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Dynasty Combat Sports: Easton Edmond · Caught on the Mike...

0:00
SPEAKER_01: Disclaimer, the views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.
0:11
SPEAKER_01: Listener discretion is advised.
0:29
SPEAKER_01: I am super excited because I am joined by my co-maker at the Dynasty announced team channel and the host of the sports festival podcast, Taylor Festival.
0:39
SPEAKER_01: This week we are teaming up for a special series covering Dynasty Combat Sports season meetings, taking place at the Critical Bank Arena in Lake, Nebraska on Friday, November 21st.
0:49
SPEAKER_01: With an undefeated 4-0 amateur record in a highlight reel full of quick finishes, amateur champ first in the Emerald Edman is already turning edge in the Nebraska fight.
1:14
SPEAKER_01: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of Caught on the Mike.
1:19
SPEAKER_01: This episode is a special episode.
1:21
SPEAKER_01: It's part of Dynasty Combat Sports Fight Week ahead of season's beatings taking place at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.
1:31
SPEAKER_01: It is my favorite venue to call fights.
1:35
SPEAKER_01: It's my favorite venue to watch fights.
1:37
SPEAKER_01: But, anyways, joining me and what makes this episode really special is joining me for the first time ever.
1:44
SPEAKER_01: I have a special co-host.
1:47
SPEAKER_01: He is the host of the Sports with Bets podcast that you can find on Spotify and YouTube.
1:55
SPEAKER_01: And he's the smarter half of our commentary team for Dynasty Combat Sports.
2:01
SPEAKER_01: Caleb Betzeld.
2:02
SPEAKER_01: How the hell are you, my friend?
2:03
SPEAKER_02: Mike, that is so kind.
2:05
SPEAKER_02: That's outrageous of you to call me the smarter half.
2:08
SPEAKER_02: That's insane.
2:08
SPEAKER_02: But uh, dude, thank you so much for having me here.
2:11
SPEAKER_02: Uh super excited to get into today's interview.
2:16
SPEAKER_02: We've got local Dynasty Combat Sports celebrity right now, top of the food chain.
2:23
SPEAKER_02: Easton, the Emerald Edmund, uh, undefeated record 4-0.
2:28
SPEAKER_02: Got a fight coming up here against Christopher Dominic at 2025 season's beatings on November 21st.
2:36
SPEAKER_02: Easton, how you feeling, man?
2:38
SPEAKER_00: Uh I'm feeling good.
2:39
SPEAKER_00: I'm excited to be here.
2:40
SPEAKER_00: I'm glad we got the uh the whole dream team.
2:42
SPEAKER_00: You guys are rolling out the red carpet.
2:44
SPEAKER_00: So I'm glad we're gonna be.
2:47
SPEAKER_01: Let's be honest.
2:48
SPEAKER_01: The dream team is the three of us and Lexi.
2:51
SPEAKER_01: Let's let's let's let's keep it real here.
2:53
SPEAKER_00: And Lexi, we've got to get Lexi to the next one.
2:58
SPEAKER_01: Well, I gotta tell you, one of the uh things that you know Caleb and I have talked about before, and we've actually talked about it at dynasty events.
3:06
SPEAKER_01: It is really hard as commentators to hide our own personal bias.
3:12
SPEAKER_01: You know, we do have favorite fighters, we have guys that we like, but we want to call things fair and equal across the board.
3:19
SPEAKER_01: I've heard murmurs of guys feeling that some of the fights get called a little lopsided here and there, but you know, I know that's something that we really go out of our way and try and maintain a sense of professionalism.
3:33
SPEAKER_01: So to actually have you in this avenue to where we can fanboy out a little bit without worrying about pissing somebody else off, that makes this amazing.
3:44
SPEAKER_00: No, yeah, it's it's awesome.
3:45
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you guys are great and you guys do a good job commentating.
3:48
SPEAKER_00: Commentating is just a hard job, period.
3:49
SPEAKER_00: I think, like you said, just again watching the fights, calling them evenly.
3:53
SPEAKER_00: Um, but no, it's awesome to be here with you guys.
3:55
SPEAKER_00: If if it helps, you guys are my mom's favorite part of all the fights.
3:57
SPEAKER_00: She doesn't really keep the stream every single time.
4:00
SPEAKER_00: She loves hearing you guys commentate them.
4:02
SPEAKER_01: So Caleb's the smart half of the two of us.
4:05
SPEAKER_01: I just throw in the one-liners.
4:09
SPEAKER_02: Where Easton, where uh where are your folks watching the fights from usually?
4:13
SPEAKER_00: So they they always go.
4:14
SPEAKER_00: They've been at every single one.
4:15
SPEAKER_00: Uh my dad, he usually has the camera.
4:17
SPEAKER_00: He's the videographer for the night, so he's taking pictures.
4:20
SPEAKER_00: He does a good job.
4:21
SPEAKER_00: Honestly, I don't know how he does it, because he's watching and he'll just be recording on his phone and he'll bounce around in different spots.
4:26
SPEAKER_00: And then my mom, she's always there in attendance.
4:28
SPEAKER_00: My brother, he'll he'll usually walk out with me and um he usually finds a way ringside and watches the fights either, I think, illegally in the corner or somewhere along the cave.
4:37
SPEAKER_00: But my mom's usually in the back with the tables with everyone.
4:39
SPEAKER_00: Um so she's there.
4:40
SPEAKER_00: I just I don't know how much she's actually watching the fights, but she's she's there.
4:43
SPEAKER_00: She's loud and proud of every single one.
4:45
SPEAKER_00: So it's cool to have them all there.
4:47
SPEAKER_01: Well, Easton, let's get into your origin story a little bit.
4:50
SPEAKER_01: Multi-sport athlete in high school.
4:53
SPEAKER_01: You go to the University of Nebraska, Kearney, and play baseball, and now you're in the world of MMA.
5:00
SPEAKER_01: You are immersed in the world.
5:02
SPEAKER_01: You're not only immersed in it, you have a 4-0 record, and you are the amateur lightweight champ for dynasty combat sports.
