The Few Will Hunt Show

Winning isn’t just about being the strongest—it’s about the mindset that fuels you through every challenge. In this episode, Joey and Drew sit down with Amanda Leve, a former MMA fighter, pro grappler, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt hailing from Northeast Philly. Amanda’s journey began when she was just 11 years old, guided by her father's belief in discipline, grit, and the heart of a true competitor. From her stunning victory over Gabby Garcia to facing a life-altering medical diagnosis, Amanda opens up about the battles she's fought both inside and outside the cage. Through it all, it’s been her mental toughness that has shaped her into the relentless fighter she is today. Her story is one of resilience, passion, and the unbreakable spirit that keeps her pushing forward, no matter the odds. Get ready to be inspired by Amanda's journey and discover the inner fire that keeps her fighting.

The official podcast of Few Will Hunt, the world’s largest community of hard workers and 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 Leve:

And I will say, like, now, like, my mindset for, like, competing is the best it's probably ever been. Yeah. Like, I'd rather be entertaining and lose than than fight going out there and just, like, fighting not

Drew Beech:

to lose. Welcome to the Few will Hunt Show.

Joey Bowen:

What's going on, Eagles? I'm Joey. I'm here with Drew. And today, we are joined by Amanda Levy. Amanda, what's going on?

Joey Bowen:

How are you?

Amanda Leve:

I'm good.

Joey Bowen:

How are you? Very, very, very well. Doing very well. I'm excited about today's episode today. This is the first time we've met Yep.

Joey Bowen:

In, in person, so I'm excited to get to know you a little bit better. I know the community is as well. Former I will say former. We talked about this. Former MMA fighter, pro grappler.

Joey Bowen:

Most of our community knows you. But what I would like to do is dive a little bit into maybe, like, you know, your mindset in competing. Right? How you got started in jujitsu and then MMA. Touch on your, match with Gabby Garcia a little bit.

Joey Bowen:

So we'll we'll bounce around and then, obviously, anything else you wanna speak about too.

Amanda Leve:

Awesome. Sounds good.

Joey Bowen:

Sound good? Yeah. Yep. So let's, so we're we're Philly kids. Right?

Joey Bowen:

We're all Philly kids. Right? So you're, what neighborhood?

Amanda Leve:

Northeast Philly. So, like, Parkwood, Chabot area. Yep.

Drew Beech:

Okay.

Joey Bowen:

Alright. Alright. Sounds good. So how did let's get started with jujitsu. Jujitsu became before MMA for you.

Joey Bowen:

Right? So how did you get started in jujitsu?

Amanda Leve:

My dad was huge in the UFC.

Joey Bowen:

Okay.

Amanda Leve:

Him and my uncle. So they, like, would watch it all the time, and they always, like, loved the, like, ground aspect of it because it was, like, something different.

Drew Beech:

Which not everyone does. Everyone's, like, they go mad when when they go to the ground. Like, stand stand up and fight. Like

Amanda Leve:

I know. But, you know, it's so much it's so entertaining when you see, like especially, like, Sean and the Gilbert match. Like That was crazy. When it's high level grappling, it's so entertaining to watch.

Drew Beech:

I really feel and not that I've only a blue belt, but I feel you have to to really enjoy that, like, somewhat of an understanding of what's going on, though. Do you agree with that? Like, I feel like it's might be maybe for a layman, like, it's hard to understand what's actually happening. But for us, like, people that actually do the sport, it's like, oh my god. This is amazing.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Absolutely. I yeah. I definitely can see that. So it's

Drew Beech:

interesting that they like you said, like, they were they've been excited about the ground game.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah. So,

Joey Bowen:

did they practice? Did they practice, or no? They just enjoy boxing.

Drew Beech:

Boxing. Sick. Yeah. Yeah. So they

Amanda Leve:

were, like, big, fans of hockey. And back in the day when you could actually fight in hockey, they would, like, love that. So, that's probably why they loved MMA so much when it came around. Makes sense. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

So, yes. And then he looked for a place to sign my brother up, and I was just a super athletic kid. So my dad was, like, oh my gosh. But, like, after watching him do the class, he was, like, this would be so great for Amanda because they were doing push ups. And I was, like, a weirdo.

