP Duke Rufus
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39 min
October 10, 2025 Wyatt Hendrickson's Wake Up Call After Worlds | The Bader Show (Ep. 458)
Wyatt Hendrickson won and NCAA title, won the Hodge Trophy and make the US World Team. He fell short and Worlds and learned a big lesson this summer which will take him far.
1:00 - Dustin Plott bruised his face
1:30 - Reaction to FloFilm “The Year of Wyatt Hendrickson”
2:25 - Wrestling camps, hectic schedule, not ideal situation
4:00 - Subtle art of not giving a F#%K
5:00 - Not sleeping before Worlds, questioning himself and doubting
5:55 - Head pinch instead of go-behind
6:45 - Camps vs training
7:45 - RTC coaches treat you like an adult, let you make decisions
9:30 - Wyatt would do it all again the same way
11:50 - Put too much pressure and expectation on himself
12:45 - Should have reached out for some emotional support
15:00 - Comparing this situation to sophomore year NCAAs
17:30 - Always room to learn more
19:20 - Remember how you feel right now
22:00 - NCAA vs Worlds lead up and training
23:00 - 2025, Wyatt’s freshman year on senior level
25:00 - Wyatt’s whole next year is mapped out
27:15 - No one else cares. Wyatt was in his own head
28:45 - Wyatt needs to have fun and be easy going. He wasn’t that way at Worlds
33:00 - RTC athletes don’t micro manage, this was Wyatt’s fault
35:50 - This is Wyatt’s first interview since Worlds, finally ready to be honest
38:45 - Wyatt’s advice; watch the losses and learn from your mistakes
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43 min
October 02, 2025 Trent Hidlay | The Bader Show (Ep. 457)
Trent Hidlay just won a UWW World title at 92kg. He was a 2x NCAA runner-up and a 5x All-American for NC State.
0:45 - Has it set in yet?
2:20 - Best seats in the house for WWE RAW
5:30 - Trent first wanting to be a world champ
8:20 - Age level world experience
10:40 - Always the bridesmaid, never quite first place
14:44 - Confidence and mental process
18:40 - Calm down before the match
21:20 - Princeton match where Trent learned about approach “messy, not perfect”
24:00 - Competition anxiety and 2021 US Open
26:55 - The pressure of folkstyle and college wrestling
29:00 - Only brothers to be 5x NCAA All-Americans
29:50 - Ramping up for World Championships, being a leader
31:50 - Big fan, looking at brackets and the Worlds
34:50 - The gameplan for the finals
35:30 - Watching the World Gold medal match
50:50 - Reflecting on all the losses after the big win
52:25 - Not making results your identity
55:35 - The match represents Trent and his whole career
56:45 - Olympic weight for 2028
57:30 - What’s next and competition schedule
59:15 - Payday for winning Worlds!
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1 hr 5 min
September 25, 2025 World Champion Zahid Valencia | The Bader Show (Ep. 456)
Zahid Valencia is fresh off a world title where he dominated the field going unscored upon through the entire tournament.
1:00 - Zahid vs Dean Heil 89lbs at Tulsa
2:30 - Feeling less pressure to be the best, doing it for himself
4:13 - High school freshman Zahid interview
6:10 - Consistency
9:00 - Prepping for Ghasempour
10:30 - Zahid breaks down World semifinal vs Ghasempour
20:15 - Zahid wants to wrestle a lot of matches this next year
21:30 - The Final Word
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24 min
September 18, 2025 What is CLAW Wrestling? | The Bader Show (Ep. 455)
What is this CLAW Wrestling League all about? Eric Brugel was an All-American at Penn State and is one of the founders of the professional wrestling league CLAW.
0:45 - World Championships & Penn State talk
2:00 - How CLAW got started
3:45 - Modified rules
4:50 - Pylon on the mat
7:40 - Matches are four rounds, every point counts
9:00 - Match points and team points
12:35 - We call stalling FAST
14:20 - All dual meets, willing to explore new concepts “Half ton challenge”
19:00 - CLAW draft
19:40 - Upcoming events
21:00 - Athletes getting paid
22:00 - How to make CLAW sustainable
24:15 - Dual meets are exciting
27:20 - General managers
28:30 - Adapt innovate Market (AIM)
31:25 - Fantasy wrestling
34:00 - 15% in NCAA pins come from top/bottom wrestling
38:40 - More action, more scoring, more strategy
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41 min
September 18, 2025 Max McEnelly | The Bader Show (Ep. 454)
Max McEnelly was 3rd at the NCAAs as a freshman this year for Minnesota. He recently won Gold at the UWW U20 World Championships at 86kg. He will start off the NCAA season ranked #1 at 184.
0:50 - Quit hockey to start wrestling
2:10 - Football was Max’s favorite sport
3:10 - Winning Fargo put wrestling at #1
4:45 - 7th & 8th grade state qualifier
6:15 - Huge jump in weight
7:35 - Freshman state champ
8:55 - Expectations going into college
9:40 - Minnesota all the way
12:00 - Carter Starocci
15:40 - NCAA Semifinals atmosphere
16:35 - Watching his semifinal vs Parker Keckeisen
18:50 - Battle back for third
21:30 - Won Fargo in his 3rd freestyle tournament
22:38 - Setting a goal to be world champion
23:55 - Watching U20 Gold medal match
34:40 - Rolling back into the college season
36:05 - Angelo Ferrari
38:30 - Wins and whoopins
40:25 - All-time favorite wrestler
#TheBaderShow

