The Few Will Hunt Show

Have you ever met someone and just knew they were different? Sometimes you see it in their eyes. Sometimes you hear it in the way they speak. Sometimes you feel it when you stand next to them. That’s how I felt when I met Amanda Mazza for the first time at FWH HQ, and, in this episode of The Few Will Hunt Show, you’ll find out why. Drew and Joey sit down with one of The Few, professional grappler and FWH Athlete Amanda Mazza, to learn how she went from bleeding, beaten, and broken in a snowstorm to the UFC Invitational Octagon.

The official podcast of Few Will Hunt, the world’s largest community of hard workers and 100% Made in the USA apparel brand. Family-owned and operated and headquartered in Philadelphia. We’re on a mission to restore the dignity of hard work and help others live The Rules of The Few to strengthen ourselves and strengthen society. No entitlement or excuses are allowed here.

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Creators & Guests

Host
Drew Beech
Drew Beech is an entrepreneur and cofounder of Few Will Hunt. He spent several years in the sales and marketing industry, grossing over several million dollars in sales. But his love for the entrepreneurial journey and desire to escape the rate race started with his personal training business in college. Today, Drew leads the Few Will Hunt community alongside his cousin and cofounder, Joey in their mission to restore the dignity of hard work through the highest-quality American-made apparel.
Host
Joey Bowen
Joey Bowen is co-founder of Few Will Hunt.

What is The Few Will Hunt Show?

The official podcast of Few Will Hunt, the world’s largest community of hard workers and 100% Made in the USA apparel brand. We’re on a mission to restore the dignity of hard work and help others live The Rules of The Few to strengthen ourselves and strengthen society. No entitlement or excuses are allowed here.

Amanda Mazza:

What I want more out of this is just to, like, really show people, like, no matter what, you can reach your goals and dreams. Like, no matter what hardships, no matter what obstacles, no matter what pain, like, you really can get there. You can get there.

Joey Rosen:

It's achievable. Yeah. It's achievable.

Amanda Mazza:

It's nothing nothing is impossible. Like, you are your worst enemy. Like, you you are the only thing that will stop yourself.

Joey Rosen:

Welcome to the Fuel Hunt Show. What's going on, Eagles? I'm Joey. Welcome to the Fuel Hunt Show. Typically, I introduce my cousin and cofounder to my left, but today is a special day.

Joey Rosen:

It's a little different. I'm gonna start to my right because we have a guest. So you don't have to listen to me talk all

Drew Beech:

the time.

Joey Rosen:

We have somebody else that's gonna be speak.

Drew Beech:

I can hear someone else's story.

Joey Rosen:

Today, we have, with us Prograppler. Yep. Right? Mhmm. I like to think of you as all around badass, Amanda Maza.

Joey Rosen:

No, stranger to HQ.

Amanda Mazza:

Mhmm.

Joey Rosen:

You've been here many times before, but welcome to the Fuel Hunt Show. First time where, there's a video probably camera. Usually, you're behind the lens, you know, doing some, photoshoots and things like that when you're not training. Right? Yep.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah? Yep. Okay. Alright. So we're happy to have you.

Joey Rosen:

You're our first guest.

Amanda Mazza:

This is Awesome. Yeah. Thank you

Drew Beech:

for having me. Plaque. Right?

Joey Rosen:

We're gonna do plaques, I think.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

We'll do some we'll

Joey Rosen:

do something. We'll we'll we'll do something. We'll do something for sure. So where should we start? I have so many questions.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. Let me start by saying this. Few months ago, we did an episode of Stories of the Few with with you. Right?

Amanda Mazza:

Yep.

Joey Rosen:

That we published to YouTube. I sent an email out when that Stories of the Few dropped. Did you get that email?

Amanda Mazza:

Yes. I did. Okay. I screenshotted it and then saved it. That's something I honestly, like you know, like I said before, like, that was one of the first times I really kinda came out about it.

Amanda Mazza:

And, of course, like, there's a lot more details that I've kept away, but that email, like, you know, it's kind of it's just, like, reassurance of, like, it's a it's good that I did this. It's good that I'm starting to talk about it, you know, because it's not something I've talked about for a really long time.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. Your your story will definitely strengthen others, you know, so I agree with you. It's really important. I asked about the email because that email now is just is now an award winning email. So I didn't tell you this, but you were you were featured in a magazine this month.

Amanda Mazza:

What? Yes. Yes. I'll show it

Joey Rosen:

to you. I I think I have it with me, but I'll show you the the email was in there.

Amanda Mazza:

Oh, wow.

Joey Rosen:

It's not about that, though. I was just kinda getting myself out of the back. What it is about is how I open that email. And I opened the email, I said that let me think of the exact words. Have have you ever, oh, man.

Joey Rosen:

I wanna I I wanna I wanna think of the exact words. Have you ever met someone and knew that they were just different? Right? That's how I opened it up. I said, sometimes you see it in their eyes.

Joey Rosen:

Sometimes you can feel it when you stand with them, or you can hear it in the way that they speak. And that's the way I felt when I first met you here. You came through with Eddie. I don't know if you remember that. You came through with Eddie.

Joey Rosen:

You cop some gear and things like that. But Into us? Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

Being in your presence, I knew that you were just different. I could feel your energy. I could feel that more than likely you had gone through some things and came out better on the other end. And like I said, more badass on the other end of of those things. Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

I truly meant, what I said in the email. I have a gift of feeling that type of energy from people, I believe. Hasn't been confirmed, but I believe it. That stories of the few was was very powerful. We can get into that a little bit.

Joey Rosen:

I I I really want all the Eagles watching to know how you got started on your journey with jiu jitsu, and I feel like that is probably a piece of the story. Right? Definitely. Yeah. So, why don't you tell the Eagles that that are watching and listening, a little bit about why you started jiu jitsu and that story?

Amanda Mazza:

So, basically, really long story short, you know, I I had a really rough upbringing, childhood, and everything, come from a very, like, broken home. Yeah. It's unfortunate, but you know what? Like I said, it really made me who I am, you know, and, unfortunately, I grew up at a young age. It was really hard to figure it out, especially so young, 12 years old.

Amanda Mazza:

You know, like, in my last podcast, everything was 12, so I had to figure it out young. I was always a scrappy little girl. Always tough on the playgrounds. You know, I had an older brother, but my older brother, he's, autistic. Mhmm.

Amanda Mazza:

So, you know, when people picked on him, they're picking on me. So I was ready to fight always. You know? So, but, you know, fast forward to things when I was 19, that situation had happened to me. And, really, like, I I was already boxing and everything because, again, like, I had some other situations happen young younger, you know, with, I was working in Atlantic City.

Amanda Mazza:

I almost got mugged in a parking garage. Like, like, crazy things. Like, of course.

Joey Rosen:

And that's before

Amanda Mazza:

That's before this. Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

Before that incident. So you had already been Yeah. So you weren't you weren't grappling it.

Amanda Mazza:

I wasn't grappling it. I was striking it. I was striking.

Drew Beech:

Mhmm.

Amanda Mazza:

And then, after that, like, I was I was just basically doing more boxing and a little bit of kickboxing here and there, but more, like, just strictly boxing. So, after that, you know, that situation happened, and, you know, I really thought I was gonna die, honestly. I I didn't think I was gonna live. And I know in the call. I know where to go.

Amanda Mazza:

I had nothing. Yep. You know, don't mean to get emotional, but it it was really scary. It was, like, the scariest time in my life. And, honestly, like, the fact that I made out of that, I'm like, I can get through anything and nothing and nobody will ever break me.

Amanda Mazza:

So, you know, after that, I I joined an MMA gym. Yep. I met some people out because I was living in Atlantic City, and they're like, oh, come learn MMA. So I started learning MMA, and they didn't do strictly jiu jitsu. It was like, you know, kickboxing, So

Joey Rosen:

you were already kind of familiar with that.

Amanda Mazza:

Grappling, but, like, not, like, full jiu jitsu. So it was, like, getting into submissions and Oh, okay. Stuff like that. So I was doing that.

Drew Beech:

I was

Amanda Mazza:

like, you know, I wanna fight MMA. So they're like, well, you wanna do that. You know, you're learning the striking, the kickboxing. Let's get you into jujitsu. And I was like, alright.

