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Join hosts Mike Davis and Joey Venti on the MMA History Podcast for Episode #323 with John “The Natural” Alessio. The former UFC Welterweight title challenger, 50-fight veteran, and Canadian MMA pioneer discusses his remarkable career from outlaw shows in British Columbia to the bright lights of the UFC, PRIDE, King of the Cage, Pancrase, and Super Brawl. Alessio turned pro as a teenager after spotting a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu bumper sticker at a gas station. He shares wild early stories, including no-rules biker-backed events in a Sikh temple (with mid-fight police interventions and headbutts allowed), mismatched weight bouts in Japan, altitude struggles in tournaments, training at the Shark Tank with Ken Shamrock and legends like Pete Williams, and his UFC title shot against Pat Miletich at UFC 26 at age 20, making him the youngest fighter ever to compete for a UFC championship. Now a veteran with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on the FBI fugitive apprehension task force, Alessio also talks police jiu-jitsu training, life after fighting, and the raw, unregulated era of the sport he helped build. Packed with OG tales of Jason Height, Eddie Millis, John Peretti, Stefan Patry, Shawn Tompkins, and more.
This should be fun, hearing stories of the Shark Tank and Lion’s Den
This story about the Biker MMA event in Canada is cool. Someone needs to do a movie about the 90s NHB events. It was the wild west. So many possibilities.
Great podcast, very likable dude. Who was the guest you had on a while back who didn’t care for JA?
some on vimeo ive posted Rites of Passage
Yeah that Quarry fight LOL
He beat my former coach back in the day.
Great interview! I didn’t realize John Alessio was a member of the Shark Tank team and trained with the Lion’s Den as well. Great story about Club Rubber! To have been a fly on the wall in that place in its heyday. I’ve always been so impressed with what Eddy Millis and the Shark Tank were able to put together in those early years. Very grassroots beginnings and Eddy is still coaching today.
It was interesting hearing Mike & John talk about Kalib Starnes. He would be a great guest for the podcast. Going into TUF 3, he was one of the best talents not just coming out of Canada, but anywhere. He had a wealth of experience and was very skilled everywhere. It seemed like his attitude really derailed things for him. There were questions about the severity of his rib injury during his fight on the show against Kendall Grove and whether or not he was really hurt that badly or if he just quit in that one. Later on he apparently did not deem Nate Quarry, a former world title challenger worthy enough for a fight and once they were finally in the cage together we all remember what happened in that one. I’d love for Mike & Joey to get Kalib on so we could hear his side of what went down in these fights from his perspective.
ill try
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