5:09
SPEAKER_01: How did you find your path there?
5:11
SPEAKER_00: Uh once can you say that again, Mike?
5:13
SPEAKER_00: You said the amateur lightweight champion?
5:15
SPEAKER_00: It has a ring from it coming from you.
5:17
SPEAKER_01: If you want to say that a little bit the champion! The reigning undisputed! Yeah, I I I gotta get my practice on top of that.
5:27
SPEAKER_00: But uh, no, definitely.
5:28
SPEAKER_00: I appreciate it.
5:29
SPEAKER_00: Um, and yeah, it's just kind of been a fun ride.
5:31
SPEAKER_00: I would say uh I've always been a fan of mixed martial arts.
5:34
SPEAKER_00: I guess I shouldn't say always.
5:35
SPEAKER_00: I I think a lot like many people, once Connor kind of Connor McGregor made his rise, I think a lot of people started following the sport.
5:41
SPEAKER_00: And I was one of those people, and I was a huge mixed martial arts fan.
5:44
SPEAKER_00: I was a huge Connor fan, and watching Connor, I think, just really drew me to the sport.
5:48
SPEAKER_00: And um, like you mentioned, I played lots of sports growing up, but I think MMA just really kind of stood out to me just again, kind of being in there.
5:55
SPEAKER_00: I don't want to say alone because you do have a team in a sense, but just like the heart, the determination, and everything it kind of takes.
6:01
SPEAKER_00: Um, MMA versus like other sports you don't necessarily have, like baseball luck, but you're kind of standing in the outfield for three hours waiting for the ball to get hit versus MMA.
6:09
SPEAKER_00: There's just uh an intensity that I don't think many other sports have.
6:12
SPEAKER_00: So I think it's just always been been true to it and something I wanted to try, and so far it's going pretty well.
6:17
SPEAKER_02: How how long have you been training, Easton?
6:19
SPEAKER_00: Uh to this point, about a year and a half.
6:22
SPEAKER_00: So I think the first time I walked into Link Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was last April.
6:26
SPEAKER_00: Um, and yeah, it was it was a quick turnaround.
6:29
SPEAKER_00: Like I said, I I loved it.
6:30
SPEAKER_00: I I love just being physical and stand in shape anyway.
6:33
SPEAKER_00: So I was going to the gym and really hit hard.
6:34
SPEAKER_00: I was going there every single day and working out in the morning.
6:37
SPEAKER_00: And um it was a quick turnaround.
6:38
SPEAKER_00: I think my coach Nick, after my second sparring session, he was like, hey man, if you want to fight, like you can do it, let's go, let's book a fight.
6:45
SPEAKER_00: And I it kind of took me back for a second because I I I wanted to fight, but at the same time, it was kind of like, Am I really gonna do it?
6:50
SPEAKER_00: And after he said that, it just kind of went full steam and um, yeah, got after it.
6:55
SPEAKER_00: So about a year and a half.
6:56
SPEAKER_02: Jeez.
6:57
SPEAKER_02: That I can't believe you've only been training for a year and a half, especially with how calm and comfortable you you appear to be, you know, in the cage.
7:05
SPEAKER_02: Um when you started training at Lincoln uh Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, did you jump right into like more striking oriented classes, or did you start out with like some jujitsu?
7:15
SPEAKER_02: Because obviously that's a very well-known jujitsu school.
7:18
SPEAKER_02: Like which discipline did you start out with?
7:20
SPEAKER_02: And how uh I guess yeah, how quickly did you get into like sparring and training with the MMA team there?
7:24
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's kind of a cool buildup looking back at.
7:27
SPEAKER_00: Um so I started going to just our schedule, it kind of lays out.
7:30
SPEAKER_00: Like I was going to like our striking classes and our our MMA classes.
7:33
SPEAKER_00: So our MMA is kind of like a slower pace in between sparring days, just kind of going over technique and then striking's pad work.
7:39
SPEAKER_00: So I was doing that.
7:41
SPEAKER_00: Um, and I guess I just kind of had a knack for it again.
7:43
SPEAKER_00: First day my coach kind of looked over at me.
7:45
SPEAKER_00: He's like, Did you box before you came here?
7:47
SPEAKER_00: And I was like, played baseball my entire life.
7:49
SPEAKER_00: I never been to a boxing gym.
7:51
SPEAKER_00: So um I was doing that for about a month, and I started sparring before I ever actually went to jujitsu class, believe it or not.
7:58
SPEAKER_00: So I remember about like first couple weeks sparring, I was like, I cannot let this go to the ground at all because I have no idea what I'm doing there.
8:04
SPEAKER_00: Um so yeah, just slowly kind of from there, once I started sparring and I had the idea to fight, just mixed in the grappling and kind of took it over from there.
8:11
SPEAKER_01: So with such a fast turnaround from you jumping into training to you taking your first fight, what was some of your friends and family's reaction to that trajectory?
8:24
SPEAKER_00: Um, overall, it was really positive.
8:27
SPEAKER_00: Uh, I think everyone wanted to keep a good face to me, so I'd love to know what their real reactions were of some of them.
8:32
SPEAKER_00: Um but yeah, it just all happened so fast.
8:35
SPEAKER_00: I think my parents were the only ones I was I was like pretty nervous to tell.
8:38
SPEAKER_00: And um honestly, I was training for probably I want to say two months before I even told them.
8:42
SPEAKER_00: So my brother was the first person I told, and then it wasn't a secret necessarily.
8:46
SPEAKER_00: Again, I just hadn't told my parents, and the last thing I wanted was them to be at the grocery store and a story get told wrong, they thought I already had a fight or something.
8:53
SPEAKER_00: Uh yeah, overall I'd say it's really positive.
8:56
SPEAKER_00: But I again deep down, I think you hear you're fighting someone who's never fought, and it's not like I wasn't getting in fights as a kid or anything.
9:01
SPEAKER_00: So I think it took a lot of people back.
9:03
SPEAKER_00: So I'd love the the real reactions.
9:04
SPEAKER_00: Hopefully, one day we can get those from from everybody.
