In this episode of The Heart of the Bad Wolf, host Nicholas James Muscarella sits down with UFC strawweight veteran Angela “Overkill” Hill, one of the true pioneers of women’s MMA and a record-holder for most fights in the UFC strawweight division.

Angela opens up about longevity in the UFC, taking intentional breaks from training, fighting through injuries, and learning how to separate her identity from competition. She shares her journey from art school at Cooper Union to Muay Thai, The Ultimate Fighter, and becoming one of the most respected veterans in the sport.

The conversation dives deep into creativity, cosplay, gaming, animation, and how artistic expression helped Angela build a fight persona while staying true to who she is outside the cage. She reflects on growing up introverted, finding confidence through art, navigating race and representation in MMA, and the unexpected pressure of becoming the first African-American woman in the UFC.

Angela also discusses her long-term goals beyond fighting, including opening a gym, coaching the next generation, and making martial arts more accessible to young athletes. This is an honest, thoughtful conversation about legacy, self-belief, discipline, and building a life that lasts longer than a fight career.

If you care about women’s MMA, creativity, and the real human stories behind the fighters, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Please like, follow, and subscribe — it helps more people discover these fighters and their stories.

Follow Angela Hill on Instagram and X: @angieoverkill

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Produced by Command Creative Studios https://www.commandcreativestudios.com/

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In this episode of The Heart of the Bad Wolf, host Nicholas James Muscarella sits down with Carla Esparza, two-time UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion and one of the most influential pioneers in women’s MMA.

Carla shares the unlikely story of how they first met while on their honeymoons in Bora Bora, before diving into her journey through wrestling, MMA, and the early days of women fighting at the highest level. She reflects on being the inaugural UFC Strawweight Champion, setting historical records, and carrying the responsibility of helping grow women’s MMA from the ground up.

The conversation explores discipline, resilience, parenthood, training as therapy, balancing career and family, and the mental parallels between fighting, art, and life. Carla also opens up about her upbringing, the mentors who helped shape her career, and the perseverance required to stay relevant and competitive across multiple generations of fighters.

This episode is an intimate look at legacy, growth, and what it truly means to put the “bad wolf” in the cage and walk away stronger.

Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications. New episodes drop on YouTube.

Follow Carla Esparza: Instagram and X: @CarlaEsparza1

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In this episode of The Heart of the Bad Wolf, host Nicholas James Muscarella sits down with UFC lightweight Jared Gordon for a raw and unfiltered conversation about survival, addiction, faith, and resilience.

Jared shares his upbringing in New York, early exposure to drugs and alcohol, childhood sexual trauma, and the long battle with heroin addiction that led to homelessness, jail, multiple overdoses, and repeated trips to treatment. He opens up about how MMA became both an outlet and a lifeline, and how sobriety ultimately changed the trajectory of his life and career.

The conversation also dives into faith, recovery, setbacks inside and outside the cage, fatherhood, marriage, and navigating injuries and losses while staying sober. This is a powerful story of accountability, perseverance, and choosing growth when giving up would be easier.

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Follow Jared Gordon on:

website: Jaredflashgordon.com

Instagram: @Jaredflashgordon

X: @Jflashgordonmma

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In this powerful episode of The Heart of the Bad Wolf, host Nicholas James Muscarella sits down with UFC veteran and two-time Ultimate Fighter winner Jesse Taylor for one of his most honest conversations to date.

Jesse opens up about incarceration, addiction, sobriety, and the judge who he believes saved his life. Fresh out of jail and currently in a rehab program, he reflects on substance abuse, self-sabotage, faith, and the mental battles that followed the highs of his fighting career. He discusses how wrestling and MMA once gave him purpose, how losing that outlet led him down a destructive path, and why having goals is essential for survival.

The conversation dives deep into fatherhood, relationships, isolation, worthiness of love, and Jesse’s desire to rebuild his life spiritually, mentally, and professionally. This episode is a raw look at redemption, accountability, and what it truly takes to come back from rock bottom.

Watch us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@Theheartofthebadwolf

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Command Creative Studios https://www.commandcreativestudios.com/

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In this episode of The Heart of the Bad Wolf, host Nicholas James Muscarella sits down with UFC fighter Chris Padilla for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation that goes far beyond the cage.

Chris opens up about the mindset he carries into fights and why calmness, discipline, and mental clarity are some of a fighter’s greatest weapons. He discusses the demanding training and nutrition required at the highest level, while also reflecting on deeper themes like family dynamics, mentorship, and the personal demons every fighter must face along the way.

The conversation also explores how psychedelics have shaped Chris’s perspective on life, creativity, and self-awareness, and why having outlets beyond fighting is essential for long-term balance and fulfillment. From upbringing and identity to purpose and personal growth, this episode reveals the human being behind the gloves and the inner work required to thrive inside and outside the cage.

This is an honest look at what it takes to evolve as a fighter and as a person.

Follow Chris Padilla on Instagram: @chriswartaco123, X: chriswartaco, and Snapchat: tacopadilla13

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Steven Asplund is a larger-than-life heavyweight with no filter, a ferocious work ethic, and a story you'll want to hear. In episode one of The Heart of the Bad Wolf, host Nicholas James Muscarella sits down with Steven to dive deep into his journey: from growing up overweight and bullied, to embracing fighting, grinding through early amateur bouts, and bulldozing his way into the spotlight after lighting up the Contender Series.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Steven’s childhood shaped his fight and his life
• The moment he decided enough was enough, and he began transforming his body and mindset
• Growing up in Minnesota with a fighter dad, and learning lessons of discipline from a young age
• What it means to fight not just for yourself but for family, legacy, and those who’ve had your back from day one

Whether you’re a fight fan, someone on a personal transformation journey, or just love real, raw stories — this is one you don’t want to miss.

Tap in, welcome to The Heart of the Wolf.

Subscribe now so you don’t miss future episodes.

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YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@Theheartofthebadwolf

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Command Creative Studios

https://www.commandcreativestudios.com/

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The Heart of the Bad Wolf is coming, and this trailer sets the tone. Hosted by Nicholas James Muscarella, this podcast goes far beyond fight records and highlight reels. It digs into the stories behind the warriors of mixed martial arts: where they came from, what they’ve battled through, and how they’ve learned to control, channel, and feed the “bad wolf” within.

If you’ve ever wanted to understand the fighter behind the fighter the human behind the mouthguard—this is the place. Raw truth. Real stories. No scripts. Welcome to The Heart of the Bad Wolf.

First episode drops on December 8th, and new episodes are released every Monday after. Don't forget to follow so you can receive notifications when new episodes drop.

Watch us on

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@Theheartofthebadwolf

Follow us on:

Instagram: @theheartofthebadwolf

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#TheHeartOfTheBadWolf#MMAPodcast#FighterStories#CombatSports#MMACommunity#FighterMindset#MMAFamily#FightLife#MixedMartialArts#MeetTheFighter#RealConversations#HumanStory#PodcastLaunch#NewPodcastAlert#PodcastTrailer#TrueStories#MentalStrength#BehindTheFight#InsideTheMind#MartialArtsLife#FeedTheWolf#BattleWithin#BadWolfStory#HeartOfAFighter