Kyven Gadson is bringing elite wrestling mechanics into the cage, and if you care about MMA grappling, this is the blueprint.

The NCAA champion and undefeated heavyweight breaks down how he is turning world-class takedowns, overhooks, and chain wrestling into a dangerous pro MMA game.From his Iowa wrestling lineage to training under USA Wrestling Legend Kevin Jackson, Kyven Gadson shares how a lifetime of pressure-tested grappling shaped the way he fights now.

He explains why the overhook is more than a tie-up, how heavyweight opponents change leverage and timing, and why the smartest fighters are the ones who can set traps instead of forcing chaos.

You’ll discover:

- How his legendary Kyle Snyder throw was built on film study, timing, and positional manipulation

- Why folk style translates so well to MMA, and where freestyle still gives him an edge

- How he is reengineering his stance to defend leg kicks without losing shot power

- The adjustments needed for wall wrestling, dirty boxing, and clinch control against bigger men

- Why fatigue, calm, and accountability matter as much as athleticism in a long MMA career

Kyven also talks about the coaches and training partners helping him level up, including his Father and World Class Wrestler - Jerome Ward, Mike Rhodes, Ben Cash, Duran Wynn, and others who keep his game sharp.

He opens up about the mindset shift from pure wrestling to cage fighting, the importance of staying grounded, and why he is still approaching every camp like a student.This episode is perfect for wrestlers transitioning to MMA, grapplers who want more cage-specific insight, and anyone who loves hearing from a fighter who thinks as hard as he competes.

If you want to understand how an NCAA champion becomes a real heavyweight problem in MMA, hit play now.Kyven Gadson is an undefeated professional heavyweight MMA fighter, NCAA Division I national champion at Iowa State, multiple-time Team USA member, and Final X competitor known for his elite wrestling pedigree and technical grappling.

Josh from Grapplezilla hosts the episode and drives the conversation with deep, biomechanics-focused questions that reveal how Kyven’s wrestling translates to MMA.

Here are Kyven Gadsons’ social media accounts as well as where you can find him online:

Instagram: @gadsonstrong

YouTube: @gadsonstrong

Facebook: @gadsonstrong

TikTok: @gadsonstrong

X: @gadsonstrong

If you want to get some AWESOME Grapplezilla merch, check out our Grapplezilla Store in the link below:

https://grapplezilla-shop.fourthwall.com/

If you would like to support the Grapplezilla Podcast and buy me a coffee, I’ll leave a link below as any support is always appreciated:

https://buymeacoffee.com/grapplezilla Also, if you enjoyed this episode of the Grapplezilla Podcast, we invite you to subscribe to Grapplezilla’s YouTube channel for more great Grappling and Wrestling content updated regularly.

Until next time…Grab, Throw, Tap!

#usawrestling #wrestling #iowastate #MMAMindset #jiujitsulife #KyvenGadson #combatsports #fighttalk #iowawrestling #iowamma #grapplezilla #grapplingpodcast #mmapodcast #gadsonstrong #ufcpodcast #wrestlingpodcast #flowrestling #rudis