Join the MMA Detective Mike Davis and co-host Joey Venti for an exclusive deep dive with Paul “The Hitman” Herrera — Division I All-American wrestler (Nebraska, 142 lbs), Tito Ortiz’s high school wrestling coach, and core member of the legendary Tank Abbott crew in Huntington Beach.

In this raw, no-holds-barred conversation, Herrera recounts the Wild West days of MMA: his Olympic Trials run, training with Mark Schultz at BYU, the infamous UFC 6 elevator incident with Pat Smith, dojo-storming Alan Gomez alongside Tank Abbott and Eddie Ruiz, cornering Tito Ortiz’s UFC 13 debut, his own UFC 8 fight against Gary Goodridge, and his bout with Kazushi Sakuraba in Japan. He also details promoting the underground Hitman Fight Series and his current coaching at Huntington Beach Ultimate Training Center.

The MMA History Podcast is the only show 100% dedicated to preserving mixed martial arts history through first-hand interviews with the men who lived it.

0:00 MMA history podcast intro

0:32 Joey Venti’s guest introduction

0:51 interview start

0:54 plugs/ promotions

1:33 recruited to California for wrestling

4:02 early UFC matchmaking

5:17 Olympic training center for wrestling

7:18 taking 2nd place at the Olympic open

10:07 scarce info online for Paul Herrera

11:16 coaching Tito Ortiz in high school

13:38 meeting Tank Abbott for the first time

18:25 relationship with Kimo Leopoldo

20:29 Kimo Leopoldo’s reputation

22:02 interactions with Joe Son

22:40 Randy Ziegler

23:10 relationship with Tito Ortiz

25:13 Dojo storming Allan Góes gym

30:46 animosity towards Tank Abbott at UFC 6

34:08 Tank Abbott vs John Matua

34:49 impression on Dave Thomas

35:50 Tank Abbott vs Paul Varelans

36:46 Oleg Taktarov vs Anthony Macias fixed fight

38:45 Tank Abbott vs Oleg Taktarov

39:22 Pat Smith backstage incident

43:43 running into Pat Smith in elevator

48:00 accused of stealing from Bob Meyrowitz

49:17 putting on Hitman fight events

51:09 relationship with Mark Schultz

54:45 training with Mark Schultz

56:27 Rickson Gracie meeting with Mark Schultz

58:20 invited to fight at UFC 8

59:27 Paul Herrera vs Gary Goodridge

1:00:24 training tape leaked to Gary Goodridge

1:02:17 using substances before Gary Goodridge fight

1:06:43 Refusing hospital treatment after UFC event

1:09:36 Tank Abbott and Allan Góes incident

1:11:24 UFC 9 attendance

1:12:07 preparing Tito Ortiz for UFC debut

1:13:40 Tito Ortiz vs Guy Mezger

1:17:45 Tito Ortiz first MMA fight

1:18:27 Tank Abbott fallout with John McCarthy

1:21:46 Tito Ortiz paid under the table for UFC debut

1:24:53 issues with the Brazilians at UFC after party

1:28:01 Paul Herrera vs Kazushi Sakuraba

1:35:18 the beginning of Japanese hijinks in MMA

1:37:21 Yakuza involvement in fights

1:39:10 John Lober vs Ryushi Yanagisawa

1:39:59 experience with John Lober

1:41:10 Aaron Brink

1:42:24 hosting underground MMA events

1:44:33 first impression of Aaron Brink

1:45:54 choosing to get sober

1:47:07 career highlights

1:48:07 experience with Sean Strickland

1:51:29 interview wrap up

1:53:26 outro/ closing thoughts

Subscribe for more.

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/mmahistorypodcast?igsh=aHVweHdncXQycHBy&utm_source=qr

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/3q8KsfqrSQSjkdPLkdtNWb?si=aL3D5Y3aTDi-PQZdweWL8g

Apple Podcast

MMA History Podcast

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@MMAHistoryPodcast?si=bj1RBXTZ2X82tv_J

Outro song: Power - https://tunetank.com/t/2gji/1458-power

Mike - The MMA Detective - @mikedavis632

Cash App - $mikedavis1231

Venmo - Mike-Davis-63

ZELLE: Cutthroatmma@gmail.com / ph#: 773-491-5052

#MMA #UFC #NHB #MixedMartialArts #MMADetective #MikeDavis #MMAHistory #OldSchoolMMA #MMAPodcast #fightpodcast

Thank You for your support