Pimps, Pinky Rings, and Performance: The Truth About Sports Funding

What if everything you thought you knew about creating champion fighters was wrong? In this raw, unfiltered conversation with Olympic gold medalist Herb Perez and bronze medalist Juan Moreno, we crack open the uncomfortable truth about what's really happening in American Taekwondo.

The discussion begins with a critical examination of the recent Cadet World Championships, where Russia's dominance reveals a stark contrast to America's approach. Despite our supposed advantages in resources and population, we're watching other countries consistently outperform us—and it's not for lack of talented athletes.

"You take kids from a system they're growing in, just to go there, and then what?" TJ asks, challenging the centralized training model that uproots athletes from their support networks. Moreno and Perez both built their Olympic success outside the system, training in environments where accountability wasn't optional and performance wasn't just measured, but expected by entire communities who knew them by name.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Perez shares insights about his mentor, the legendary Stephen Vizio—one of the first non-Asians accepted into traditional Kung Fu schools who later created an underground fighting system that produced champions across combat sports. His philosophical approach distilled fighting to its essence: "Do what you do well, avoid what you don't do well, and exploit the weaknesses of what other people don't do well."

Between discussions of "pimps and pinky rings" in sports leadership and the absurdity of talent identification camps for athletes who have already proven themselves, this episode offers a masterclass in what actually develops champions versus what merely creates the appearance of development.

Whether you're a fighter, coach, or simply fascinated by high-performance mindsets, this conversation will challenge your assumptions about talent development and make you question the systems we've built to create excellence. Subscribe now and join us next week when our hosts share stories about the mentors who transformed their lives.