In this episode I sit down with UFC world title winning coach Eric Nicksick to unpack the path that took him from a football coach to one of the most respected leaders in mixed martial arts. Eric tells the full story of how he ended up in the corner for some of the biggest fights in the world, and what he learned along the way about culture, accountability, and building fighters who can handle real pressure.

We revisit the night Dan Ige stepped in on short notice and how that decision shaped Dan's career. We talk about why a fighter’s wife or partner often has more influence than people realize and how that dynamic can make or break an athlete in camp. Eric also gives his honest take on the truth about Sean Strickland, the human behind the headlines, and what most people get wrong about him.

This conversation is packed with leadership lessons, real stories from the trenches, and the mindset that produces champions.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle 

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

#TruthSerumPodcast 

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

Jon Heck has lived the evolution of college football, from suiting up for UNC to coaching strength and conditioning at both Troy and his Alma Mater. He’s worked with elite athletes chasing the NFL and everyday players chasing their peak, and his approach to performance goes way beyond the weight room.

In this episode, Jon and I get into his exact methodology for getting in the best shape of your life, the training systems, the nutritional principles, and the mental discipline that separate elite performers from everyone else. We talk about how NIL has reshaped the mindset of college athletes, what’s really driving performance in the modern game, and why accountability and consistency still beat talent every time.

This one’s packed with truth about training, recovery, and the new world of college football, straight from a coach who’s lived it at every level.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle 

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

Work with Jon

https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/brand/Hammer%20and%20Chisel

Jon's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/what_the_heck71/?hl=en

 @HammerAndChiselPerformance  

#TruthSerumPodcast 

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

Jordan Sullivan (The Fight Dietitian), has fueled some of the most elite MMA fighters and endurance athletes on the planet. In this episode, we break down what it really takes to perform at your absolute limit, whether you’re cutting weight for a fight or running 100 miles through the mountains. Jordan reveals why most athletes are under-fueled, over-trained, and chasing bad advice. We talk carb timing, sodium balance, recovery nutrition, and how to make weight without killing your performance.

From UFC fight week to ultra marathons, this is the real science of human fuel, not the influencer version.

If you’ve ever wondered how to push further, recover faster, or perform stronger, this one’s your blueprint.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance. 👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel. 👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

Jordan's Website

https://thefightdietitian.com/

Jordan's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/the_fightdietitian/?hl=en

#TruthSerumPodcast Follow

Truth Serum Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter:

https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

Performance coach Mike Dolce joins Truth Serum to dismantle the soft culture that’s taken over men’s health and the UFC. He reveals how to rebuild strength from the ground up, through nutrition, discipline, and the daily pursuit of something greater. This is a blueprint for men who want to win at life again.

✅ Protekt Ultimate Sideline Giveaway

👉 https://protekt.com/collections/2025-ultimate-sideline-giveaway

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle 

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🥩 Wild. Healthy. Sustainable – Maui Nui Venison

The most nutrient-dense red meat on the planet. Ethically harvested wild venison from Hawaii—packed with protein, low in fat, and insanely delicious.

👉 https://mauinuivenison.com/truth

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

Mike's Website

https://thedolcediet.com/

Mike's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/thedolcediet/?hl=en

#TruthSerumPodcast

I sit down with Jim LaValle, clinical pharmacist, nutritionist, and bestselling author, to uncover the overlooked strategies that fuel performance and health. From the science of metabolic health to the surprising power of box breathing, Jim shares how small changes in stress, recovery, and supplementation can completely transform the way you feel and perform. This episode breaks down what the world’s top athletes and high performers are doing to extend their careers, sharpen their focus, and unlock their potential.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle 

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🥩 Wild. Healthy. Sustainable – Maui Nui Venison

The most nutrient-dense red meat on the planet. Ethically harvested wild venison from Hawaii—packed with protein, low in fat, and insanely delicious.

👉 https://mauinuivenison.com/truth

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

James' Website

https://www.jimlavalle.com

James' Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/therealjimlavalle/?hl=en

#TruthSerumPodcast 

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

Vote for Charles for Trainer of the year at The World MMA Awards!

https://www.worldmmaawards.com/votenow/

When people think about the UFC, they picture the walkouts, the knockouts, the highlight reels. But long before fighters step into the Octagon, there’s another fight happening, one with the scale, with food, with the limits of the human body.

I sat down with Charles Stull, Director of Performance Nutrition at the UFC Performance Institute, to talk about that hidden battle. Charles has shaped how some of the greatest fighters in the world approach weight cutting, recovery, and performance. He’s not just a dietitian — he’s someone who’s helped redefine what it means to fuel athletes in one of the most demanding sports on earth.

In this conversation, we break down the science, the strategy, and the reality of nutrition in combat sports. We talk about what’s working, what’s broken, and what it really takes to push the limits of human performance inside the UFC.

For me, this was more than just an interview. It was a chance to sit across from someone who has seen behind the curtain, and who is changing the way fighters prepare for the fight before the fight.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle - Use Code: TRUTHSLEEP to save an additional 10% off your next mattress!