Amanda Leve:

I did, like, push ups during commercial breaks, like, at home or, like, sit ups. Like, I was just always an athlete. And, like, I always say, like, now, I'm, like, I just wanna be an athlete for my whole life. Like, I wanna identify as an athlete. I don't wanna ever stop moving my body.

Amanda Leve:

Like, it feels good.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. So

Amanda Leve:

I just wanna keep that athlete title.

Drew Beech:

What sports were you playing before you like, how how old was that? So

Amanda Leve:

I was 11 at the time. Okay. So I played, like, softball, basketball, and then started jiu jitsu. And it's, like, funny because, like, that was probably, like, 09, and, like, no one knew what jiu jitsu was. Uh-huh.

Drew Beech:

So I

Amanda Leve:

didn't even tell anyone when I was in, like, school. It was just kind of funny.

Drew Beech:

They would have known they

Amanda Leve:

wouldn't know people

Drew Beech:

even know now. Yeah. Like, you say, Barter says, I did jiu jitsu as a kid at school. I wouldn't even know what he's talking about. Like, I can imagine that those days.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. My grandpa still calls it karate. Yeah. He thinks

Drew Beech:

he thinks he thinks you're a karate instructor. I, I forgot to say, but, oh, I was at well, we talked with Dylan. I I was it's always the people that found jiu jitsu back in that day, in that era. Like, it was like their uncle Bob, like, drove past the thing that had jiu jitsu, and they just so happened to find it. Like Yeah.

Drew Beech:

You know what I mean?

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah. It's just like it's so cool to see how much it's grown too, again, from, like, no one knowing what it was. And now I can say it, and people were, like, oh my gosh. I know someone who does it or

Drew Beech:

something like that. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

The the push ups and the sit ups during commercial breaks when you're watching TV, how did that come about? Was that, like, a coach?

Amanda Leve:

No. From under your I think I'm just, like, I was, like, a hyper kid.

Joey Bowen:

Or or maybe, like, you you just said, like, moving your body feels great. Maybe you

Drew Beech:

just realized that at a

Joey Bowen:

young age.

Drew Beech:

Was your dad an active guy? Like,

Amanda Leve:

he would

Drew Beech:

work out?

Amanda Leve:

Like, my parents are still not active and it kills me. And I'm like, can you guys just go for

Drew Beech:

a walk?

Amanda Leve:

Like, please do something. Oh, yeah. Sure. Just walk. Yes.

Drew Beech:

I thought for sure her dad was like excuse me. My dad's a physical specimen.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. No. That's weird. I wish. I wish he would like I'm like, I'll I even tell him because he needs to lose weight.

Amanda Leve:

I'm, like, I will meal we meal prepped for him before. Yeah. So, like actually, I'm, like, that all you have to do is just grab out

Drew Beech:

the fridge.

Joey Bowen:

Just extend the meat.

Amanda Leve:

And he wouldn't do it. I'm, like Yeah. People would pay for this.

Drew Beech:

People do pay He's not my parents.

Joey Bowen:

To you.

Drew Beech:

My parents are the same way. I'm like, if you just walk, like, it, like, it would be and then Yeah. The they say they're doing meat and fruit, but then, I mean, they're hopefully, I wasn't this. But then they're like, go out to eat every other day. I'm like, dude.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. I don't know what the our parents, like, what'll make it click in their head, but Nothing. I don't think anything.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. No. I I love that story though of doing sit ups and push ups during commercial break.

Drew Beech:

I was out of the

Joey Bowen:

what it is. Maybe you just figured out young. Yeah. You know? Like, it made you feel good, so why not do it?

Joey Bowen:

Yep. I, I did something similar when I was young. I used to run the steps in my house, like, in in we had a twin in Fox Chase, and I used to run the steps. But I was running the steps because I was getting bullied at school.

Drew Beech:

I can't relate that. You knew it. I knew it. Yeah. I was just sitting there.

Drew Beech:

I was more identified

Joey Bowen:

with your dad.

Drew Beech:

I can relate.