Amanda Mazza:

Let's go for it.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

And right away, my first gym, was more of like a self defense gym gym down by Atlantic City area. Mhmm. I was only girl. Only girl, and I'm a small girl as we know. So For your

Joey Rosen:

scrap for your

Amanda Mazza:

scrap, baby. I was in there every day, morning classes, night classes. I also was working, like, 4 jobs at the time too. Yeah. I was really off the grid too at this point.

Amanda Mazza:

I was very, like, kinda trying to build myself, my confidence, everything back up because that broke me so badly that, like, I really just didn't know who I was, and I just didn't know how to trust people after that because, like, again, this was somebody that I really trusted and loved and cared about. And it it just it's crazy how, like, it was years of trust and love right to that going and just, like, ready to and me and my life that fast. So after that, we're grappling and everything, you know, I find I found myself it was hard at first, especially in jiu jitsu and, again, being the only girl in the gym. It was a little tough, like Mhmm. Being in certain positions and stuff because it would just kind of, like obviously, we have trauma and there's trigger points.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, you know, I wouldn't freak out or anything, but, like, I would leave practice. I wouldn't show it because I'm somebody, like, one thing my dad. My dad's a real Italian. He's like a Joe Pesci, honestly. You guys know that.

Amanda Mazza:

That's my father. His saying was always never let him see you sweat. So, like, even in there in times that I would feel, like, uncomfortable and, like, panic, I you wouldn't know it. You wouldn't know. But the second I would leave those practices and get in my car, I would I would break down.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. I would cry. Like, I would feel pain. Like, I just, like, wouldn't be able to have words for these things, but you know what? I would go back and show up the next day and the next day and the next day and the next day and the next day.

Amanda Mazza:

And I just kept going. And, honestly, once I started learning more and getting better, I just felt more and more and more powerful, and I was starting to feel like myself again.

Joey Rosen:

Yep. Building yourself back up. You hit on you hit on so many things. We don't have to dive into, you know, that event specifically in detail, if you don't if you don't want to. But to to to give everybody that's watching and listening just an idea of what you're referring to, at 19, you were with somebody that you trusted and loved at the time, someone that you felt safe with.

Joey Rosen:

That person took you far away from any type of civilization miles into a blueberry

Amanda Mazza:

Blueberry fields.

Joey Rosen:

Fields, farms. Yep. For some reason, that person snapped, broke your ribs, broke your wrist.

Amanda Mazza:

Mhmm. But my ribs my wrist cut to my face, like, almost almost knocked my teeth out, but thank god he

Joey Rosen:

did it.

Amanda Mazza:

But still

Joey Rosen:

Despicable, terrible Yep. But then it got worse. What happened was you were basically ejected from the vehicle and left there. Yep. And you sat there in the freezing cold, in the snow, thinking to yourself, how could someone do this to me and then leave me?

Joey Rosen:

It's impossible. That person will be back eventually to pick me back up, and then I can get to somewhere where I can get some help. Well, the person never came back. So then you were forced to

Amanda Mazza:

Walk.

Joey Rosen:

Walk miles.

Drew Beech:

4 or

Joey Rosen:

5 miles.

Drew Beech:

How far were

Joey Rosen:

you from

Amanda Mazza:

Four miles. Four miles. Because, honestly, like, once I got to the hospital and they were like, where were you? And I told them what blueberry field, I was at there. Like, that's 4 miles from here.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, I didn't even know. I couldn't track it. I I had no idea. I just wasn't stopping.

Joey Rosen:

No phone, no jacket.

Amanda Mazza:

Nothing. I had my Converse on, and it was a snowstorm. And it was literally, like, middle night middle of the night, dark out there because there's no street lights. God, I would say it's probable when we got out there, it was, like, 1. By the time I got to the hospital, it was probably, like, 4:30

Drew Beech:

Oh my god.

Amanda Mazza:

5 AM because it started getting light out. Yeah. Yeah. It was, it was

Joey Rosen:

So a a traumatic experience to say the least, like, physically and mentally traumatic. And it sounds like and, again, we don't have to get into it, but it sounds like that wasn't the first one. There may have been some things, you know, before that that, could have been equally as as traumatizing. And I think in these instances, it's very, very difficult to have the strength to do what you did, which is come out the other side stronger and more skilled Yeah. As an as an example, right, for not just our community, but for society as a whole.

Joey Rosen:

Right?

Drew Beech:

What is interesting now that you mentioned, that you would get into your car after practice some nights and, like, cry. Like, that, from my research on it, it it might be emotional release. Right? Like, jujitsu is for a lot of people. Like, no matter the day they're having or what they've been through, they come to the mats, and they they leave it all out there, and and they feel better.

Drew Beech:

Like Yeah. And it sounds like that's what you did over a long period of time. You maybe release those emotions and heal, for lack of a better word, help heal your trauma, through jiu jitsu, which is cool.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. I mean, it it's like you take the step to do something uncomfortable to heal yourself, and not only heal yourself, but also feel safe. Right?

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

To a degree that you could defend yourself.

Amanda Mazza:

Yep.

Joey Rosen:

So not only heal and then you're hit with another challenge immediately. Like, you're the only woman there.

Amanda Mazza:

Oh, yeah. That was that was definitely a challenge too, especially, again, like, they didn't really you know, this was, like, before jujitsu was pretty big. So this they were just, like and I'm, like, hey. I wanna come in here. I wanna fight MMA.

Amanda Mazza:

They're, like, okay. Relax, little girl.

Joey Rosen:

Like Right.

Amanda Mazza:

You know, at that point, it's kind of, like, alright. You know what? You don't wanna take me seriously. That's fine. Like, I'm not a I'm not a sayer.

Amanda Mazza:

I'm a doer. Like, I've always been that way. Like, alright. Just watch me. Like, you don't gotta believe me.

Amanda Mazza:

Just watch me. Like, I'm so being on action speak louder than words, and I've been that way since I was a kid. Like like, I know, like, I'm a born leader. Like Yeah. I've always been.

Amanda Mazza:

I've never followed the crowd. You know? That was always who I am. Uh-huh. Even being bullied young and stuff, but, like, even in the room, I'm like, alright.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, they don't wanna take me seriously. Like, 5 questions, they kind of, like, would brush me off a little bit. That's fine. I would be in there. I would show up.

Amanda Mazza:

You know, I got was getting better and better and better. 4 months in the training, I went and did my first competition by myself. You know what I mean? Like Okay. And I just kept competing.

Joey Rosen:

Jujitsu.

Amanda Mazza:

Yep. Yeah. Yep. Yep. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

And, I mean, I wanted to fight MMA and everything. Obviously, like, I wanted to make sure, like, my grappling was down. So I I think I've done I can't even tell you how many competitions I've done from white to blue. Now now I'm purple. Yep.

Amanda Mazza:

God. I've done so many. I've traveled for them, everything, but, you know

Joey Rosen:

And not just, so well, not just on the national stage. Yeah. Right? So you got some international stuff

Amanda Mazza:

coming up,

Joey Rosen:

Brett, which

Amanda Mazza:

we'll I do. Which

Joey Rosen:

we'll talk about. But there how how critical do you think it was? You said you've always been about action. Right? Actions over words.

Amanda Mazza:

You you

Joey Rosen:

know, you're a doer. You know, not a sayer. Like, how critical was that in the journey? I feel like it had to be huge.

Amanda Mazza:

Oh, huge. Because, again, like, you know, a lot of people, like, including my own parents, unfortunately, like, they so many false promises were fed to me constantly, you know, and their actions never followed their words. And I knew how bad that hurt me constantly. Like, you know, they they they're good people, but they were not they were not the best parents, you know, at all. And and it's sad now that I'm 20 years old.

Amanda Mazza:

Now they apologize for it. Yeah. But it's, like, not that I I forgive them. Don't get me wrong. I forgive them.

Amanda Mazza:

It is what it is. And, you know, again, like, I'm grateful because it all made me who I am, and I really like

Joey Rosen:

who I am. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

But, you know, it it was. It was super critical because, honestly, like, you know, people could say things to me, and I just would be like, okay. Like and then it sucks because, like, I wanted to believe them, but I couldn't. So then now I'm like, alright. Well, I know how that feels.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. So I'm not gonna be like that. Like, I everything, like, I went through, like, everything from childhood to, you know, teenager, like, all that, Honestly, like, everything was, like, alright. I knew how I felt in that with that. I'm not gonna let my I'm not gonna be like that.