9:08
SPEAKER_01: Well, you know, it's a fair question that if your first fight had gone a different way, maybe their reaction would have been a little bit different.
9:16
SPEAKER_00: Definitely, definitely, and I think that that's part of it.
9:19
SPEAKER_00: Um, and again, I think that's what makes MMA so special is it's not a game, it's really not.
9:24
SPEAKER_00: And I was telling my parents that like, you know, be calm, like it's gonna be fine.
9:28
SPEAKER_00: You guys are gonna enjoy yourselves, you're gonna have a good time.
9:30
SPEAKER_00: But in the back of my mind, I'm like, you know, if this goes the worst case scenario, you know, probably won't be back at it two more.
9:36
SPEAKER_00: But um, yeah, no, it's definitely something that I think is is again, I think you said in one of my fights, Mike, fighting just brings everyone together, and I think that uh, again, it's kind of like the highest risk and highest reward, and I think that's what makes it so fun.
9:47
SPEAKER_00: And um, again, luckily for all my family and friends, that all the fights have been fun to go to and fun to sport.
9:52
SPEAKER_02: So well, I'm I'm curious, Easton, because I think Mike and I have had the privilege of calling all four of your fights, you know, going back to your debut even at the Astro against Thomas Vasquez, and just like I remember thinking, like, who the hell is this guy?
10:06
SPEAKER_02: I mean, you had you had that jab that was just absolutely beautiful.
10:11
SPEAKER_02: I mean, he dominated pretty much you know from start to finish that entire fight.
10:14
SPEAKER_02: Um, but you you might be the most confident and the most like smiley and laid back person I've ever seen walking into a fight.
10:23
SPEAKER_02: What can you walk us through like what's going through your head when you're you know pre-fight, getting ready for it?
10:28
SPEAKER_02: You know, is it your brother who walks you out too?
10:31
SPEAKER_02: Um and all like what tell me tell us about that experience.
10:34
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, just getting ready for fights, there's a ton of emotions.
10:37
SPEAKER_00: Um, nervous really isn't one for me, to be honest.
10:40
SPEAKER_00: I remember telling people before my first fight, that's everyone is always asking that, and some people again were shocked.
10:44
SPEAKER_00: Like, what do you mean you're not nervous?
10:45
SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, it's just you know, we're gonna go in there and fight.
10:48
SPEAKER_00: And it is what it is.
10:49
SPEAKER_00: So um, I think just dealing with a lot of those emotions, confidence is something that I've always had from a little age.
10:55
SPEAKER_00: Um, again, no matter what I'm doing, it's all authentic.
10:57
SPEAKER_00: It's just really who I am and how I feel.
10:59
SPEAKER_00: And again, if you're gonna go do something, might as well tell yourself you're the best and have a good time while you're doing it.
11:03
SPEAKER_00: So those are a lot of the emotions that I have.
11:06
SPEAKER_00: Um, there is that, again, surreal feeling, which I've never felt in any other sport of this is a fight, and we don't know how it's gonna go.
11:12
SPEAKER_00: And there's something about that that I really enjoy too.
11:14
SPEAKER_00: So I'd say getting but getting ready for before fights has been one of the best things I've ever done in my life.
11:19
SPEAKER_00: That feeling you get when you're getting your hands wrapped, um, when you're in the back warming up.
11:23
SPEAKER_00: My first fight, my brother was back there for like the entire warmups, and he was taking videos of me hitting pads and everything like that.
11:29
SPEAKER_00: So that was cool.
11:30
SPEAKER_00: Um, and then walking out, once once I hear that Drake beat drop, that's that's when it's time to go for me.
11:35
SPEAKER_00: That's that's when I'm feeling good.
11:36
SPEAKER_00: That's when I get in my zone.
11:38
SPEAKER_00: Uh, my brother, he he's funny too.
11:40
SPEAKER_00: He loves yeah, some of the videos, he's just out there being the ultimate high man, and he's just saying random stuff to me.
11:45
SPEAKER_00: Uh, he's telling me to slow down sometimes.
11:47
SPEAKER_00: He's telling me to do this dance and everything like that.
11:49
SPEAKER_00: So I'm having a good time.
11:50
SPEAKER_00: Um, but like I said, to me, it's it's a sport, and uh I love to compete.
11:53
SPEAKER_00: I love athletics.
11:54
SPEAKER_00: So uh once I make that walk and get in the ring, it's time to have a good time and and again kind of show off all the training I've been doing.
12:00
SPEAKER_02: I will forever associate uh Miss Me by Drake with you.
12:04
SPEAKER_02: Every time I hear that song forever, I'm gonna think of you.
12:07
SPEAKER_02: Um but I I am curious, you know, like yeah, you you always come out, you got a big smile on your face, you're you know, you're going bar for bar, you know, the the uh your walkout song.
12:15
SPEAKER_02: Has have the emotions shifted or your perspective changed at all from your debut to now you're coming on fight five, defending a belt, you know, uh does it feel any different at all, or is it kind of the same old, you know, same old song?
12:27
SPEAKER_00: Um I would say it believe it or not, I think there has been a shift in confidence.
12:31
SPEAKER_00: I mean, my first fight, I I know I look confident and I was, but the confidence of being a debut to the confidence of not holding a belt, I think there's there's been an even a bigger jump in that.
12:41
SPEAKER_00: So I would say again, get in the ring for my first time, I didn't know what to expect.
12:44
SPEAKER_00: And and little by little, I think I've gotten better every fight.
12:47
SPEAKER_00: I say this after every single fight, my teammates are the best teammates I've had.
12:51
SPEAKER_00: We're in the gym working consistently day in and day out.
12:53
SPEAKER_00: My coaches, again, they they really instill a lot of confidence in me with just how educational they are with sports and and how much they've taught me in such a short amount of time.
13:02
SPEAKER_00: So um I think there's a a flip that's been switched of even more confidence of knowing what to expect when I get in there, and um, again, just being more comfortable in the situation.
13:10
SPEAKER_01: I gotta give Caleb some props there because he kind of set the table for something I like talking about with fighters frequently is the psychology of the whole thing top to bottom.