Joey Bowen:

So 11 so 11, you started, jiu jitsu. So you didn't really obviously, no one was really doing well, I can't say no one was really doing it. It wasn't as popular as it is now.

Amanda Leve:

No. Absolutely not.

Joey Bowen:

And I have to imagine that you were probably the only female or one of few females at your school at the time. Right?

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. So I bounced around, like, over the years of doing jiu jitsu, and even in my early stages of the first couple gyms I've been to, sometimes I was the only kid and only girl in

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

The adult classes, because, like, they wouldn't even have kids classes.

Drew Beech:

Oh, wow.

Amanda Leve:

That's awesome. Yes. So, I mean, I know so many people in the GJ community just because I've trained with so many people. Yeah. And, like, back in the day, like, they were all, like, big brothers to me.

Amanda Leve:

You know what I mean? And I was, like, so fortunate that I had such encouraging guys around. Yeah. You know, like, they were willing to roll with me. Because, like Sure.

Amanda Leve:

Who especially back then, like, who wants to roll with

Joey Bowen:

Well, you're not

Amanda Leve:

even 11 year old, 12 year old girl.

Drew Beech:

So you'd be a 12 year old kid in a in an adult class. I didn't even think of that. Like, that would That's wild. I didn't even think of that. Like, they wouldn't even have

Joey Bowen:

a I assume I assume that there were at least some, like like, a teen's class or something like an adult now. Mm-mm.

Amanda Leve:

Wow. And then yeah. So I was, again, just lucky, like, you know, like, I know a lot of, like, girls who said some of them have, like, bad experiences in jiu jitsu, and I will say every school I've been to, most of the time where I was the only girl and the only kid, I was so fortunate to be around such great people.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Yeah. I gotta imagine, you know, maybe there were a lot of girls that tried and quit because that's not for everybody. Like, that's intimidating itself going into an adult's class with all full grown men that have been training or practicing for a while. You know what I mean?

Drew Beech:

And I have seen some some guys just get, like, super weird about what when a girl is on the mat. That's so weird. What it is. Like, they just get super excited, and they just wanna, like, just teach the girl things. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

That's so weird. So weird. I feel like they behave that way in, like, real life too. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. They don't do to behave that

Joey Bowen:

way in real life too. It's so fucking shit.

Drew Beech:

They're like troopers?

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

So what was your do you remember what your first class was like

Drew Beech:

when you

Joey Bowen:

walked in?

Amanda Leve:

So actually the first place I was at, there was a kid's class 4.

Drew Beech:

Oh, okay. But

Amanda Leve:

I didn't stay there long because it was in Jersey, so it was kind of like a hike to get to.

Joey Bowen:

Got you.

Drew Beech:

I didn't think of that either. Like, the the the jitsa jibs aren't as plentiful as they are nowadays. Like, you're

Amanda Leve:

Now you just throw a stone, and

Joey Bowen:

you hit a jiu

Drew Beech:

jitsu ball. So you're driving from Parkwood, New Jersey, though.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah. How

Drew Beech:

well.

Amanda Leve:

So, there was a there was an actual kid's class, and and it was a great kid's class because they did, like, MMA classes almost. So it was, like, striking some days, and then jiu jitsu other days. Okay. So you got, like, the look of both. Like, I remember my brother learned how to kick so efficiently there that when we would get in fights, like, as kids, me and my sister would be, like, don't kick us.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. You know? And, like, trying to keep Yeah. Prevent him from

Drew Beech:

kicking us.

Amanda Leve:

He would land those kicks, and he had, like, the perfect form.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

And to this day, he's still great at kicks.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

But yeah. So the kids' class was great. So I remember, you know, it's like just like a funny story of my first kids' class is I remember we were doing, like, back takes, and it was, like, in turtle. And the guy was, like, alright. Now, like, put your hooks in.

Amanda Leve:

But, like, I didn't know what hooks were. Like, you know how, like, your feet go in. Oh, yeah. So I'm thinking, like, he meant, like, hooks, like, punching hooks. He didn't mean, like, this.