Amanda Mazza:

I learned from my parents what not to do. So they led by example from what for me what not to do.

Joey Rosen:

I think I've that's I think that's, like, what I felt when I said, you know, when I stood next to you and talked to you that I could just feel you were different. I think that's what I felt. The fact that you you had experienced things in your life that made you this way, Like, a simple way of saying it. Like, you're choosing a different path than what you experienced. Like, I could feel it was palpable.

Joey Rosen:

The so the the other thing, you know, not letting them see you sweat. I think that that that's amazing, by the way. And even though I don't look at, like, my roots are Italian, so I appreciate a a good joke as she died. You know what I mean? I think that that also it's very action oriented.

Joey Rosen:

Yep. You know what I mean? It's it's the the seeing. Like, they're watching you do something. They're not listening.

Joey Rosen:

They're seeing. They're watching you do something.

Amanda Mazza:

Yep.

Joey Rosen:

And, you know, there's there's some, you know, with the sweating, obviously, there's plenty of sweating.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. For sure.

Joey Rosen:

But the sweating that you're referring to is like a lack of confidence or conviction in what you're doing, the actions that you're taking. Yeah. Yeah. So you you hit on, like, a a lot of different things there. One other thing that I wanna talk about too, a challenge.

Joey Rosen:

Jujitsu is very, intimate isn't the right way isn't the right word for it. But,

Amanda Mazza:

yeah, it kinda is. Exactly.

Joey Rosen:

Right? Okay. So you're you're coming from a horribly traumatic experience that involved fighting, right, injury, The same actions that now you are honing and learning and the skills that you're learning to live your dream. Right? There's it there's so much irony in that, and I can only imagine how difficult it was.

Joey Rosen:

First of all, you didn't have the support in the gym when you first started.

Drew Beech:

Nope.

Joey Rosen:

And the other thing too is the people in that gym probably didn't realize why you were there, that it had to do with that incident.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah.

Drew Beech:

You know

Joey Rosen:

what I mean? So it seems like challenge after challenge after challenge was put in front of you.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

And you just literally kept going. Yep. Like, there was no other option. You were just gonna keep plowing through all of the challenges.

Amanda Mazza:

I only know one way, and it's forward always. Like, always. I don't I never felt sorry for myself. I'm not gonna. And I excuses.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, I am not a fan of excuses. I am not a fan of excuses.

Joey Rosen:

You're in good company.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. I am not a fan. I used to be a police officer, so, like, one thing that we learned in academy was, like, excuses, and we had a whole saying. Every time, like, you'd come up with excuse, you'd have to stand their information, but, like, excuses are tools of the incompetent, and it was, like, a whole thing. I love that.

Amanda Mazza:

I'm like, you're gonna share that. I hear that in my sleep. It's kinda but, yeah, now, like

Drew Beech:

to hear it. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Oh, excuses are tools of the incompetent. Like, that's a real thing. And, honestly, like, I've never came up with excuses because, honestly, if anyone can have excuses, it's definitely me. Especially, like like I said, like, that was just one battle. Like, I really I like you know, again, I don't feel sorry for myself but, like, if I that's why when people, like, come to me, like, you don't understand.

Amanda Mazza:

I'm like, no. I do understand. You have no idea. I understand. They're like, oh, I went through this, this, this.

Amanda Mazza:

I'm like, hey. You're preaching to the choir. We all got our we all got our shit. You know what I mean? Like, listen.

Amanda Mazza:

I survived the snowstorm. I almost died of hypothermia. You you could get through cutting these £3 if you need to. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

You know what

Amanda Mazza:

I mean? Like, I don't know. I just excuses, like, we just like we always say, like, we make time for the things that we want. Like, we go after what we want. Like Mhmm.

Amanda Mazza:

No matter what obstacles, because anyone that understands obstacles, it's me because I've had financial obstacles. I've had, like, physical obstacles. I've had it all. So it's like, you know, I want this for my life with grappling. Like, I'm trying to make it to the top, top, top level.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, that's my dream. Like, I made a lot of sacrifices for it, and, you know, I'm not gonna not let myself get there. I know I'm gonna get there. Yep. And, you know, like, I've always say, like, my life has been so bumpy and hard and stuck because I'm not meant for an average life, and I'm not gonna have one.

Amanda Mazza:

And, honestly, what I've done in 1 year compared to where I'm gonna be in 3 years, oh my god.

Joey Rosen:

I know.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, I'm

Joey Rosen:

There's that conviction.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. I

Joey Rosen:

absolutely love that about you. Like, it's not there's a lot of people that hype themselves up.

Drew Beech:

Mhmm.

Joey Rosen:

Right? Mhmm. They'll hype themselves up, and they'll say, well, yeah, I'm I'm I'm going to the top. Like, you know, it's the only option and all this other stuff. But, like, when you say it, it is so palpable that you believe it.

Joey Rosen:

Like, to your core, you are so convicted.

Drew Beech:

And the crazy part, like, you're just rewiring your mind every like, you can't lose because you literally don't even know what losing means in your mind. Like, you're like, it's not even an option in here. Like, when you're going through your mind of how this could plan out, like, that you don't even see that. So realistically, it's not even gonna happen.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. Yeah. You you have every excuse to identify as a victim. Mhmm. Every single excuse.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. And because you were.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Oh,

Joey Rosen:

yeah. I I hesitate to even I I can't say are because it's not No. You you in that moment, I feel like in that moment you were, but outside of that moment, you never have been. That's a choice that you've made.

Amanda Mazza:

Honestly, even through all of it, like, I never felt bad for myself. Like

Drew Beech:

Mhmm.

Amanda Mazza:

Why me? Like, I never was like that. Even young young young. Like, I never was like that. I was just like, okay.

Amanda Mazza:

It is what it is. I'll make it work. I'll figure it out. Like, one thing about me, like so fast forward, like, even, you know, going through all that and everything, like, I constantly worked. I worked 4 jobs in Atlantic City at one time.

Amanda Mazza:

I was cocktail serving, busing tables serving, bartending everything young. And, you know, I saved up so much money to buy my own house at 22. Like, it was so hard. There was it was hard, and, like, I hustled, and I grinded and I grinded. And there were so many times where you would have that moment where I would cry in my car.

Amanda Mazza:

Like Yeah. My car is where I cry, and I would just, like, wipe my tears and be, like, I'll figure it out. Like, I've never asked anybody for anything, like and that's something I'm still really learning. It's something really hard for me to do is ask anyone for anything. Like, that's why when people do things for me, like, you guys know, I'm always like, thank you.

Amanda Mazza:

I really, really appreciate you guys. Like, when I say those things, like, I really mean it. Like, I don't I'll reach my hand out there for any to help anybody, but, like, for me to ask for help, it's hard because I've been let down so many times. But, again, I don't feel sorry for myself for that. It's like, alright.

Amanda Mazza:

I'll figure it out.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

I'll figure it out. Like, you know, I pick myself up. I dust myself up, and I keep going. You know?

Drew Beech:

The gratitude is appreciated, though, because we do give like, we say give a lot. So, like, it is nice to feel, like, appreciated once in a while. But, what I wanted to say, like, we're all going to experience adversity and pain in our lives, and there are people that take that pain and adversity and overcome and become great, and there are people that become victim. Mhmm. So, like, kudos to you for choosing the the latter.

Amanda Mazza:

Thank you.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. I mean, you you always you always make it a point when you when you express your gratitude. You always make it a point to say, like, what you guys are doing. Like, I feel my core. Like, not in those words, but, like, everything that you guys do, is my life.

Joey Rosen:

I embody, like and it's it's the absolute truth. You know? It's it's the absolute truth. Like, I can't just from what I know, and I know, you know, a good bit, but I'm sure there's more that I don't know. I could go through the rules of the few and say, Amanda's a shining example of all of these, like, literally everything.

Joey Rosen:

The code of conduct of our community is basically your code of conduct. Mhmm. You know? And, you know, that's what I absolutely love

Drew Beech:

about it. And that's what we're very selective with the people who we work with and choose the athletes.

Joey Rosen:

We kinda left we kinda left that out then. We're honored that you represent Fuel Hunt as an athlete, you know, and even more than that as a person.