13:22
SPEAKER_01: Um you know, we talked about your confidence and how you look and how you've presented yourself, but being a multi-sport athlete before this, how has the community that surrounds the mixed martial arts world differed from playing baseball or high school athletics or some of the other things that you've experienced?
13:44
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I would say like uh link LBJJ.
13:46
SPEAKER_00: Um, it's really cool.
13:47
SPEAKER_00: Just the jujitsu community is so tight-knit, it's so you get people from different walks of life.
13:52
SPEAKER_00: Um so just being an inner gym is funny.
13:54
SPEAKER_00: I mean, you have people that are 50 years old that have been doing doing jujitsu for the last 15 years, and then you have people walking in trying to make their debut and MMA for the first time.
14:02
SPEAKER_00: So you get a good mix of people, um, especially at my age, again, kind of being 30 now, going back and almost being back in the gym and being back with the team.
14:09
SPEAKER_00: That's that's been a lot of fun.
14:10
SPEAKER_00: Um, compared to like, I think each sport kind of has their own little tight-knit community.
14:15
SPEAKER_00: Again, baseball is kind of more traditional, um, again, a little different than your typical mixed martial arts fan.
14:20
SPEAKER_00: So it's definitely been cool.
14:21
SPEAKER_00: Um, in my own personal journey, too.
14:23
SPEAKER_00: It's like I've had teammates that I never thought I'd talk to again that are reaching out to me, like your journey's so cool, it's fun to see you doing your thing.
14:29
SPEAKER_00: It's never too late to chase a dream.
14:31
SPEAKER_00: So um again, just being able to connect people through sports has been uh really fun for me.
14:36
SPEAKER_01: Was it kind of transitional for you to overcome some of the stereotypical hurdles of how people perceive MMA versus what the reality of the sport actually is?
14:51
SPEAKER_00: That's a great question.
14:52
SPEAKER_00: And and yes, Mike, 1000%.
14:54
SPEAKER_00: I would say I I wanted to do MMA probably three or four years before I even did it, and what held me back was never really the doubt that I could do it.
15:03
SPEAKER_00: It again, it was the perception of you know, people not really understanding that it is a sport and people thinking you have to be this or you have to be that to be able to want to do that to someone.
15:13
SPEAKER_00: That helped me back a lot.
15:14
SPEAKER_00: Um, and I think that's something that again, once I got over that mental hurt of like not really caring what people think, they don't understand what MMA is, and it's not our job to teach them, but they don't understand that opinion doesn't need to affect me.
15:26
SPEAKER_00: That doesn't need to hold me back into something that I really enjoy, that I think is great, um, and I want to pursue.
15:30
SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, I would say getting over the mental battle of being scared to fight, I think wasn't too big, but the the perception of, again, just being from Lincoln, Nebraska, I I work a corporate job uh at Huddle.
15:41
SPEAKER_00: Um so getting over that perception of what fighting an MMA really is um was a challenge for a little bit.
15:47
SPEAKER_02: You ever uh you ever have those thoughts in the back of your head?
15:50
SPEAKER_02: You said you work a you know uh a corporate job.
15:53
SPEAKER_02: Uh you ever have the thought of like, man, hoping I don't have to show up on Monday with a black guy or fat lip or anything like that.
15:58
SPEAKER_02: Those those thoughts ever popped in?
16:01
SPEAKER_00: Um at this point, no, it is kind of it is what it is.
16:04
SPEAKER_00: But I remember after my first fight, my manager, I took off.
16:08
SPEAKER_00: It was a Friday fight, so I was back in the office on Monday.
16:11
SPEAKER_00: And that I took off Thursday and that Wednesday before I left the office.
16:14
SPEAKER_00: He's like, hey, do you want to take an extra day off on Monday and block off your calendar, you know, just in case you have a black eye?
16:19
SPEAKER_00: And I was like, Tucker, I'll be fine.
16:21
SPEAKER_00: I'll be back in the office ready to work.
16:23
SPEAKER_00: I won't have a scratch on my face.
16:25
SPEAKER_00: Um, and and my manager kind of jokes, he's because again, it was a secret, it wasn't a secret, but not a lot of people knew that I had been preparing to fight before I was, and my manager kind of joked, he's like, Yeah, man, I didn't realize you've been doing this so long.
16:36
SPEAKER_00: You've never came in with the black lit or black eye, you've never came in with the bloody nose or anything.
16:40
SPEAKER_00: So uh yeah, definitely a scroll mod, and luckily I haven't taken too much damage.
16:45
SPEAKER_01: So kind of in the same accord because you have kind of escaped all four fights relatively unscathed.
16:54
SPEAKER_01: Um you know what what happens?
16:59
SPEAKER_01: What I I know I I hate to manifest anything negative because we don't want that.
17:05
SPEAKER_01: But what happens the first time, you know, something doesn't go your way?
17:11
SPEAKER_00: Uh I'm gonna pick myself up, dust myself off, and hopefully get back to it.
17:15
SPEAKER_00: You know, I I'm not shy, nor am I scared of again the ultimate worst happening.
17:20
SPEAKER_00: It's it's part of the game, you know.
17:21
SPEAKER_00: And um, again, for me, making that decision to want to do MMA, that's something that you don't necessarily have to get comfortable with, but you have to understand that that is the reality.
17:29
SPEAKER_00: Again, this isn't baseball.
17:30
SPEAKER_00: The worst thing that's gonna happen to me in baseball is I'm gonna strike out three times and it's gonna be embarrassing.
17:35
SPEAKER_00: You know, it's it's not that getting into that.
17:37
SPEAKER_00: So um again, I've I I it's kind of a funny story, like looking back to like when I was trying to talk myself out of doing MMA, I would look at like I'd pull up a YouTube video of like the worst knockouts ever, um, and like put myself in the shoes of the guy getting knocked out and be like, is this something you really want to do?
17:52
SPEAKER_00: And that's how I talk myself out of it.
