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Hi everyone! Was so grateful to sit down with UFC legend Claudia Gadelha to talk about her journey from leaving home at 15 in Brazil to becoming a top UFC strawweight, breaking cycles of poverty, and building life after fighting. We got into her 3AM routine, money advice for fighters, and her new mission to grow UFC Jiu-Jitsu worldwide. Inspiring one– Claudia is so gracious and intelligent, and felt so lucky to have her on! 

@itskennedylouise on all platforms :) 

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Hey guys! Sorry for the delay- Had some personal stuff come up this month so I have a big backlog of episodes I’m working to get out on a weekly cadence now. Was so thrilled to get to sit down with UFC vet Cody Stamann last month. It’s an episode that I think a lot of aspiring fighters especially should watch – Cody’s resume is stacked with fighting the best in the UFC’s bantamweight division for almost a decade. 

He’s now transitioning from his time in the UFC into the next chapter. We talk about him growing up fighting in Michigan’s Wild West amateur scene, worst fight injuries, moving from the country in Michigan to Las Vegas, and tips for how to approach a fight career in a strategic way without letting it become a “job”. 

If you’re an aspiring fighter I’d especially recommend this one, but honestly it’s a great listen all around! 

Follow Cody:  @codystamann 
Follow Kennedy; @Itskennedylouise on all platforms 

The podcast is sponsored by MyBookie! Use code KENNEDY for a 50% bonus on a deposit of up to $1,000.

@itskennedylouise on all platforms :) 

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Hey guys! Fun bonus episode for you today. Had so much fun sitting down with Mikey, who has totally changed her life in the last year through PowerSlap. Though I’ve always been a bit critical of PowerSlap, Mikey was so gracious and allowed me to express some of my concerns and we were able to have an honest back-and-forth conversation about it. Regardless of how you feel about the sport, I’m sure you have some morbid curiosity about how it all works— I know I did! 

We have an open back-and-forth about the brain trauma involved in PowerSlap, how she got involved (and how she told her parents, lol), dating as a PowerSlapper, her future MMA and boxing goals, and her history with an ED. 

Honestly this was a really fun one! Be sure to follow Mikey on social media and stay tuned for her next match on June 27th :) 

Follow Mikey at @mikaellmichelle on Instagram! 

@itskennedylouise on all platforms :) 

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Hey guys — this one was so much fun. When I was in LA this month I sat down with Luke “The Chef” Lessei, currently ranked #6 in ONE Championship and one of the top faces of American Muay Thai. We got into everything: growing up in a small town in Iowa, getting thrown into martial arts by his dad at age 4, going viral for wild knockouts, feeling imposter syndrome even at the top, the highs and lows of fighting on ONE, and the DM that changed his life.

A bit of a departure from my typical MMA content but if you know me you know my origins are in Muay Thai ;) Definitely make sure to check out Luke’s next fight on ONE Championship!

Chapters 
00:00 - Intro: Who is Luke “The Chef” Lessei?
02:00 - Growing Up in Iowa and Fighting Since Age 4
08:45 - Building a Unique Muay Thai Style (and Why It’s All About Aesthetics)
14:20 - Going Viral, Getting Signed to ONE While Working at FedEx
21:00 - Fighting Joe Nattawut and Winning Over the Thai Crowd
28:15 - Facing His Favorite Fighter: Eddie Abasolo
34:30 - Impostor Syndrome, Pressure, and Finding Purpose
42:00 - Rock Bottom: Losing a Fight, His Marriage, and Confidence
48:45 - Mental Coaching, Rebuilding, and Moving to New Jersey
55:30 - Being a Fighter and a Dad: Balancing Purpose and Family
1:02:00 - The Chef Persona, Social Media, and the Bigger Mission
1:08:00 - Advice to Fighters and What’s Next for Luke Lessei

⸻

Follow Luke
📸 Instagram: @lukethechef_
🎵 TikTok: @lukethechef_
📺 YouTube:  ⁨@lukethecheflessei1776⁩

Follow Kennedy 
📸 Instagram: @itskennedylouise
🎵 TikTok: @itskennedylouise
📺 YouTube: @itskennedylouise

#MuayThai #OneChampionship #FightLife #CombatSports #Striking #MuayThaiFighter #ViralKnockout #FighterMindset #MartialArts #Kickboxing

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So thrilled to be able to sit down with Bibano Fernandes– one of the legends in the sport and the second person even inducted ONE Championship's Hall of Fame. BIbano's list of accomplishments includes an 11x ONE Champion and 2x DREAM champion. 

Bibiano shares about his unique mindset and approach to fighting, including tips to how he was able to have such a lengthy career (Bibiano was successfully defending his belt at near-40!). After living in Canada for several decades, Bibiano has recently opened Flash Academy in Vancouver. 

*Use code KENNEDY for a 50% bonus on a deposit of up to $1000 at MyBookie*

#onechampionship #bibianofernandes #bibiano #mma #bjj

@itskennedylouise on all platforms :) 

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I got to sit down with UFC strawweight Loopy Godinez to hear her incredible story—from growing up in Mexico to building a life from scratch in Canada, and eventually fighting her way into the UFC. She shares what it was like starting over in Vancouver, her early days in judo, and the moment she knew MMA was her path.

We also talk about her wild short-notice fights, her insane work ethic, and the hustle it takes to always be ready. Loopy opens up about training with her sisters, repping both Mexico and Canada, and what drives her to keep pushing forward.

* Use code KENNEDY for a 50% bonus on a deposit of up to $1000 at MyBookie*

#LoopyGodinez #UFC #MMA #WomenInMMA #UFCStrawweight #FighterJourney  #CombatSports #FightLife #UFCFighter #wmma

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Had such a great time chatting with Vanessa after her last fight in Vegas! Vanessa is a gem, and has an incredible story: from moving to the US from Greece as a kid, to spending over a decade as a stripper (and even writing a book on it!), to starting MMA at a time when women weren't even allowed in the UFC and making it all the way to the Octagon. Vanessa has such a strong sense of self that has carried her through the years and really infectious energy– excited to share this one with you all! 

Be sure to follow her at @lilmonsterdemo, and keep an eye out for her next time she's in the Octagon :)

* Use code KENNEDY for a 50% bonus on a deposit of up to $1000 at MyBookie*

@itskennedylouise on all platforms :) 

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Loved getting to chat with Jessy Jess for Episode 2 of this series. Jessy has awesome energy and was honestly such a fun guest – We cover everything from her martial arts journey (from MMA, to Muay Thai, then...boxing?), sobriety, face tats, the finances of being a pro fighter, creepy DMs, coaching, and so much more.

Be sure to follow her at @misjessyjess on all platforms, and keep an eye out for her upcoming Muay Thai fight at @FightNightSanJose.

* Use code KENNEDY for a 50% bonus on a deposit of up to $1000 at MyBookie*

#ufc #mma #missjessyjess #jessyjess #mixedmartialarts #muaythai #boxing #mvppromotions

@itskennedylouise on all platforms :) 

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Was so thrilled to sit down with John Wood, head coach and founder of Syndicate MMA, last week. Coach to fighters like Merab Dvalishvili, Aljamain Sterling, and Khalil Rountree, John has built one of the most well known gyms in MMA over the past two decades. Loved being able to sit down with him and chat about his journey building Syndicate, the responsibilities and challenges of being an MMA coach, what he looks for in fighters, and a lot more.

Follow John and Syndicate on Instagram:
@bigwoodmma702
@syndicatemma

Special thanks to MyBookie for sponsoring this episode! Use code KENNEDY for a 50% bonus on a deposit of up to $1,000.

@itskennedylouise on all platforms :)