Drew Beech:

Because it's you're not wearing while our designs are great, you're not always wearing Fuel Hunt for the Dope designs or the the, quality of gear that we provide. But, like, what that eagle represents is is is really what's important, and that's why we are so selective with who we choose to work with.

Amanda Mazza:

So I'm grateful to be part of it. Honestly, like, you know, obviously, like, as I've been climbing this ladder with jujitsu, like, endorsements are something that we obviously need to support our journey and everything like that. So, like, once you guys wanted me to be exclusive with you, like, I was so thrilled and I was so honored. And I was like, if I could stand for any brand because, like, you know, of course, like, anyone would just say yes to anything. Like, I even said that from day 1 when I was like, I'm when I talked to Jay Ray Gabuto, my coach, I was like, hey.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, I wanna make a career out of this. How do I do so? And he gave me, you know, like, oh, you're gonna start getting offers. Start marketing yourself, this and that. Mhmm.

Amanda Mazza:

But I told him from day 1, I was like, I'm not just gonna say yes to anybody. Yeah. Like, I know my worth. Like, not that, like, okay. Obviously, like, I'm a little fish in a big pond still, but, like, I was like, I know my worth, and I'm not just gonna say yes to anybody.

Amanda Mazza:

I'm not gonna go with brands and teams that, like, I don't support. You know? And so for me to come with you guys, I'm just like, I'm right where I'm supposed to be. Like, this is who I wanna be, where I wanna be, and the people I wanna be with. Like, I'm just, like, I was so so grateful and so happy Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Because I was just, like, yeah. This this company, this brand, like, I I I stand behind this.

Joey Rosen:

Like, it's

Amanda Mazza:

not like, oh, yeah. I gotta tag them because I'm I'm exclusive with them now. It's like, I stand for this. I believe in this, and this is this is me. And I love it, and I support it.

Amanda Mazza:

So I'm with you guys.

Joey Rosen:

I appreciate that.

Amanda Mazza:

I appreciate you guys.

Drew Beech:

Feel emotional on this.

Joey Rosen:

I hope you I

Drew Beech:

This this day of I guess it's been too too much of a problem for other emotional rollercoasters.

Joey Rosen:

We've we've, we've done some some other shows today, and, they've been, they've been emotional as well. I've kept it together. I haven't cried yet, so that's good.

Drew Beech:

You almost lost on that last one. Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

Almost lost me, but I'm here. I'm I'm still standing. I I hope you you felt the the belief coming from our side too, you know, in you. And, again, it all goes back to really that time when I met you, and I just knew. I just buzzed new.

Joey Rosen:

And I just, I have a gift, like I said, of of feeling when people are different, they're one of us.

Drew Beech:

I think that's, like, the effect. Right? Like, you know when you meet someone that should you should be, like, connected to or or Yeah. You should work with, like,

Joey Rosen:

one of the you. When you meet them, you know.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. You feel it. You

Joey Rosen:

feel it.

Amanda Mazza:

It just that's just how it is. Like, leaders know a leader. You know, people could say, I'm a leader. I'm an alpha, but, like, like, you could feel that energy. Like Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. You know, like, I've met a lot of people, especially on this journey, like, the people are like, oh, I'm the best. I'm the leader. I'm this. I'm that.

Amanda Mazza:

And

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. It's a different it's different.

Amanda Mazza:

Percent that actually, you know, you know, you wanna walk you wanna talk the talk, walk the walk. You know what I mean? One of

Drew Beech:

my one of my favorite quotes from, an OG of the space, Eric the ETA, Eric Thomas, the hip hop teacher. For sure. Yeah. Of course. He said everybody wants to be a beast until it's time to do a beast too.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Like that, and that's the fucking truth, and

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. Everybody everybody talks a big game. It goes back to you being action oriented, like action over words. Yeah. You know what I mean?

Joey Rosen:

Let's talk more action. So you did mention that, you were an officer

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

Right, for a little little bit of time. Right? So we're kinda jumping around in in your story, but you did mention, like, you know, you've sacrificed you've you've sacrificed a lot of things to get to where you are in the sport, but there are also, like, other, like, careers. Like, you know, you're working in Atlantic City, but then you're an officer. Yep.

Joey Rosen:

Right? So when was that?

Amanda Mazza:

So I went to law enforcement, 2020.

Joey Rosen:

Okay.

Amanda Mazza:

2020. I was shot for 2 years, resigned in 2022. Yeah. Yeah. So it was not the best time.

Joey Rosen:

What a time to be alive.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I kinda jumped in the way. You know, the opportunity was presented to me.

Amanda Mazza:

I was trying to get into the military. That didn't really work out for me. Couple obstacles with that as well. I tried twice, took the test twice. The first time I took it, failed it by 2 points because math is not my strong suit, and I haven't seen that stuff since high school.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. So that was pretty hard. And then after that, COVID started happening and stuff, so MEPS closed down. Yep. So that was part of the reason.

Amanda Mazza:

And then from there, the opportunity presented itself, and I kind of was like, alright. Like, I'm 25. Like, I need to figure my life out. Like, I need a career because I was bartending, serving, busing tables, everything. I was constantly working.

Amanda Mazza:

I'm telling you, like, summer down in Atlantic City, like, you know, Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend, that's where you make your money. I was working like a dog. I, you know, honestly, I I would just save my money, save my money, save my money. But What

Joey Rosen:

was your training like at that point?

Amanda Mazza:

Oh, I would go during the day. Like, I would work late, and Atlantic City is not, like, PA to where everything's close to doing. Atlantic City, things are open till 24 hours. Like, I would've got a 24 hour dive bar. One of my shifts was midnight to 9 AM, and I was serving chicken wings, like, literally.

Amanda Mazza:

But you know what? Like, I would get done 9 AM, take a nap, sleep till, like, 11:30, go to noon class. Like, that's what I would do. Come home, nap, go to the next job, you know, get done that nap, go Properly

Drew Beech:

do your body for

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Oh, 100%. Like, don't get me wrong. Like, there's a Starbucks, like, little espresso things. Like, that's what I lived off and find out energy is, like Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Not good, but I still eat good. I still, like, would get my workouts, and it wasn't easy. I didn't have time for anything but work and training, you know? So, like, it wasn't easy. It was hard.

Amanda Mazza:

I was definitely wasn't, like, able to train and perform my best all the time because, you know, I was running on e constantly, but at the same time You

Joey Rosen:

kept doing.

Amanda Mazza:

I kept doing it because, you know what, through something else that I had went through, like, you know, I was very, very, very poor and young. Like, I was homeless at one point, so I'm like, I will never let myself Yep. Couchsurf be homeless and be this broke again ever ever. So, you know, then again, fast forward to law enforcement after working like a dog. I was like, I need stability.

Amanda Mazza:

I need stability. I don't wanna work like a dog anymore. Let's go into law enforcement. You know, and again, there's still challenges in life that I was dealing with, like, with my father, and some other stuff with my family, and that's never an easy thing to deal with. You know, one thing someone told me one time, you know, you could you pick your nose, you can pick your friends, you can't pick you pick can't pick your family.

Joey Rosen:

You know?

Amanda Mazza:

So, like, that's I

Joey Rosen:

know that I know that quite a lot.

Amanda Mazza:

That's a very true statement. And, you know, despite everything, I'm I was always there. But, yeah, law enforcement was it was hard, but the academy was a breeze because I was an athlete. And, you know, when they're in your face screaming at your face and, like, you know, we

Joey Rosen:

like, I've been through worse.

Amanda Mazza:

I'm like, okay. What? You want me to do 200 push ups? Okay. Like, oh, I'm a little tiny, like, whatever they would call me, rodent or something, like, weird.

Amanda Mazza:

I'm, like, okay. Like, I honestly, the academy was a breeze. I actually won an award because I was, like, yeah.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah?

Amanda Mazza:

I was, like Well,

Joey Rosen:

that surprised me, but it's Then

Amanda Mazza:

they called me mighty mouse. They called me mighty mouse. I was the smallest, and so information I

Joey Rosen:

feel like that's a

Amanda Mazza:

fitting. Yeah. Yeah. Because, well, information, like, you know, we would have to, like, do drill in the morning and march and everything.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

And I was always in the back because I was the shortest because it goes tallest to shortest. Yep. And then I would call all the cadences because I was the loudest. So I got a leadership award in the police academy. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

That's very nice. Pretty cool. Pretty cool. So

Joey Rosen:

the the fact that you always knew you were a leader.