17:54
SPEAKER_00: Um and somewhere along the lines, I just again got more comfortable and more comfortable and and realized that this is a possibility, but um again, you can't really let fear or or doubt kind of hold you back.
18:03
SPEAKER_00: So that happens to me.
18:05
SPEAKER_00: Um hopefully, again, Lord willing, I'll I'll recover one day and then get a continue at it.
18:09
SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I hate asking that question, but I feel like everybody should at least have an answer chambered and ready to go.
18:18
SPEAKER_01: Definitely.
18:19
SPEAKER_00: It's part of the game.
18:20
SPEAKER_00: It's part of the game.
18:21
SPEAKER_00: It's combat for a reason.
18:22
SPEAKER_02: So well, and on the flip side of that, um, you know, being able to watch, you know, your first four fights, uh, you you obviously you exude confidence coming out of the tunnel, walking in, you know, you you you've got a lot of confidence, but it it feels like you hit another gear at a certain point during the fight.
18:38
SPEAKER_02: Like when do you feel like you really hit your stride and you get the most confident when you're actually in the cage?
18:46
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I would say when they're the Alexi is now announcing my name.
18:50
SPEAKER_00: I think there's something about hearing Easton, the Emerald Edmund from Lincoln, Nebraska representing LBJJ that I think really gets me going.
18:57
SPEAKER_00: Um and then after that, I feel like kind of looking at all my opponents, they've each been a little different in their own right and presented different challenges and different obstacles, and that's going to be something with every fight throughout this sport.
19:08
SPEAKER_00: Um so yeah, it's been a little different every single time, but again, really once that bell rings, I think I'm I'm ready to go, locked in.
19:14
SPEAKER_00: And um, again, it starts being calm, being confident, and and ready to go kind of wherever the fight takes it.
19:19
SPEAKER_00: So um yeah, really once once the the bell rings, I'm I'm locked in ready.
19:25
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
19:26
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, I asked earlier about overcoming your own personal perceptions of the sport or what you feared other people might perceive.
19:36
SPEAKER_01: Um have what have you noticed about other fighters in general?
19:41
SPEAKER_01: And the reason I ask that is I make it a point to point out almost every MMA episode that I I've ever done is that people, when they have the opportunity to speak with a fighter, they go in with the perception of that person being one way and then become pleasantly surprised that that person is a different person.
20:02
SPEAKER_01: Have you had that same experience in the fight community?
20:06
SPEAKER_00: Um, I don't I I would say the opposite.
20:08
SPEAKER_00: Again, I think a lot of the people that I know that knew me personally, I would say before, again, they're like, there's no way you can fight.
20:15
SPEAKER_00: You're too nice, you're too happy.
20:16
SPEAKER_00: Like, there's no way that you could do this.
20:18
SPEAKER_00: So um, even like some of my coworkers, they've been to a few of my fights and they enjoy it, and they're like, that just is not look like the same person in the ring that you are.
20:26
SPEAKER_00: Um, so yeah, I haven't talked to too many people I'd say that made me through fighting that word surprise, but I would say again, just going back, people not really knowing that what I was capable of or the athleticism I feel like I could bring to the sport has kind of caught a lot of people off guard, and that was a lot of their disbelief.
20:42
SPEAKER_02: But how often, Easton, are you training?
20:45
SPEAKER_02: Like, what does the week-to-week grind look like for you?
20:48
SPEAKER_02: I mean, going from not training at all a year and a half ago to now defending a belt um in a short amount of time, like how active are you and how how often are you sharpening your tools?
21:00
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, uh typical schedule for me.
21:02
SPEAKER_00: So, I mean, it's been nothing but training camps, I'd say, really, since I started fighting.
21:05
SPEAKER_00: So I it's helped a lot just staying in the gym.
21:08
SPEAKER_00: Um, but for me, I'm at it usually six days a week.
21:10
SPEAKER_00: Um, in the morning, I'm doing my own personal strength and conditioning.
21:13
SPEAKER_00: Um, again, just trying to get faster, trying to get stronger, and obviously manage weight throughout camps.
21:17
SPEAKER_00: Um, and then at night, I don't even count at training, man.
21:19
SPEAKER_00: I just enjoy it so much.
21:20
SPEAKER_00: I love being in the gym.
21:22
SPEAKER_00: I love cracking pads.
21:23
SPEAKER_00: Um, I will talk about my teammates until the end of the day.
21:26
SPEAKER_00: We always we have a good time training together.
21:28
SPEAKER_00: We're always laughing in the gym.
21:29
SPEAKER_00: So it's just fun, again, to kind of be a part of a team, part of a community.
21:32
SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, at night, you know, we're kind of mixing up.
21:35
SPEAKER_00: We'll spar about two or three times a week.
21:36
SPEAKER_00: We'll have jujitsu two or three times a week.
21:39
SPEAKER_00: Um, we'll have just specific pad work, and then we'll also have a Muay Thai twice a week.
21:43
SPEAKER_00: So again, really just trying to be as well rounded as I can in the gym every single day.
21:47
SPEAKER_00: I think my teammates will tell you if they know they can count on me to be there um every single day.
21:51
SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, really just staying focused, staying at it six days a week, twice a day.
21:56
SPEAKER_00: Um, taking a recovery day on Monday, so I'm glad I had more energy to do this today.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: But that's that's usually a normal week for me.
22:02
SPEAKER_02: Man, I I feel like I'm so glad you had that answer because I feel like you know, training in the sport, you know, I train at Premier in Omaha and and I I mostly do jujitsu, and you know, there are guys um like if you know like the the Danaher Death squad and the Craig Jones and Gordon Rhines and those guys, like that those guys are training jujitsu 365.
22:20
SPEAKER_02: I didn't realize how consistent and how frequent you had to be in the gym in order to be successful in this sport.
22:27
SPEAKER_02: Hearing you say that you're in the gym six days a week, twice a day, and you're doing your own strength and conditioning, you know, outside of that.
22:33
SPEAKER_02: I just I feel like a lot of people sleep on what is required to be exceptional in this sport um and how dedicated and consistent you have to be.
22:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and that that's something too.