Amanda Leve:

So I was, like like like, I didn't actually like punch a cape, but I was like this. And he's like, no no no. I didn't like it. He like,

Drew Beech:

I don't

Amanda Leve:

like it.

Joey Bowen:

Your feet, your legs.

Amanda Leve:

But, yeah. I remember just, like, liking the class, and my mom went too. And mom's like, she's not gonna like this because, you know, obviously, she didn't want me doing, like, a combat sport. And my dad's, like, yeah. She does.

Amanda Leve:

She'll be fine. And then my dad, I got off the mat with us. He said, you wanna do it? I was, like, yeah. I wanna sign up.

Amanda Leve:

So he ended up signing me up. He, like, threw me in my first tournament when I was, like, 4 months in. Like, I had no idea what I was doing. But my dad's, like, a competitive person. Like, anything any sport I did, dude, is Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

To the max of, like, when we're practicing at home, like, there were so many times where I, like, would pitch for softball. He would take me out by myself. Like, we would go to, like, a field, and he would just have me pitch. So, like Yeah. Any sport I did, he was just hands on.

Amanda Leve:

Let's, you know, get you Let's go. Let's get you good.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. I'm the same way with him. Like, anything we're gonna do in life, like, we believe is, like, we're gonna be the best at it.

Joey Bowen:

You know?

Amanda Leve:

We're not

Drew Beech:

No half measure. So it's like Exactly. He started baseball recently, like, last year. And it's like, we practice baseball every day. It's that he's made so much progress because Mhmm.

Drew Beech:

The rule of I forgot what the rule of a thousand, but, like, if you practice every day, something for even, like, 15, 20, 30 minutes Mhmm. You're making that much more progress than every other person in your competition.

Joey Bowen:

Oh, yeah. Same with the same with the gym. Everybody wants to go to the gym. It's been, like, 3 hours there. It's, like, really, you can go 30 minutes.

Joey Bowen:

Like, it's the consistency if you're doing the right stuff. Yep.

Amanda Leve:

And it's just so much more fun when you're better when you're better than I ever else at this point.

Drew Beech:

I will

Amanda Leve:

say I will say

Drew Beech:

my my day with myself my journey in jujitsu is that I'm not good at it. So I'm like, it's a puzzle that I need to figure out. I'm like, I would love to be good at jujitsu. Like, I you know what I mean? I can only imagine how fun it is for someone like you or or Danny and Nick at Movement.

Drew Beech:

Like, just to come in and just, like, be able to just do it.

Joey Bowen:

Really good at this. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. You're like, I'm good at that. Like, just doing whatever you want. Like, try new things on people, but I think that's why I love jiu jitsu much because I so much because I need to I need to figure out how to be good.

Joey Bowen:

I agree. I agree.

Amanda Leve:

A 100%. And, I mean, honestly, I don't even still have a I don't you think

Drew Beech:

being good at jujitsu, quote, unquote, like, you would have that mentality, like,

Amanda Leve:

oh, it's nice to come in and just, like but, like, still there's still days where you're just, like bad days. Dude, I cannot figure this the hell out. There's so

Drew Beech:

many components to it. The

Joey Bowen:

mental, the physical,

Amanda Leve:

everything that, like,

Joey Bowen:

I'm I'm sure sure, like, from a technical standpoint, you could be excellent, but maybe you're just not there mentally that day.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. When you

Joey Bowen:

have a bad day Are

Drew Beech:

there were days honestly, like, you're off the mat. You're, like, why the fuck do I even do this? Oh, yeah. We're still yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Well, like, especially if I'm in, like, a training camp for something.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. You know

Amanda Leve:

what I mean? Where, like, it almost feels like the pressure's on. So, like, it's the pressure, then you have a bad training day. So, honestly, MMA helped me a lot with getting my head to, like, a neutral place about practices.

Drew Beech:

Mhmm.

Amanda Leve:

Before, I was way more of a head case.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

And, I don't know if you guys know James Lyons from Marquez.

Drew Beech:

He I went to a dude's request with Dylan for wasting my time, and he absolutely just mauled me.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. James is a peep.

Drew Beech:

He just spotted all my like like, all he was he was so fast.