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44 min
August 29, 2025 U20 World Champ Luke Stanich | The Bader Show (Ep. 453)
Luke Stanich just won a U20 World title at 65kg. He was an All-American for Lehigh University and has three years of eligibility left.
1:00 - Introduction to wrestling
5:00 - Taking wrestling to the next level
7:30 - Stages of goal setting
10:00 - Recruiting and going to Lehigh
13:05 - Really good at re-attacks
15:10 - Freestyle wrestling
16:55 - Stanich was confident he would make the team and win worlds
18:30 - Wrestling overseas
20:15 - Climbing a ski slope in Bulgaria
21:30 - Huge comeback from down 8-0 at Worlds!
35:00 - Luke has his own custom shoes!
36:05 - Bunch of funny tattoos
38:30 - Wins and whoopins
40:50 - All-time favorite wrestler
#TheBaderShow

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45 min
August 15, 2025 MMA Legend Mike Brown | The Bader Show (Ep. 452)
American Top Team's head MMA coach Mike Brown was a state champion in Maine, wrestled in college at Norwich University before beginning his MMA career where he became the WEC Featherweight Champion.
1:10 - Mike Brown wrestled and LOVED it, hs state champ, college wrestler
3:55 - UFC tape brought Mike to college wrestling
6:20 - MMA training and his first fight
10:10 - Mike didn’t fight growing up, but was fascinated by it
12:10 - Becoming the champion
16:35 - After you’re not the champion anymore
18:15 - Time to retire
19:30 - We had to fight for the money
20:00 - Coach Mike Brown
21:20 - Steve Mocco
24:30 - Bo Nickal
29:25 - Askren-Masvidal and coaching teammates
33:45 - NCAA Wrestlers not as dominant in MMA
38:50 - How to become the best MMA fighter from a young age
40:00 - Aaron Pico
41:00 - The evolution of the MMA industry
42:40 - This SHOULD be the biggest sport in the world
45:30 - Mike Brown the wrestling fan
47:10 - Wins and whoopins
53:00 - All-Time favorite wrestler

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58 min
August 15, 2025 MMA Legend Mike Brown | The Bader Show (Ep. 452)
American Top Team's head MMA coach Mike Brown was a state champion in Maine, wrestled in college at Norwich University before beginning his MMA career where he became the WEC Featherweight Champion.
1:10 - Mike Brown wrestled and LOVED it, hs state champ, college wrestler
3:55 - UFC tape brought Mike to college wrestling
6:20 - MMA training and his first fight
10:10 - Mike didn’t fight growing up, but was fascinated by it
12:10 - Becoming the champion
16:35 - After you’re not the champion anymore
18:15 - Time to retire
19:30 - We had to fight for the money
20:00 - Coach Mike Brown
21:20 - Steve Mocco
24:30 - Bo Nickal
29:25 - Askren-Masvidal and coaching teammates
33:45 - NCAA Wrestlers not as dominant in MMA
38:50 - How to become the best MMA fighter from a young age
40:00 - Aaron Pico
41:00 - The evolution of the MMA industry
42:40 - This SHOULD be the biggest sport in the world
45:30 - Mike Brown the wrestling fan
47:10 - Wins and whoopins
53:00 - All-Time favorite wrestler

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58 min

About The Bader Show

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Mark Bader and friends interview the biggest names in the sport of wrestling. Hear from your favorite wrestlers and coaches about their experiences in life through the sport. Become inspired,…