22:42
SPEAKER_00: I think even some people, again, they see me fight for 50 minutes and that's all they see.
22:46
SPEAKER_00: But again, there was eight weeks of 4 30 a.m.
22:49
SPEAKER_00: getting up and a lot of running that that went into that to put me in that moment.
22:52
SPEAKER_00: Um, and again, I think I think it's worth it every single time.
22:55
SPEAKER_00: So, again, there's a lot of a lot of birthdays that I miss, a lot of weddings that I I can't have the most fun at.
23:00
SPEAKER_00: Um, again, being on a diet feels like 24-7.
23:04
SPEAKER_00: There's a lot that goes into it.
23:05
SPEAKER_00: Um, but again, for me, this is my passion, this is what I wanted to do.
23:08
SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, it's all part of the game.
23:10
SPEAKER_00: And again, just gotta stay consistent with it.
23:12
SPEAKER_02: So for the guy in the in the crowd at the Rawlson Arena or Pinnacle Bank Arena who says, Well, I I see red, bro.
23:17
SPEAKER_02: You know, this is this is what it really takes to be a you know a true fighter, you know?
23:23
SPEAKER_00: Come to the gym.
23:24
SPEAKER_00: I'll show you.
23:24
SPEAKER_00: Come on.
23:25
SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
23:26
SPEAKER_01: Well, I was gonna point out, you know, only a year and a half in, it's not like you ever have not been in camp, realistically.
23:35
SPEAKER_01: So, I mean, what have you had a break at all?
23:39
SPEAKER_00: This is about the longest break I've had, and it was only two or three weeks.
23:43
SPEAKER_00: Um, like I said, I would be in the gym with or without training camp.
23:46
SPEAKER_00: Really, it's just the the diet and how intense the workouts are.
23:50
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, again, it's it's kind of got in the gym, started training, and it's been full speed ahead ever since.
23:56
SPEAKER_00: Um I was even talking to Henry just the other day, and I think people kind of forget I had two fights fall out in between my four fights.
24:02
SPEAKER_00: So it really has been non-stop training camp, I think, out of the last like six or seven dynasty cards I've been booked on every single one except for one.
24:09
SPEAKER_01: So jeez.
24:13
SPEAKER_01: So let's move to seasons beatings for a moment.
24:16
SPEAKER_01: Sorry, Caleb, this is gonna get uncomfortable.
24:18
SPEAKER_01: But uh, what do you know about your opponent and uh and what do you have planned without giving away the game plan?
24:26
SPEAKER_00: Um yeah, I would say uh we've kind of talked about it a little bit to get to my opponent.
24:30
SPEAKER_00: I first off, he trains out of a great gym.
24:32
SPEAKER_00: So I gotta give shout out to my boy Thomas Vasquez.
24:35
SPEAKER_00: He trains out of the same gym premiere who I had my first fight against.
24:38
SPEAKER_00: Um Thomas is a dog.
24:40
SPEAKER_00: I I expect Chris to be a dog as well.
24:41
SPEAKER_00: Um they got a lot of good fighters at their gym, a lot of good coaches.
24:45
SPEAKER_00: So I think it'll be a fun one.
24:46
SPEAKER_00: Um, again, like I said, a lot of my opponents, each of them has been a little different in their own right.
24:50
SPEAKER_00: So Thomas was tough as nails, was really smooth at the boxing, and that was a fun fight.
24:55
SPEAKER_00: I expect Chris, I think he's gonna have a lot of those same skills.
24:57
SPEAKER_00: Um, again, just a little different body type and how he mixes and approaches the game, I think will be a little different.
25:02
SPEAKER_00: But um, again, it's gonna be a competitive fight.
25:04
SPEAKER_00: Good Jim's going against good gyms.
25:06
SPEAKER_02: So yeah, you're right, man.
25:07
SPEAKER_02: You you bring up Thomas.
25:08
SPEAKER_02: I want to shout out Thomas as well, too.
25:10
SPEAKER_02: He's one of my favorite training partners.
25:11
SPEAKER_02: We trained jujitsu, you know, a couple times a week.
25:14
SPEAKER_02: Actually, it's a fun fact about him uh next time he gets to fight, um his last fight, he won, because yeah, he's it was a second fight.
25:22
SPEAKER_02: His first fight was against you, and obviously you you know you won that fight.
25:25
SPEAKER_02: Um his second fight he just had about a month or two ago.
25:28
SPEAKER_02: He he works at Greater Omaha Packing, meat packing plant here in Omaha, and he worked a full eight-hour shift the day of his fight, goes in and then beats the brakes off of this dude in the evening.
25:39
SPEAKER_02: Like he he's he's an absolute stud.
25:42
SPEAKER_02: Um I I'm very excited to see you against Christopher Dominic because I feel like this is gonna be the biggest challenge for you, Eastman, uh Easton uh uh stylistically, um, because you know, Thomas, like you brought up, was a uh a really, really good boxer, and and Christopher's known for his grappling and his his jujitsu.
26:02
SPEAKER_02: Do you adjust your game plan at all based off of a different skill set?
26:05
SPEAKER_02: Uh, you know, again, without you know, showing your cards completely.
26:08
SPEAKER_02: Um do you kind of make tweaks and adjustments based off of your opponent, or do you feel more like this is my game plan and I'm just gonna move forward with it?
26:17
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I would say I have the game, same game plan for everyone, and and really that's just be calm, fight smart, and make the read.
26:23
SPEAKER_00: So that being in the case isn't gonna change too much for me.
26:26
SPEAKER_00: Um I'd say this training camp is gonna look a little different.
26:28
SPEAKER_00: Again, it's like I go from fighting 6'5 Kafele with a taekwondo black belt to now fighting Chris with uh, again, a more grappling background.
26:36
SPEAKER_00: So training camp, I think, will look a little a little different.
26:38
SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, like I said, Chris is his last fight.
26:41
SPEAKER_00: He fought Hunter Green, who hunter is a dog.
26:42
SPEAKER_00: I'm in the gym with Hunter a lot.
26:43
SPEAKER_00: He's got great grappling, and that was a fun fight um watching that, and yeah, Chris came on the top.