Amanda Mazza:

Yep.

Drew Beech:

You know?

Amanda Mazza:

Yep. And they knew that. Even when I graduated, they they they still my sergeants and everybody, they still reach out to me, and they're like, yeah. We see what you're doing and, honestly, we think you're on the right path. When I told them, reached out to them, let them know, I was quitting, especially my drill instructor, They were like, yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

I think you're making the right choice. Yeah. Like, you're too good to be doing that. I'm like, wow. Thank you.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, I support the job. It's a a great job, but honestly

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

It just wasn't for me.

Joey Rosen:

It's not your vision for your life.

Amanda Mazza:

It wasn't for me. No. It's it's amazing and honestly, kudos to all of them and it's great and I support police always. Mhmm. But, like, it just it just was not it just wasn't for me.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. It wasn't wasn't

Amanda Mazza:

for me. Feel right. It didn't feel right. It just you know, I grew up in a very negative life, household, everything. So, like, to keep being around negative, knowing I can't put into what I want because I you know, there's rules and things you have to follow.

Amanda Mazza:

It just kinda was like, wow. Like, you know, this can't be as rewarding as I wanted it to be.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. There's different levels of, of freedom. Right? If you're a Dan Kennedy fan, there's freedom of time, freedom of money, freedom of relationships. There's freedom of purpose.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. And I think that's what you're describing. Like, you know, you could were not free to take the action that you wanted to to help in the ways that you wanted to to fulfill, like, your purpose. Yeah. You know?

Joey Rosen:

So I I get that. There were, so when did so so you leave the academy. Right? When did or you leave, law enforcement. When did competition start?

Joey Rosen:

Like, when did you start competing?

Amanda Mazza:

Competing before I even was in law enforcement. Yeah. I competed while I was in law enforcement. I competed while I was in the Police Academy.

Joey Rosen:

Okay.

Amanda Mazza:

I actually it's pretty funny because,

Drew Beech:

I

Amanda Mazza:

was a blue belt when I already at this point when I joined, I mean, when I was in, the police academy.

Joey Rosen:

Sure.

Drew Beech:

And, you

Amanda Mazza:

know, when you're in police academy, you can't really have social media. You have to be super low key. You have to you know, they they monitor your stuff.

Drew Beech:

Mhmm.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, we started the police academy. There was maybe 79 people that started. When I graduated, it was 46

Drew Beech:

of us. Wow. Yeah. Because people couldn't take the hazing. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

People couldn't take the the the running, the push ups, and Restrictions. There was a lot. It was hard.

Drew Beech:

Can't handle that in the academy

Amanda Mazza:

restriction. Like, don't get me wrong. It's hard because they ride you hard, and they they For

Drew Beech:

the best.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Of course. Like, it's like boot camp, basically. It's not an easy thing, you know, if you're not bringing what they wanna see you eating for lunch, nobody can eat. Like Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

It's a long day of just hell, like, honestly, like, it sucks. But, like I said, I competed 1 weekend and I won 1st place. It was awesome. It was a blue belt tournament in Pittman, New Jersey, and I went and did it by myself. Had no coach, nothing.

Amanda Mazza:

Mhmm. And we went and did it, and my drill instructor brought me up in the front of the, class and was, like, recruit Maza. And I'm like, shit. What do I do? And they're like, what did you do this weekend?

Amanda Mazza:

I'm like, sir, nothing, sir. Like, you know, and they're like, what color is your badge? And, my badge was yellow and black or gold and black. Mhmm.

Drew Beech:

And

Amanda Mazza:

I'm like, yellow, sir. Sir, yellow, sir. And he was like, what? Are you effing color blind? I'm like, I'm like, he's a color.

Amanda Mazza:

Color is your badge? And I'm like, sir, yellow, sir. And then he makes me get in, like, front leaning rest, they call it, which is push up position, and he keeps asking me. And I'm like, I don't know what he wants me to say. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

And then he's like, stand up. So I was, like, down there for 3 minutes holding a plank. If I dropped a little bit, I was gonna beat my face doing push ups. Yeah. He's like, I think your badge is gold.

Amanda Mazza:

And what else is gold? And I'm like, because I gotta gold medals. And I was like, oh. And then after that, he, like, he bragged about it, and he was like and he's like a scary marine. Like Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

He's been he's done, like, 4 tours. Like, he's insane. So, like, when he yelled at us, you're like

Joey Rosen:

Yep.

Amanda Mazza:

So, he said, and everybody else, this little girl's out there competing, kicking people's butts, and here you guys are, can't even do this and that, whatever he was saying. So then they all had to run.

Drew Beech:

I'm like,

Joey Rosen:

oh, great. Great

Drew Beech:

job, Moneymaster. Like, damn.

Joey Rosen:

A S look bad,

Drew Beech:

Moneymaster. But

Amanda Mazza:

that was cool. So as they're all running, he's like, you're awesome. And and right there, I build a relationship with him, and I still have a relationship with him. Yeah. Sergeant Lewis.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. Again again, like, actions. You know what I mean? Leading to actions going out there. And I didn't

Amanda Mazza:

say nothing. I didn't post nothing about it, and he just knew. He found out somehow. I don't know how, but, like, he was, like, how many matches did you have? And I had 9 matches that weekend.

Amanda Mazza:

Then He was, like, you wanna and I won all of them.

Joey Rosen:

Nice.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. It was awesome. So that was really cool, but then

Joey Rosen:

flying armbar in play then at that at that point?

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Oh, yeah. God. Yeah. That was white belt.

Drew Beech:

I mean,

Amanda Mazza:

the the Oh, yeah. You're white belt.

Joey Rosen:

I mean, it was Yeah. It was early on. White belt.

Drew Beech:

White belt. It's interesting that you were applauded for that because I used to train with a Philly cop, and he actually, like, had to, like, secretly train you just to because he was you're not allowed to train as a I think that's been lifted. Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. But before they couldn't.

Drew Beech:

You wear a lot of train.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. I mean, Martinez, like, obviously, Martinez is, like, huge law enforcement community at Martinez.

Amanda Mazza:

So Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. And it's crazy. Like, I mean, you see all these videos online. It's like every cop should train you. It's like, that should be literally a part of your

Amanda Mazza:

Oh, yeah. It's huge now. It's huge now.

Joey Rosen:

Did you have, in the time that you were in law enforcement, did you have to use your jujitsu, to a point to a, I will say, really use it, like, actual Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Oh, yeah. There was a couple of situations. Not too too many. I'm lucky, but yeah. Especially, again, like, I'm a smaller girl.

Amanda Mazza:

So, you know, you see me in uniform. People are like, oh, she's little. You know, like, I can sometimes be a target.

Joey Rosen:

Little do they now.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Oh, well, they found out. Yeah. They found out. Like, I I wish it didn't come to that, but they found out.

Amanda Mazza:

So, you know, definitely got it applaud for that. Yeah. You know?

Drew Beech:

I think the takedowns have to be a huge a huge thing involved

Joey Rosen:

for that.

Amanda Mazza:

Even having control and holding people and you know what I mean? Like, that was more of the thing. Like, of course, like

Drew Beech:

Like, being able to where they got routine. Yeah. They retain the Mhmm. Mhmm.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. That was, that was different. But, yeah, it was it was interesting, you know, like, I I could one thing I could say is, you know, I've I've went that route, but at least I could say what I don't wanna do. You know what I mean? Like Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

I really respect that, and it's a lesson learned, and kudos to everybody that does that job. It's hard, and it's, you know, it was very hard bringing some of that stuff home, seeing some of the things I would see, you know, especially with children, like, it it hurt seeing those things and knowing I couldn't take action. I just was, like, I can't. Like, I can't go to bed knowing what I know and seeing what I see and being okay with it. That's that was the hardest part of the job for me, honestly.

Drew Beech:

How much

Joey Rosen:

how how how much could you compartmentalize? Because there's I I hear it over and over again in your story, not only the challenges present themselves, but challenges presented themselves that literally triggered memories of the traumas that you had gone through. So it's it's not just like you had to do something hard. Yeah. Like, you had to do something hard that directly reminded you of something that you were still working to be better or to overcome.