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🥩 Wild. Healthy. Sustainable – Maui Nui Venison

The most nutrient-dense red meat on the planet. Ethically harvested wild venison from Hawaii—packed with protein, low in fat, and insanely delicious.

👉 https://mauinuivenison.com/truth

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

Charles' Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/the_angry_dietitian/

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

On this episode of Truth Serum with Tyler Minton, I sit down with Aaron Ausmus, former Head Strength Coach at the University of Southern California.

Aaron has spent years training some of the best athletes in the world, and he shares the real secret to getting athletes stronger — it’s not just about lifting heavy. From movement quality and mindset to the systems that built national championship teams at USC, this conversation breaks down what separates average training from elite performance.

We also dive into the role of recovery as a non-negotiable piece of high performance, and Aaron’s unique perspective as the creator of Sorinex’s Squatober, a global strength training movement.

Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or just someone who wants to train with purpose, you’ll walk away with proven principles for strength, resilience, recovery, and lasting performance.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle - Use Code: TRUTHSLEEP to save an additional 10% off your next mattress!

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🥩 Wild. Healthy. Sustainable – Maui Nui Venison

The most nutrient-dense red meat on the planet. Ethically harvested wild venison from Hawaii—packed with protein, low in fat, and insanely delicious.

👉 https://mauinuivenison.com/truth

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

Aarons Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/aaron_ausmus/?hl=en

#TruthSerumPodcast #AaronAusmus #StrengthTraining #USCFootball

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

Justin Lee is the world’s greatest spearfisher, a hunter whose skill and instinct have been honed by a lifetime in the ocean. In this episode, Justin and I dive deep into the mindset and craft of hunting both underwater and on land, the discipline it takes to thrive in the most unforgiving environments, and how fatherhood has reshaped his outlook on risk and legacy. Justin opens up about a childhood brush with death that shaped his resilience, shares jaw-dropping stories of close encounters with sharks, and explains what it takes to stay calm when every instinct tells you to panic.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle - Use Code: TRUTHSLEEP to save an additional 10% on your next mattress

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🥩 Wild. Healthy. Sustainable – Maui Nui Venison

The most nutrient-dense red meat on the planet. Ethically harvested wild venison from Hawaii—packed with protein, low in fat, and insanely delicious.

👉 https://mauinuivenison.com/truth

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

Justin's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bigisleboy24/?hl=en

#truthserum #hawaii  #spearfishing  #justinlee

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

If you’ve ever flinched, punched a trigger, or felt your brain hijack your shot, this episode is for you.

Joel Turner is the founder of SHOT IQ, a firearms and archery training system built entirely around one thing: the mental game. A former SWAT sniper and instructor, Joel has spent decades teaching shooters how to control their shot under pressure. Not with gimmicks. With a system.

In this episode of Truth Serum, Joel breaks down target panic, subconscious movement, trigger control, and what it takes to shoot with precision when it counts. We dig into the psychology of panic, the science of focus, and why most people don’t really understand how to train their shot process.

Whether you’re a bowhunter, rifleman, or just someone who wants to perform when it matters, this conversation will change how you think about control.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🥩 Wild. Healthy. Sustainable – Maui Nui Venison

The most nutrient-dense red meat on the planet. Ethically harvested wild venison from Hawaii—packed with protein, low in fat, and insanely delicious.

👉 https://mauinuivenison.com/truth

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/

(Use code TRUTH10 to save 10% on all orders)

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

Joel's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/joelturneractual/?hl=en

Joel's Website

https://shotiq.com/

#truthserum #hunting #shotiq #joelturner

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

Cole Kramer is one of the most respected and sought-after hunting guides on the planet. He’s spent decades leading some of the most extreme backcountry hunts you can imagine, grueling multi-week expeditions across Kodiak Island, the Arctic tundra, and beyond. But what sets Cole apart isn’t just his experience, it’s how he prepares for the unknown.

In this episode, we sat down with Cole to talk about how he trains, eats, and stays mentally sharp for hunts that push the limits of human endurance. We also dug into one of the most powerful stories he’s been a part of: guiding double leg amputee Jonathon Blank on a once-in-a-lifetime mountain hunt, a story captured in the Sitka film Never Broken. Cole walked us through the physical and emotional prep behind that hunt, what it took to get Jonathon ready, and what it taught him about resilience, grit, and what’s possible when you refuse to quit.

We covered everything from backcountry nutrition and mindset to the realities of leadership when lives are on the line. Whether you’re a hunter, athlete, or someone who just values living with intention, there’s something in this episode for you.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

Use Code: *TRUTHFLASH10* to save 10% on your next mattress!

👉 https://tinyurl.com/truthserumpod

🥩 Wild. Healthy. Sustainable – Maui Nui Venison

The most nutrient-dense red meat on the planet. Ethically harvested wild venison from Hawaii—packed with protein, low in fat, and insanely delicious.

👉 https://mauinuivenison.com/truth

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

Cole's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/cole_ak_kramer/?hl=en

Cole's Website

https://kramerskodiakgs.com/

#truthserum #hunting #colekramer #alaska 

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/