26:48
SPEAKER_00: So I know his his grappling is might be some of the best that I I think I'll experience um within these five fights.
26:54
SPEAKER_00: So I think training and preparing will be a little different.
26:56
SPEAKER_00: But once it's time to get in the cage, um again, game plan's gonna be the same for me.
27:00
SPEAKER_01: So love it.
27:03
SPEAKER_01: So let's kind of focus on the future.
27:06
SPEAKER_01: We've hit the past, we've hit the present, now let's focus on the future.
27:09
SPEAKER_01: Uh what is your long-term game plan in the sport of MMA?
27:14
SPEAKER_01: And I'll I'll give you two perspectives.
27:16
SPEAKER_01: Where do you see yourself two years from now, and where do you see yourself five years from now?
27:20
SPEAKER_00: Oh, that's a really good question.
27:22
SPEAKER_00: Really good question, and that that's gonna have to make me actually answer it.
27:25
SPEAKER_00: You know, usually people are running up to me and they're like, Do you want to be in the UFC?
27:28
SPEAKER_00: And it's like, of course, all of us want to be in the UOC.
27:31
SPEAKER_00: Uh, me personally, this is my genuine answer.
27:34
SPEAKER_00: Um, I think I work so hard on a day-to-day basis and a weekly basis.
27:39
SPEAKER_00: Facing a challenge like Chris, who is a tall challenge, it's like that's in seven, eight weeks, it's hard for me to look past seven, eight weeks.
27:45
SPEAKER_00: I need to put in the work today, tomorrow, and that is kind of my approach, is day by day I'm trying to get better while I can, especially while I got such a tall task in front of me.
27:53
SPEAKER_00: So when people ask me that, that's usually where my focus is, is just taking it day by day and becoming a better fighter.
27:58
SPEAKER_00: Um, again, I'm I'm 30 years old.
28:00
SPEAKER_00: Uh I'm the amateur champion right now, so tears smell.
28:03
SPEAKER_00: Um, I would like to be a professional athlete.
28:05
SPEAKER_00: That's always been my goal from the time that I was uh my kid, and again, that's some of the reason that got me back into playing a sport like MMA is being able to get back and again kind of chase that dream of fulfilling that I've had for a kid, is truly being able to say I'm a professional athlete.
28:19
SPEAKER_00: So um hopefully after this fight, I think that's something that I'll be able to achieve.
28:22
SPEAKER_00: Tiers down the road.
28:23
SPEAKER_00: Uh it's tough to say, man.
28:25
SPEAKER_00: I think you just got to get your opportunities and kind of see what you can do.
28:28
SPEAKER_00: I would like to be hopefully fighting for some bigger national promotions and see what I can do there.
28:32
SPEAKER_00: Um but yeah, my goal is to, again, day by day get better, but long term, I'd definitely like to see how far I can take it and hopefully get to the top professionally as far as I can.
28:40
SPEAKER_01: So you may not be at liberty to say, but maybe you are.
28:45
SPEAKER_01: Um Are you pursuing avenues like management and sports agents and such to make that become a little bit more of a possibility for you?
28:56
SPEAKER_00: Uh I haven't yet.
28:57
SPEAKER_00: Just being an amateur, I think again, it's crazy.
29:00
SPEAKER_00: Like I said, it's moving so fast.
29:01
SPEAKER_00: It's like, hey, it I'm getting like memories up, and it's still like I it has not even been a year since I've made my debut, which is crazy to think.
29:08
SPEAKER_00: So at the time, a lot of my focus has just been again being a better fighter and seeing if this is something that I could pursue professionally, and I think it's kind of getting that point.
29:17
SPEAKER_00: So I think hopefully once I'm in the professional ranks, that is something I'll kind of look at and monitor to hope get those opportunities.
29:22
SPEAKER_00: But again, for now it's uh defending a lightweight championship.
29:26
SPEAKER_02: So are you getting asked by any other promotions at all to you know, like travel, or is has anybody else hit you up in addition to dynasty?
29:36
SPEAKER_00: Um, I've had one kind of local competitor.
29:39
SPEAKER_00: Uh but uh Mr.
29:41
SPEAKER_00: Adams does a good job booking me fights, so good.
29:43
SPEAKER_00: I'm happy with Dynasty and uh yeah, they sorry I I mean I'm from Lincoln.
29:47
SPEAKER_00: How do you pass up Pinnacle Bank, you know?
29:49
SPEAKER_00: Right.
29:50
SPEAKER_00: Right, absolutely.
29:52
SPEAKER_01: Well, I have really enjoyed watching your fights, calling your fights.
29:57
SPEAKER_01: I make no uh secret of the fact I have two favorite pictures calling dynasty combat sports events.
30:07
SPEAKER_01: Actually, three, okay?
30:09
SPEAKER_01: My first one being myself and Caleb and the legendary Bud Crawford.
30:14
SPEAKER_01: That's picture number one.
30:16
SPEAKER_01: My favorite picture number two, I knew I saw the shirt.
30:19
SPEAKER_01: My favorite picture number two is sweaty hugs from my friend Easton Edmund.
30:23
SPEAKER_01: And my favorite picture number three is the three of us after your last victory.
30:28
SPEAKER_01: It has been such a pleasure getting to watch this career blossom and take off in such a short period of time.
30:35
SPEAKER_01: But we're gonna take this out of the fighting arena for just a moment, and this is a closing question that I ask every single guest that does the show because I love perspectives.
30:44
SPEAKER_01: And what's your advice for making the world a better place tomorrow than what it is today through your experiences?
30:52
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I would say through my experiences, my advice would be is you gotta be there to take care of yourself.
30:57
SPEAKER_00: So um really I think that's something I lean on a lot.
30:59
SPEAKER_00: Again, there was truly a point in time where I was the only person in the world who knew I was gonna pursue MMA.
31:05
SPEAKER_00: And again, uh my reactions were always positive, but I don't think everyone thought that I'd be 4-0 and a champion a year in.
31:12
SPEAKER_00: So um not a lot of people probably thought that I did, and that was enough for me.