Joey Rosen:

You know what I mean? So I imagine that they they live with you. They're your scars, but were you able, especially in law enforcement, to compartmentalize and say, like, I'm here to do, you know, to I have a duty to do a job to help those, and I can't let those thoughts and those memories come up in the moment.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Well, even when they did, it's just, like, my thing is, like, I would sometimes get in trouble because I was too nice to sometimes these people, but, like, listen. You get more of a honey than vinegar. You know what I mean? So, like, I knew how to talk to people, especially there was a time where I was, like, working in the civil court, with children and stuff.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, adoption, DIFUS, all that stuff. So, like, sitting here and talking to these kids, like, they really assigned me to that a lot because, like, they knew I knew how to talk to these kids and we would get a lot more answers through me.

Joey Rosen:

Sure.

Amanda Mazza:

You know? And Difeus would love me. They would, like, be like, oh, yeah. Come in. Come and talk to Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

This kid. Come talk to this kid. And, like, I knew because I could relate, you know, and I could relate, and that helped a lot of them. And, like, you know, people always say, man, you should be a therapist. And I'm like, no.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, you know, like, I'm there, and I'll help anybody always. Like, that's one thing about me. I I I am not I'm a very selfless person, like, don't get it wrong. Like, don't take my kindness for weakness. Like, there's a line.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, you you're not walking all over me. But still, like, with that, it just

Joey Rosen:

So it actually it actually that, you know, that pain was actually, again, power for you. Like, you helped them heal, and it was probably therapeutic and helped heal you

Drew Beech:

as well.

Amanda Mazza:

100%. It was that was the rewarding parts when I know I could at least just get some honest answers out of these kids that obviously didn't wanna talk and stuff like that that I could sit there and tell them, like, hey. Like, I I've been here.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

You know? Absolutely. I I've been in your shoes. Like, I've

Joey Rosen:

And for them

Amanda Mazza:

I've dealt with life DIPUS as a child myself. I understand.

Joey Rosen:

And for them in that moment, that's so important to hear. Yep. So important to hear.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Absolutely. That that really like, as much as it broke my heart to see that and see, you know, see them

Joey Rosen:

Yep.

Amanda Mazza:

Like that, that hurt, but, like, I I I would just I would think about me being in their shoes because I've been there. Yep. And I'm just like, hey. Listen. Like, look where I am now.

Amanda Mazza:

Look at me.

Joey Rosen:

Oh, absolutely.

Amanda Mazza:

Like and they would see that, and it it would give them hope. Like, it would they would write me letters. They would write me postcards, like, all these cool things, like, you know, and then sometimes they hated me. So because they'd be like, shut up. Shut up, lady.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, you don't know me, and I'm like, alright. You know? Like, that's fine.

Joey Rosen:

I imagine more good though than

Amanda Mazza:

way more good. Definitely.

Joey Rosen:

And that's why I even mentioned, like, you know, not just a such a strong example of who we are as the few for our community, but a strong example of who we are in society. Yeah. You know, because of of of examples just like that Yeah. That that you mentioned. So we're, I mean, we're we're so honored to have you with us on the team.

Joey Rosen:

We really we really are. We've we've covered a lot of ground. Right? So let's, like I feel

Drew Beech:

like going through on a journey. I literally

Joey Rosen:

And I feel like it's only been a small piece.

Amanda Mazza:

I definitely wanna write a book one day for sure.

Joey Rosen:

You absolutely should.

Amanda Mazza:

You know, I'm not 30 yet, but I said, like, well, by the time I, like, reach my thirties, I said, maybe something because I think my story is just the the the roller coaster it was, like, Yeah. You know, it's just it really I hope it can help a lot of people. And even with me grappling and stuff, like, of course, I wanna be one of the best in the world. But, honestly, what I want more out of this is just to, like, really show people, like, no matter what, you can reach your goals and dreams. Like, no matter what hardships, no matter what obstacles, no matter what pain, like, you really can get there.

Joey Rosen:

You can do it. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

It's achievable. It's nothing nothing is impossible. Like, you are your worst enemy. Like, you you are the only thing that will stop yourself.

Joey Rosen:

Exactly. And you could have stopped yourself multiple times, but you chose not to. Nope. You chose not to. Let's talk about, let's fast forward now to recent Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

And let's talk about some of your recent competitions. What is, maybe your your I I I know the big one. We'll talk about that one. Have you competed since the invitational? Since

Amanda Mazza:

the Yeah. Fury. Fury come over to you. Yeah. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. The so.

Amanda Mazza:

New Year well, New Year's Eve weekend. Yeah. The 3rd December 30th. Yep.

Joey Rosen:

Okay. So that's Furi Prograppling, right, in Philly. Before that, where were you?

Amanda Mazza:

I was at the UFC Invitational in Las Vegas.

Joey Rosen:

Yep. Yep. I remember when you broke the news to me about that and how excited you were

Drew Beech:

Oh, man.

Joey Rosen:

And over the moon. Was that it it was was that a trunk New York? I think it Yeah. Yeah. It was a trunk.

Amanda Mazza:

I think I told you prior, but, like,

Joey Rosen:

it was a hot trust. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Yeah. Nobody knew about it besides, like, you guys

Drew Beech:

Don't tell anyone. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Guys, Max, and my coaches. Yep.

Joey Rosen:

Yep.

Amanda Mazza:

Screenshots.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. Yeah. And then, and then at, Strong New York at Kenny's event, we spoke about it a little bit more. How did you, how did you prepare? So let's get into the preparation a little bit, like competition prep.

Joey Rosen:

Not necessarily the physical stuff. We can talk about that, the actual training, but, like, mentally. How did you prepare for that? It's probably the biggest stage that you had been on at times. Right?

Amanda Mazza:

Percent. Yeah. Mhmm. Mentally, honestly, like, the nerves for sure were keeping me up at night, waking me up in the middle of the night more like it. I have no problem falling asleep, but staying asleep, waking up with that heart racing anxiety where I'm like, oh my god.

Amanda Mazza:

Oh my god. Entrepreneur. I get it. Yeah. Oh, man.

Amanda Mazza:

That's constant.

Joey Rosen:

Relate. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. It's constant. But, honestly, mentally, like, I would say I just really would just have these talks, like, these self talks a lot, like, a lot. And then, like, one thing, like, Max said to me was, hey. Amanda, like there was a time where I was like, oh my god.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, why did they pick me? Like, I I just keep picking. Like, what what made them pick me? Like, I just wanna know. Like, what made them pick me?

Amanda Mazza:

And Max is like, Amanda, you belong on that stage. Act like it. And I'm in. He said that, and I just was like, you know what? You're right.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, there's a reason they picked me, and you know what? I know why they picked me. And Mhmm. I just kept telling myself, like, I'm picked for a reason. I'm picked for a reason.

Amanda Mazza:

They picked me for a reason. Like, I belong on that stage. Act like it. Act like it. And even, Jonathan said it.

Amanda Mazza:

Jay said it. Max, them 3, honestly, like, my good practices, my bad practices, anything, like, after every practice, they constantly had a talk with me. You know? Because even if I had a great practice, they'd be like, yeah. Like, you look good.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, this is it. You know, they'd have these talks with me that just kept lifting me up and giving me that reassurance. Not that I needed it, but just, like it just kind of was, like, alright. Yeah. Like, I'm thinking clearly, and I'm thinking good.

Joey Rosen:

Sure.

Amanda Mazza:

And that helped a lot.

Joey Rosen:

So self talk, talk from your team Yeah. A lot of a lot of talking. Right? Talking you through it so that you could

Amanda Mazza:

You know what it was? They treated me like I was, like, the best grappler in the world. They talked to me like that. Like, they treated me like like a like a superhero. Like, you're so great.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, you did this super awesome. Like, you know, obviously, they're hyping it a little bit more, but, like, the fact that they were acting like they were, like, my biggest fans, like, you know, it's, like, you know yeah. Yeah. They're right. No.

Amanda Mazza:

They definitely are. They're awesome.

Drew Beech:

They all love come Max is Amanda's boyfriend over there too. Right? Like, we are, like, a Max. Everyone knows who Max is, but it's it cool how it ties into, the role of the field you are, who you hunt with. And that's Mhmm.