Amanda Leve:

Yes. He is. And scrambling.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. I'm like I'm like, I cannot do it. He just murdered me for I was

Joey Bowen:

supposed to go that night. I couldn't make it because I had my girls. So I texted Drew, and I was like, oh, how was it? You know? Because I I really wanna get over there.

Joey Bowen:

I'm like, how was it? He was like, I got partnered with James Line.

Drew Beech:

I got

Joey Bowen:

mauled the entire time. How do you think it was?

Drew Beech:

Sean Sean and Chris John were just laughing hysterically at me, like, during that role because it was so embarrassing. Wow. There you go. So Right. I

Amanda Leve:

mean, yeah. So he was just he was, like, a big factor in my MMA training, so, as a coach. So, you know, when I would have those hard practices, he, like, said to me, he's like a mandate. You could have the best camp leading up to a a match and have the worst performance of your life, or you could have the worst or by first aid. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

So he was like, you can't look at each practice and be like, oh, I did good or bad. He's like, it's neutral. You got in, you practice. Yeah. That's it.

Joey Bowen:

You did the work.

Amanda Leve:

Yes. Mhmm. That's all you can do.

Drew Beech:

So One minute.

Amanda Leve:

Oh, you're right.

Drew Beech:

A very profound I I've heard that James Line's a great coach too. Like, just a a wildly profound thing to say. And, like, it's funny how certain things people say to you on your journey in life to wherever you're going. Like, stick with you. It seems like that, like Yeah.

Drew Beech:

One sentence or one interaction, like, really, like, played a huge part in

Amanda Leve:

your your career. And he, like, is good for going on rants, and it's so funny because I always agree with him and everything he does. So I just let him rant. I'm like, yeah.

Drew Beech:

You're right. Yeah. Yeah. Let's go.

Amanda Leve:

You're right. He just keeps getting in.

Joey Bowen:

It's it's the it's the you can control the input, but you can't control the output. Yeah. And if you just focus on controlling the input, like, the work that you're gonna do, the effort that you're putting forward, then you don't have to worry about the output or the outcome. Yep. You know?

Drew Beech:

Yep.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. So first competition, 4 months in, so you're I'm assuming you're drilling at home. Oh my god. You're doing some job at home.

Amanda Leve:

Right? Actually, the night before, I'm pretty sure it was, like, my dad and my uncle, and they're, like, just looking up YouTube videos and, like Yeah. Hey, will you do this? Well and I'm, like, I still my gi was, like, 5 times the size of me. I got killed in, like, 15 seconds my first match.

Amanda Leve:

I cried. I wanted to go home. Yeah. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

That's what

Amanda Leve:

I told everyone. I'm like, dude, I lost my first match in 15 seconds.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

There Like, you'll you'll pursue you'll just keep going. Yeah. You're right.

Drew Beech:

And with the kids doing a park that's on a couple of competitions, it's like there's always 2 the you can't they I feel like the aura of competition is just so intense, and, like, you're out there playing real time gladiators with a with another kid. Like, they wanna kill you. Like, if you lose, it's so emotional for, like, an 8 year. Like, how you were 12? Yeah.

Drew Beech:

But yeah. It's

Amanda Leve:

So, like, yeah, for sure.

Drew Beech:

So you ever go to those kids competitions? There's tears everywhere. Like Especially

Joey Bowen:

I mean, speak for yourself with the kids thing.

Drew Beech:

Like, I

Joey Bowen:

feel like some adults I'm not gonna name any names, but some adults might cry after jiu jitsu class.

Drew Beech:

I don't know. I mean,

Joey Bowen:

I don't know. Maybe. What, was it Naga or Grappling Industries or something? Was it like a

Amanda Leve:

It was Naga.

Joey Bowen:

Oh, it was Naga? Okay. So the first 15 seconds, sub. Yeah. Sub.

Joey Bowen:

Iron Bar.

Drew Beech:

Iron Bar. So were you out that or was it like a did you lose a bracket?

Amanda Leve:

Yes. I lost. And then it was like a Denogi. It was like Gear Nogi next, and then

Drew Beech:

So you say the

Amanda Leve:

end up winning 1. And then

Drew Beech:

Oh, yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Of course, once you win, that's the feeling everyone

Drew Beech:

would enjoy.