31:16
SPEAKER_00: So again, being able to be there for yourself, believe in yourself, um, taking care of yourself, I think that is is something that everybody needs.
31:23
SPEAKER_00: And again, if you're there for yourself, you can be there for other people, but if you're not there for yourself, you know, who who's gonna be?
31:28
SPEAKER_00: So I think just being able to take care of yourself, um, make yourself a better person, I think that's how you can leave an impact and make the world a better place.
31:34
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
31:35
SPEAKER_01: Caleb, do you have any other final questions for our friend Easton?
31:39
SPEAKER_02: I I have a comment.
31:40
SPEAKER_02: I want to give you some flowers, Easton, because um going back to what we talked about with you having a big smile on your face when you make your walkouts, to having fun in the, you know, in uh in the cage when you're literally fighting somebody, um, I've I've thought of you multiple times on a day-to-day basis of just like anytime I have, I'm in a situation where fear or doubt or anxiety could overcome.
32:02
SPEAKER_02: I just I just think I just want to have fun.
32:04
SPEAKER_02: If I could put a smile on my face, you know, then then usually good results happen following that.
32:08
SPEAKER_02: And seriously, man, I've I've thought of you multiple times on a day-to-day basis of uh you've inspired me uh uh to not let fear overcome that and just have fun and have you know uh let the confidence shine through.
32:19
SPEAKER_02: So exactly what your answer was on how you make the world a better place.
32:23
SPEAKER_02: I I know in my own world, you're definitely doing that already and making an impact, man.
32:26
SPEAKER_02: So I hope I hope we get you know, we keep seeing you fight.
32:29
SPEAKER_02: I hope you keep stepping out there and keep doing what you're doing, man, because it's it's really, really I feel like Mike and I, I don't know, I'll I'll let Mike speak for himself, but I feel like I'm a part of something special, which is rare in this sport, you know.
32:42
SPEAKER_00: Well, I I those are kind of words, Caleb.
32:43
SPEAKER_00: I really appreciate that.
32:44
SPEAKER_00: And um again, that's I would say that's probably one of the last things that made me really want to do MMA is you know, everyone's gonna have a different walk of life and walk of journey, but I remember I sit at home and watch the UC every weekend and like seeing the heart that some of these guys have played, it just like touched me and moved me in a way that I could that nothing else did, truly.
33:00
SPEAKER_00: So um, I feel like that's something that again I directly could do, and and again, it's part of I felt so inspired that I wanted to go inspire other people.
33:08
SPEAKER_00: So hearing you say that that helps get you through your day, that means a lot, and hopefully I can continue to do that for you.
33:14
SPEAKER_00: And uh no, it's it's definitely been awesome.
33:15
SPEAKER_00: Mike, I would say the the Soiny, the Soydy hugs, those are some of my favorite moments.
33:19
SPEAKER_01: Yes, sir.
33:20
SPEAKER_00: Yes, I definitely have you guys ringside.
33:22
SPEAKER_00: Um, and I want to give you guys your flowers, man.
33:24
SPEAKER_00: You guys do a really good job commentating the fights.
33:25
SPEAKER_00: Like I said, I think you've added a lot to my fights, made them really special moments for me and my family.
33:30
SPEAKER_00: And um, again, being able to see you guys at the facilities and um at the fights is always cool.
33:35
SPEAKER_00: And uh yeah, definitely the last one, the last one with the bell.
33:38
SPEAKER_00: I think that was up there.
33:39
SPEAKER_00: That was a good picture.
33:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I know I saw him together.
33:42
SPEAKER_00: I think someone said it when he got back to the booth, like I'm dripping sweat right now.
33:45
SPEAKER_00: It's like a two.
33:48
SPEAKER_01: I love it.
33:49
SPEAKER_01: I love it.
33:49
SPEAKER_01: Well, guys, this is an algorithm world, and we're a bunch of algorithm girls.
33:54
SPEAKER_01: So, Easton, tell everybody where they can find you online.
33:58
SPEAKER_01: Let's build your fan base, my friend.
34:00
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you can find me at Easton underscore Edmund12 on Instagram.
34:05
SPEAKER_00: I'd say that's the app I'm on the most.
34:07
SPEAKER_00: Uh yeah, definitely feel free to hit me up there.
34:10
SPEAKER_01: Dude, I have thoroughly enjoyed, I'm gonna repeat myself until I'm six feet underground, but I have thoroughly enjoyed calling your fights.
34:18
SPEAKER_01: I am very proud to call you friend.
34:20
SPEAKER_01: I'm also proud to call you a friend too, Caleb.
34:22
SPEAKER_01: I just gotta get that out there.
34:25
SPEAKER_01: Guys, thank you so much for doing the show.
34:28
SPEAKER_01: The world is a much better place with the both of you in it.
34:32
SPEAKER_00: I appreciate you guys.
34:33
SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for having me.
34:34
SPEAKER_00: And yeah, definitely guys too.
34:36
SPEAKER_01: Let's see you soon, brother.
34:37
SPEAKER_01: Dynasty Combat Sports Seasons beatings is taking place Friday, November 21st, 2025, at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska.
34:48
SPEAKER_01: You can hear my co-host, Caleb Betzeld, and myself calling the action on MMAfutures.com.
34:56
SPEAKER_01: Like I said in the start, this is one of my most favorite events that Dynasty runs.
35:03
SPEAKER_01: I want to thank our guest, Easton Edmund, for joining us on the podcast today.
35:08
SPEAKER_01: Make sure you're giving him a follow at Easton underscore Edmund12 on Instagram.
35:14
SPEAKER_01: Follow Lincoln Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on the same platform.
35:18
SPEAKER_01: And while you're being generous with the follows, make sure you're following Caught on the Mic at Caught on the Mike on all social media platforms and give me a subscribe on my YouTube channel.
35:28
SPEAKER_01: This has been Caught on the Mic with Michael Clark and Caleb Betzel.
35:33
SPEAKER_01: I'm Michael Clark.
35:34
SPEAKER_01: Until next time, thank you.