Drew Beech:

That applies to who you train with, who you spend your quality time with, your downtime with, or whoever you choose to listen to or even go through life with as your partner, your boyfriend, your girlfriend, your husband, like, not many people have that support from their partner, the sweet of them and your other saying, like like like they're on the field with you. Like, you know what? Like, you deserve you deserve to

Joey Rosen:

be in

Drew Beech:

here and, like, literally pushing you down the field in life. Like, it's, like, shout out to Max for doing that.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Oh, yeah. There's he's in the summer, he would wake me up 5 AM. Alright. Time to go do sprints.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah. I

Amanda Mazza:

mean, I'm a morning person. Don't get me wrong. But, like, Max has wrestled since he was 3 years old, so he's got that wrestling mindset. So he's a very, anyone that knows him, he's a very elite person. Like, he fits definitely the few.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, he is one of them for sure. He's a he has really taught me so much, and just because he's he's been on some of the biggest stages as well. Like, he's been in some of the biggest rooms. He's a division 1 Drexel wrestler. So and, you know, he's trained with some of the best in the world also.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. So, he is definitely someone that has really reminded me who I am on the days that, you know, sometimes I might lose sight of it a little bit because some days, obviously, you know, are harder than others, but, you know what, he is that person that has literally just snaps me right back in the way. Like, hey. Like, he'll just literally give me a little poke on the chest, like, oh. Yep.

Amanda Mazza:

Remember, what are you doing? Yeah. Step out of it. Step out of it. Remember who you are.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, you know, like, you know what? You're right. Like, you're right. Like, and it fires me up, and nobody pushes me on the mats like he does. Like, the the amount of effort and time, like well, I'm so lucky because, like, that's my boyfriend.

Amanda Mazza:

He lives with me. But even before, he was my boyfriend. He was my friend. And, like Mhmm. Honestly, like, if everyone could have a Max in their life, like, this kid is built different.

Amanda Mazza:

Him, his brothers, like, they are just very different breed of people. And I've never in my entire life and and I've met a lot of people. I've seen a lot of stuff. I've never met people like the Livingstons, honestly. Honestly.

Amanda Mazza:

Shout out to Livingstons. Yeah. The

Joey Rosen:

Livingstons. I'm

Amanda Mazza:

serious. Yeah? Yeah. Oh my god. Oh, man.

Amanda Mazza:

On the show. All 3 of them.

Joey Rosen:

Oh, man. To me that, different found different.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Right? Oh, yeah.

Joey Rosen:

So I sense that you were built different, and it sounds like you found somebody that was also built different. Yep. You know what I mean? And you've come together to create something beautiful. Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

So on the mental side of things, it seems like, you know, you had that support system, which is amazing. Even in the initial like, I remember when we were initially talking about it when it was so hush-hush, you had a vibe about you that I it was more of a, like, can you believe they picked me type vibe.

Drew Beech:

You know

Joey Rosen:

what I mean? Which was a little out of character from what I knew of you because I was like, you're so convicted. You're so confident. And I was like, well, this is a big stage, so, of course, there's, you know, the

Amanda Mazza:

I think it was more because, like, you know, like, jujitsu records and everything. Like, I've lost a lot. Don't get me wrong. I've lost a lot. I don't want them all at all.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. But, like, when I win, I win big, you know, and that's what kinda separates me from a lot of people. Because when I win, it's with style. You know? Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Not that I'm going out there and, like, oh, I wanna do something crazy to get a highlight reel. Like, that's just me. Like, even in the training room, my coach is just like, you do things that, like, I I don't don't even know what you're doing, and you do it. I'm just like, alright.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. I mean, that works. To your

Joey Rosen:

But I'm

Amanda Mazza:

just like a wild you know, they all call me. I have a couple of nicknames, Maza Madness, Maniac Maza.

Joey Rosen:

I like these.

Amanda Mazza:

Mazda Airlines. I mean, the airlines. Yeah. Like, I got so many nicknames because I'm just like, I I just am, like, bossed at all or nothing at all.

Joey Rosen:

Is that it?

Drew Beech:

It's funny you bring up the the losing because, like, my a friend of mine, a train partner, Eddie, lost at the few one open this weekend. It's, like, one of his first, like, bigger, competitions. He's kinda, like, hanging his head last night over this loss. I'm like, dude, like, I don't know where we got off as a sport of MMA and jujitsu. Like, you you, like, can't lose for some reason.

Drew Beech:

But Yep. Michael Jordan, the greatest one of the greatest athletes of all time, lost so many like, how Dude,

Joey Rosen:

he's cut from his high school basketball.

Drew Beech:

Do you know how many times Michael Jordan lost like, his his record? No. Because, like, you can like, for some reason, this sport, like, you can't, like, take a loss and just keep going.

Joey Rosen:

Like Yeah.

Drew Beech:

I think it's become the best one day. Like, it's literally

Amanda Mazza:

Well, I always say, like, if we don't have losses, we don't appreciate our wins. You know? Like and every time I've had a loss, like, you know, like, I learn from it. Like, I realize where I went wrong. I study that film.

Amanda Mazza:

You know? Like, just like in life, you make a mistake, like or have I felt losing or, like, anything, like, that hurt me before? Like, I will never let myself feel that way again. Like, if I made that mistake, I'm not gonna make that mistake again. Like, so with all my losses, I've always learned something.

Amanda Mazza:

I've always learned something. And guess what? No excuses, back to work. Back to work. Like, honestly, like, the highs and lows of it, like, really make the sport that much more enjoyable.

Amanda Mazza:

You know what I mean? Like It's

Drew Beech:

and they sound cliche when you say things like that. It's just like that, like, you hear things and then and then you apply them to your life and it's like, oh, wow. Like, this is actually like, it's not cliche. It's actual Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. No. It's real. It's probably like like

Drew Beech:

I posted yesterday, the losses make bosses.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. Yeah. Lossings losses create more learnings than winning ever will. Absolutely. Like, if you're not losing, you're not gonna accelerate

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

At the at the at the speed with which you really want to. Like, it's it's a gate you have to pass through.

Amanda Mazza:

It's like

Joey Rosen:

the way I look at it. You know? So invitational didn't go the way you wanted it to.

Amanda Mazza:

No. Unfortunately not. It was awesome. Now the experience Mhmm. You know, I was in in the UFC Apex.

Amanda Mazza:

I was Yep. Doing the photo shoots. I was doing weigh ins with GSP. Like, that was so cool. Like Right.

Amanda Mazza:

That was cool. Super cool guy, you know.

Joey Rosen:

Signing the poster.

Amanda Mazza:

Signing the poster. Like, I was on the card with some of the best grapplers in the world, you know, and I was there because I belong there, you know. Like, again, unfortunately, the results didn't go the way I wanted. You know, I I I took the match at a little bit of a heavier weight, but I didn't care. Like, I knew what I was doing getting into it.

Joey Rosen:

So Like, you have the, like, the next taste. Like, that's way I look

Drew Beech:

at it.

Joey Rosen:

Like, you had that experience Yep. And you're like,

Amanda Mazza:

okay. Oh, more.

Drew Beech:

Oh, more

Amanda Mazza:

of that. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely.

Joey Rosen:

Came back, and you're on the Fury. Yep. Mats. Yep. That went away.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. That won. I won that one. Yeah. That was a good one.

Amanda Mazza:

Too. I slowed down the pace a little bit there. Mhmm. Just kinda wanted to work a couple of different things in that match. I got the win.

Amanda Mazza:

Didn't get a sub, but I got the win. I had a really good performance, honestly. Like, I felt great. I did great. I did have a couple different subs than people are used to seeing, so that was cool.

Amanda Mazza:

That was something people were, like, wow, you don't just do arm bars? Like, I was throwing up darsas. I was throwing up knee bars. Like, people are like, what the heck? Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Heel hook, and I'm just like, woah. You know you know other things in armbars? So that was a good one for me. Definitely a good way to end the year, and now I got some other things coming up.

Joey Rosen:

So that's right. So let's we're gonna bring this in for we're gonna bring, I call I say Air Amanda, but it's what?

Amanda Mazza:

Amanda Airlines. Yeah. We're bringing

Joey Rosen:

Amanda Airlines Airlines in for a landing. So what is, what's next?

Amanda Mazza:

So next, I am gonna do the ADCC Atlantic City Open, which is February 10th. That's just like a tournament. Okay. And then from there, me and Max both are competing, in Grapplefest in Liverpool, in the United Kingdom. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

And that's in March.

Amanda Mazza:

March. March 2nd. Yeah. So we're flying out in the February because it's a big time change there, so we definitely gotta get adjusted before we go out there and compete, of course. So, I'm on the main card.

