Truth Serum with Tyler Minton

On this episode of Truth Serum, I sit down with Ray Thompson, one of the most accomplished karate coaches in the United States and the man who laid the foundation for Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson.
 
We talk about Ray’s early years and the origins of when he was fighting himself. His childhood, how he was raised, and how those experiences shaped his mindset around discipline, respect, and work ethic. Ray shares what it was like growing up in a tougher era, why those lessons still matter today, and how they influenced the way he raised his own children.
 
We also get into parenting. What Ray believes parents today are getting wrong, why kids need more structure and accountability, and how raising tougher, more resilient children starts with consistency, standards, and leading by example.
 
This conversation is about legacy, responsibility, and raising strong people in a world that has gotten a little too comfortable.
 
✅ 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: 10SAVINGS to save an additonal 10%
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/

Chris Camacho is the strength coach behind legends like Daniel Cormier and Gennady Golovkin.
 
In this episode, I sit down with Chris to talk through past fight camps, the realities of preparing athletes at the highest level, and why great coaches must always put their athletes first even when pressure, money, and expectations are high.
 
Chris also opens up about the motorcycle crashes that nearly ended both his and his brother’s careers, and how those experiences reshaped his perspective on training, risk, and longevity.
 
This is an honest look at championship preparation, coaching integrity, and the lessons that only come from surviving the hardest moments in sport.
 
✅ 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: 10SAVINGS to save an additonal 10%
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/

On this episode of Truth Serum I sit down with Dan Ige to break down the night everything changed. When Diego Lopes needed an opponent on short notice, Dan stepped in and delivered one of the most respected performances of the year. We talk through why he took the fight, what was going through his head backstage, and how that moment reshaped the way fans and fighters see him. Dan opens up about the role his faith plays in how he competes, the support he draws from his family, and how his Hawaiian upbringing shaped his resilience and mindset. This is a real look at the night he became a UFC star.
 
✅ 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 code10SAVINGS to save an additonal 10%
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/

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/