The Striking Corner

In this episode, Eric and Vinny discuss Eric's evacuation from Florida for Hurricane Irma, the recent controversy surrounding Yokkao, Eric rants about the Canelo vs. GGG decision, corruption in boxing, politics in fight sports, and more.

Eric had fun with this one and talked a lot more than usual if that's possible. You be the judge!

In this episode of The Striking Corner podcast, Eric and Vinny speak with head coach and owner of Valor Training Center in Stockton, California, Patrick Rivera. Patrick is also currently the co-director of the Youth Development League (YDL), which is the USMF's Youth Program designed to get America's youth Muay Thai fighters prepared for IFMA style competitions and world championships.

Patrick has had incredible success with his youth program at Valor Training Center and also has youth fighters that have gone on to win medals at both IFMA Youth Muay Thai Championships (2016 & 2017).

Patrick discusses why youth development is imperative to the growth of American Muay Thai, what the YDL's mission is to grow the youth Muay Thai scene in the United States, and we also discuss different ways of teaching Muay Thai to kids that will get them ready for IFMA and other fight competitions.

We could have gone on for quite sometime with this podcast as Patrick has a wealth of knowledge and great ideas when it comes to the future of Muay Thai. There was so much more we could have talked about so we will definitely have Patrick on in the future. After all, he and Eric share the same last name, so you know Eric was excited about that, because well, he gets excited about everything! Enjoy this episode and share it you maniacs!

In this episode of The Striking Corner, Vinny and Eric speak with Muay Thai power couple Kate Allen and Charlie Cottone. They are the owners and instructors of 8 Limbs Muay Thai in Philadelphia, PA. Kate and Charlie discuss how they started in Muay Thai, how their relationship began, and their eventual decision of opening up their own Muay Thai gym together.

Kate also talks about competing in the 2017 IFMA Muay Thai World Championships, leaving her career as a dental hygienist to focus on Muay Thai full time, and the decision of wanting to fight but also wanting to start a family.

In addition, Charlie discusses the dynamic of being Kate's husband while also being her coach,

We had a great chat with Charlie and Kate. This is was a fun podcast for us and we hope you will all feel the same! Enjoy!

In this episode of The Striking Corner podcast, Eric and Vinny are joined by Muay Thai trainer, BJJ Purple Belt, and 5th Degree Tae Kwon Do Black Belt, Lonnie Beck! Lonnie runs two very successful gyms outside of Philadelphia and he discusses the ins and outs of the martial arts business, the ups and downs of running a gym, his learning experiences, and how traditional martial arts and combat sports can coexist in the current combat sports hungry environment.

They also discuss McDojo's, large Martial Arts franchises, staying in your lane as a business, and much much more! If you dream of opening a gym one day or are a current gym owner looking to better your business this podcast is for you!

In this episode of The Striking Corner Podcast, Vinny and Eric speak with USMF (United States Muaythai Federation) President, Michael 'Chase' Corley.

Michael is someone who has truly made Muay Thai his full-time job. First as a fighter and now as a coach at Houston Muay Thai and president of the USMF, Michael is looking to increase the recognition of Muay Thai in America. He is working hard to get Muay Thai recognized by the US Olympic Committee and bring together multiple organizations and tournaments in order to find the best Muay Thai athletes in America and take them to compete at major international tournaments such as the IFMA's, Pan-Americans, etc...

The journey has just begun and Michael and the board of the USMF are no doubt making strides. However, the journey to get to where the sport is currently and to continue its growth is not without hiccups and setbacks. We discuss all of this and more, so this is definitely an informative podcast! Enjoy!

In this episode of The Striking Corner, Vinny and Eric chat about Eric's first week back in training, amateur fighters not making weight and how to deal with it, the TBA Muay Thai Expo, McDojo's teaching Cardio Kickboxing and calling it Muay Thai, and much more! We also talk new gear you should look out for and more additions to The Striking Corner shop.

In this episode, Eric & Vinny speak with 2017 IFMA Muay Thai Championship silver medalist and Team USA member, Emilio "Hydro" Pineda. We discuss his experience fighting on the world stage, his wins over Turkey and Denmark en route to the finals against Russia. Emilio explains that a silver medal was definitely not enough for him and how he will continue his quest for gold. We also discuss the new path for young fighters in the US to try out for Team USA, the importance of international competition, and more! Check it out!

In this episode of The Striking Corner Podcast, Eric & Vinny sit down with Muay Thai Fighter, Trainer, and Physical Therapist, Dr. Hiro Perera. We discuss common injuries in Muay Thai as opposed to other sports, injury prevention, treatment, as well as when it is time to contact a medical professional. We also discuss how to warm up properly and whether or not the way many Muay Thai gyms across the country warm up before and after a class is truly correct.

In this episode, Vinny and Eric speak with owner and head coach of Level Up Boxing, Jason Farrell. Jason is an accomplished striking coach who was recently tasked with being one of the coaches for the US National Muay Thai Team that competed at the IFMA World Muay Thai Championships in Minsk, Belarus. Jason discusses the large gap he witnessed between the financial support other country's teams received as opposed to that of our very own Team USA. The guys brainstorm about how to grow awareness, support, and why more of the Muay Thai community should be aware of the importance and magnitude of the IFMA World Championships. They also air a few grievances as well!

As a side note, we wanted to apologize for the sound issues during the interview portion of this particular episode. We ran into some technical issues due to a misplaced mic and improper settings. If anything, blame ERIC!

In this bonus episode of The Striking Corner podcast Vinny rants about a recent experience where a fighter pulled out of a fight with one of his fighters at the last minute after not making weight. Vinny and Eric finally do a podcast in the same room together as opposed to the usual Skype setup.

Also the guys review the awesome Fabio Pinca seminar The Striking Corner put together at Vinny's gym in NYC, Staten Island Muay Thai.

Eric's fanboyism for top fighters continues and the guys discuss sharing a slice of pizza with Fabio Pinca and Mickael Piscitello. We happened to love how this episode came out so tell us your thoughts!