Amanda Mazza:

There's some really, really big names, headlining, so that's gonna be awesome to be on the main card with them. So I'm really excited for that. Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

Very cool.

Drew Beech:

Very cool. Where it pays off. Yeah. It's it. Like, another cliche,

Joey Rosen:

but Yeah. But it's truth.

Drew Beech:

You know, it's funny, like, everyone in the beginning too and this we might have been another can of worms here, but, like, may have doubted you or or told you, like, you can't make a living or a Mhmm. A life out of grappling. And it's literally just so not true. That's like you said earlier in the conversation that you had to figure your life out. But, like, realistically, do we ever figure it out?

Drew Beech:

Like, you're just always it's still growing, still still growing. Right? Like For sure.

Amanda Mazza:

I think, like, when we're figuring out, that just goes to show that we are growing. You know? When you're trying to figure things out, that just goes you're not comfortable, and that's okay. Like, I like when I'm not comfortable. When I'm not comfortable, I know I'm growing.

Amanda Mazza:

I know I'm taking steps forward. I know I'm getting better. So, like, when I'm like, alright. I'm still figuring it out. Like I said, like, I I I quit a career with benefits, pay, everything.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, I'm back to bartending. You know, I was in nursing school. I I left law enforcement to go right back into nursing school.

Joey Rosen:

We didn't even touch on nursing.

Amanda Mazza:

I know. Yeah. Yeah. Well, this past, I was going supposed to sign up again for fall semester in the summer. Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

And then, like, I had that conversation with you. Like, something in my gut was telling me, like, no. Like, take this semester off. Take this semester off. And then literally, the month later, it's in August is when I got reached out to about the Fight Pass Invitational.

Amanda Mazza:

Okay. So I was like, oh my god. Alright. See? The stars are aligning.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, this is meant to happen. Everything's meant to happen. So, I haven't went back yet. Still considering, but right now, I'm just back to bartending. I teach kids class.

Amanda Mazza:

I teach women's class. I teach privates. So, like, I'm I'm doing what I gotta do to make money. It's not the best financially, but, like, I'm grinding. I'm I'm I'm used to grind.

Amanda Mazza:

I'm used to working like a dog.

Joey Rosen:

No stranger to it.

Drew Beech:

You know

Amanda Mazza:

what I mean?

Joey Rosen:

So if anything, you go for it.

Drew Beech:

It's like you said to doctor Sean, it's like, that is the dream too. Like like, this part of your journey and your story is like, this is the dream. Like, you know what I mean? Like, you're chasing

Joey Rosen:

You're literally writing the pages of your book. Absolutely. You're writing the pages.

Amanda Mazza:

I'm right where I'm supposed to be. And, you know,

Drew Beech:

there's obviously some days where I'm like, oh

Amanda Mazza:

my god. I don't have the benefits. I don't have the job. You know, I don't But you know what? I'm so happy.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. I'm so happy. Oh, yeah. I'm happy. I get to do what I love.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, I look forward to training every working. I look forward to teaching kids and women. Like, oh my god. Like, when I leave teaching my kids class, I teach at Freedom Jiu Jitsu in Wood Sound, New Jersey. When I leave teaching that class, I am so happy.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, Max is like, oh, you're gonna be an amazing mom one day. Like, I love kids, and they are so fun, and they're so entertaining. Like, even teaching women, like, I teach women very beginner level, jujitsu, and just, like, even bring them into the door and then feel uncomfortable enough with me to start jujitsu in general. Like, I'm so grateful I can do that.

Joey Rosen:

You're so you're so well positioned for for even that. You're so well positioned because of your story

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

And what you went through. Like, you were the only woman walking into a gym at one time too. Yep. They're there with other women as well, but you know that feeling.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

So you can help them navigate that.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. And they don't and the thing is too, like, they don't even know that about me. Like, you know, but I'm I'm glad I can make them feel that comfortable to where, like, you know, and then when now that, obviously, things are starting to come to light in my life and people are starting to understand my story a little bit more, like, you know, it's giving me good attention, obviously, and they're feeling like, wow. Like, I really can relate to you. So, like, now they feel comfortable coming and talking to me, coming and asking these questions, coming and learning from me, especially.

Amanda Mazza:

Sure. So it's

Joey Rosen:

it's gonna maximize the impact

Drew Beech:

that you

Joey Rosen:

have, not not just on your own personal journey, but, like, in society as a whole, the amount of people that you can impact.

Amanda Mazza:

What I wanna do. That's all I want. Like You

Joey Rosen:

already are.

Amanda Mazza:

I You're doing it. That's all. Doing it. Even, like, the UFC invitation commentary, me walking up the steps, what they said about me, about me being such a amazing person and come overcoming, you know, hardship and stuff. Like, them saying that about me, like, as I'm walking on the big stage in the world, like, I just was, like, wow.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, that I that's what I wanted to be doing as that's what I want. I I, you know, of course, I wanna be a I mean, the airlines tough little badass chick, but, like, I wanna be more than just that. Yeah. You know, and I want people to see that. I don't wanna just be this little feisty, scrappy, little flying squirrel.

Amanda Mazza:

Like, I wanna be somebody. I want people to be able to relate to me and know that, like, I'm human too. You know, like

Joey Rosen:

They can see it and they feel it. That's why, you know, you say, oh, the stars are aligning the star. It's like, you you are the star. Yeah. They're aligning around you as you as you move, you know, forward.

Joey Rosen:

The only direction you know forward

Drew Beech:

Yep.

Joey Rosen:

On your journey, they're aligning around you. So the things that are happening you say I'm I'm right where I'm supposed to be. Yep. The things that are happening, like, the way I look at it is, it is it is the proof. You know?

Joey Rosen:

It is a a a huge book of proof is being written that you're where you need to be and that you're on the right track.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

You know?

Drew Beech:

You're also getting more Beautiful. More fulfillment out of life than

Joey Rosen:

Freedom of purpose.

Drew Beech:

I mean

Amanda Mazza:

We only got one, you know, and Oh, yeah. We're in the driver's seat of it. So why not make it what we want? You know? And life's too short, and I've been through too much hard shit and things that, like, I'm not I'm not stopping here.

Amanda Mazza:

There's a lot more for me, and I'm still young. Like, I keep telling, so I'm old. But, like, you're really, yo, you're not old. So I'm like, you know what? Like, life's what you make of it.

Amanda Mazza:

I'm I'm gonna make something of it.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. For sure.

Amanda Mazza:

Yeah. I

Joey Rosen:

can't wait to read the book.

Amanda Mazza:

Oh, yeah. It'll come on that.

Joey Rosen:

Like, all of this. Yeah. You you already could write a book, and it would be great. I can't wait to see in 10 years the the back chapters

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Mazza:

Of of of what you're saying. Too, which is weird. Like, I said that since I was young. I wanna write a book one day, and, like, I'm still,

Joey Rosen:

like speaking I think you're speaking all of this into existence, so keep it up. Yeah. Keep it up.

Amanda Mazza:

Definitely.

Joey Rosen:

For sure. For sure. Why like I said, we're we're we're bringing this in for a landing. We could go on for for hours probably. We are absolutely honored to have you in the few, have you representing the few, not just our community, but in society.

Joey Rosen:

Not just in the community, but in society. And we mean that from the bottom of our hearts. So thank you for coming through today and doing the Fuel Hunt Show. Very first guest.

Amanda Mazza:

Thank you, guys. Amazing. Thank you.

Joey Rosen:

Absolutely amazing.

Amanda Mazza:

So excited.

Joey Rosen:

You wanna sign off? I I No. I want a

Drew Beech:

man who knows the sign off.

Amanda Mazza:

I want

Joey Rosen:

a man who knows the sign off.

Amanda Mazza:

I don't

Joey Rosen:

know the sign

Amanda Mazza:

off yet.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Rosen:

Yeah. I'll do it.

Drew Beech:

I'll do it.

Joey Rosen:

I'll do it. What let hit me with the excuses thing real quick, though. Excuses are tools of the incompetent? Yeah. Okay.

Joey Rosen:

Alright. Now I'm gonna sign us off. Always remember, choose hard work over handouts. Choose effort over entitlement. No one owns you.

Joey Rosen:

No one owes you. You're one of the few. Let's hunt.