Joey Bowen:

This is possible. Yeah. This is possible.

Drew Beech:

The hand your first hand raised too. Like, it's just

Amanda Leve:

Oh, a 100%. That's just the game changer that kept me going. Now I just chase that feeling all the time.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. I have a

Joey Bowen:

I have a feeling that I know what you and your dad did after the loss or after the first competition, but tell us what what was it like afterwards?

Amanda Leve:

Oh, so he was, like, good about it actually for the first one, but as I've got as I started going throughout the years, dude, my dad was hard on me. Like, there was, like, no jokes. Like, if I lost, I'm like, damn, I have to get in the car.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. I'm

Amanda Leve:

gonna hear it. Yeah. But, and I know that made me better. Right? Like, I know a lot of people, like, are against that, and I am to an extent too, but I also know that I wouldn't be as good if he didn't have that pressure on me and didn't have that mentality with me.

Amanda Leve:

And again, like, I think it depends on the kid. I would never do that to my kids, like, how hard he was on me. I think there's a better way of going about it. Yeah. But I still have to give credit where credit's due.

Amanda Leve:

A 100%.

Drew Beech:

At the

Amanda Leve:

end of the day, I would not be where I am if it wasn't for those car rides that I was there where I was like, damn it.

Drew Beech:

And we're all motivated differently too. Like, I feel like that like, I got that same kind of motivation. I might respond well too.

Joey Bowen:

Plus, there's different types of I mean, I know I got it. Not in jiu jitsu, but, like, with school and academics and things like my mom's hard on me. Yeah. Like, hard on me. And now I think too, how long ago was that?

Joey Bowen:

So how old are you now?

Amanda Leve:

I am 20 7, but that probably stopped maybe 5 years ago. Like

Joey Bowen:

Well, I'm saying from your your first competition. Right? That's like that like, over a decade ago. Right? Like, 2 decades or whatever.

Joey Bowen:

That is there's more tools available now. Like, even my mom, my mom was hard on me

Drew Beech:

Yeah. When I

Joey Bowen:

was growing up. But, like, now there's, like, more tools available. Like, I feel like she would have been able to say, like, oh, wait. Hold on. I could frame this a little bit better Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

To, like, get actually more potential out of Joey instead of, like, you know, smack him around or, like, chasing him

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

You know, around, like, trying to

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Get me to do better at school.

Drew Beech:

I haven't had to do, like like I haven't yelled or anything yet. Like, got, like, super, like, too too intense. I wish I would.

Joey Bowen:

I wish I would.

Drew Beech:

I wish I would. I do get, like, after a baseball game, I was like, we rate we rate his fielding as bad as it gets. Like, I mean, you definitely need to give that like, what's measured improves. You know

Joey Bowen:

what I mean? Yeah. For for Everly with softball, she's now like, we we did kinda the same thing. I'd be like, I'd ask her first, like, how do you think you did today? Exactly.

Joey Bowen:

You know, how do you think you did today? She'd be like, well, we lost. And I'm like, no. No. No.

Joey Bowen:

Not the way that you like, how'd you do? Like, could you have done anything differently? And she was like, well, yes. I didn't know this. So we start there, and then I was doing the ratings.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. But I try to, like, just pick, like, 1 to 3 things to talk about. Usually, just 1. Like, hey. Like, when you when you when you were at 2nd and you feel the ball, like, you didn't crow hop.

Joey Bowen:

Like, you turned your back to the ball. Like, pick one thing. But that conversation with her, like, game after game, it it led to the solution, which was more practice.

Amanda Leve:

Yes.

Joey Bowen:

Which was literally more reps. So now she's in like, you saw the video I had Yeah. The other where she's not playing football

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

But she wanted to go to the field, and she wanted to hit the ball a little bit because now she gets it. She's like, okay. Like, you're gonna ask me how I thought I did. You're gonna analyze how I did, and the only way that we can have a great conversation about those two things is a fun practice.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah. You know

Joey Bowen:

what I mean? Yep. So So

Drew Beech:

how many days a week would your dad have you training?

