Episode 778: The Winning Mentality with Frankie Edgar & Dante Rivera

On today's episode, Dennis sits down with 3x UFC Champion Frankie
Edgar and UFC Fighter and BJJ Legend Dante Rivera.


Frankie Edgar's amazing career began in Toms River, New Jersey,
Frankie wrestled at Toms River High School East, making it to the
New Jersey state championship tournament on three occasions,
placing second as a junior and fifth as a senior. Edgar is the
oldest of 3 children, Edgar went on to compete in the NHSCA
Senior Nationals and placed second before he finished high
school. He continued wrestling at Clarion University of
Pennsylvania, where he qualified for the nationals all four years
there. Edgar entered his first mixed martial arts fight with only
a few weeks of training outside of his wrestling background.
Edgar originally trained with Rob Guarino of Rhino Fight Team,
but today he is part of the Gracie system under Ricardo Almeida
in Hamilton, NJ, who is part of the Gracie Barra team. Since
seventh grade Edgar has wrestled with Steve Rivera at Elite
Wrestling NJ in Jackson, NJ. His boxing trainer is Mark Henry of
Millstone, NJ. Edgar became the UFC Lightweight Champion at UFC
112 when he defeated BJ Penn by unanimous decision. In the
history of the UFC, no fighter has spent more time in the
Octagon, just under 6.5 hours. These days, Edgar is a New Jersey
legend, raising his family in Toms River, not far from where he
grew up himself.
Professor Dante Rivera is the Founder and Head Instructor at
Dante Rivera Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy located in Freehold, New
Jersey.  Professor Dante Rivera is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black
Belt who studied under the legendary Ricardo Almeida, Renzo
Gracie's first American Black Belt. The IFL & UFC veteran
currently fights for Bellator and was a featured fighter on The
Ultimate Fighter, Season 7.  Dante Rivera is a multiple time
Grapplers Quest and NAGA Champion, as well as a long time training
partner of Ricardo Almeida, Renzo Gracie, Frankie Edgar, Tom
DeBlass, Nick Catone and many other veterans. Professor Dante held
the following titles:  Ring of Combat, Combat in the Cage,
Cage Fury, Reality Fighting, & N.A.B.C. 185-lb Champion. Dante
was recently inducted into the New Jersey State Martial Arts Hall
of Fame where he received the Pioneer Fighter Award.

Today, Frankie and Dante discuss their upbringing and history in
the UFC, the transition from fighting to coaching, the
effectiveness of BJJ training for DT, dealing with the haters,
the best way to start training BJJ, importance of being in shape
and having a winning mentality. 


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