Amanda Leve:

Pretty much every day.

Drew Beech:

Really?

Amanda Leve:

Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Damn.

Amanda Leve:

And, like, I wanted to go every day, so it was never, like

Joey Bowen:

Yeah.

Drew Beech:

No. Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. It's, like, I know, like, a lot of parents have problems with, like, their kids don't wanna go. Like, I do I wanted to go. You wanna

Drew Beech:

do that?

Amanda Leve:

And if I didn't wanna go, he'd be, like, okay. Like, we're not gonna go today. Like, he wouldn't Yeah. He respected the fact that I didn't feel like going that day, because I never felt, like, I you know, I never, like Yep. Mhmm.

Drew Beech:

Parents say they can't give their kids to do things like that. I really think it comes down to what you instill in your kid at an early age. Like Mhmm. You just knew work had to do that. Like, there was, like, you had to work.

Drew Beech:

You have to do things. Like My

Amanda Leve:

dad said he knew I was I was competitive when I I he put me in t ball, and they would always you know, it's just like t ball, so they would just have you, like, hit the ball. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I would always ask who won after

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

And I would get mad because they would always say it was a tie. Yes. And then at the one time, I didn't wanna go. He's like, why don't you wanna go? He's like, because they always

Drew Beech:

say it's a

Amanda Leve:

tie. Yeah. I don't know.

Joey Bowen:

I know. I know.

Drew Beech:

I do right there. That's amazing.

Joey Bowen:

I'm not gonna win anyway.

Amanda Leve:

I love that.

Joey Bowen:

My, my daughters did the same thing. They asked, like, they would always ask, like, who won? And, and this is, like, recent history.

Amanda Leve:

It matters. It matters.

Joey Bowen:

It matters.

Amanda Leve:

You gotta teach kids how to lose.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

I don't know. You do. For you you have to know how to lose to know how to win.

Drew Beech:

I agree.

Joey Bowen:

What you just said is so so profound. Teach them how to lose. Yeah. You have to let them lose, and then you have to teach them how to lose. Yep.

Joey Bowen:

The problem with everything nowadays is kids aren't taught how to lose.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Exactly.

Joey Bowen:

They don't understand the meaning, the purpose, and the power behind it.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Like his basketball to, league, it's like they didn't keep score. I'm like, yeah, kids running around playing basketball. And they I even got even got in the car, like, we want that. I'm like, party, he's gonna blow.

Drew Beech:

I'm like, I I don't keep score.

Joey Bowen:

I'm like,

Drew Beech:

you guys got blown

Amanda Leve:

out. Yeah. My reality j k.

Joey Bowen:

My youngest is Stone T ball, and she'll she'll ask who won, which I I love that question. Yeah. But I'm not as hard on her as I am with my oldest who's 8. But, she'll she'll ask who won. T Ball is like I don't wanna get off we're a little off topic, but

Drew Beech:

that's it.

Joey Bowen:

T ball's wild. Like, even now in my neighborhood, I live in Center City, so my daughter plays on the field that's in front of the art museum right there. No. They don't keep score. You can take as many bases as you want.

Joey Bowen:

Like Yeah. There's barely 3 outs. Like, it's just wild. It's just a kid's, like, running all over

Drew Beech:

the place. That's we didn't even we skipped Teebox. I was like, I'm not doing this shit. It's just

Amanda Leve:

Honestly, I I asked my cousin. He just had a kid. I'm like, oh, you're gonna put him in, like, soccer, and like, I'm not doing that.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. I was like, well, show the watch kids run around and stuff. I have to associate with the other parents. I don't even like

Joey Bowen:

That that's all bad.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Right? That's all nice.

Drew Beech:

I don't

Amanda Leve:

even want both of these.

Joey Bowen:

Exactly. That's all I'm saying. Where I'm going with this, there is one kid that a boy young young boy on, he was on the opposing team this season that Cecilia played, and he was locked in and dialed. Like, he knew the he knew the rules.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Right? He was hitting bombs.

Drew Beech:

Like, he was

Joey Bowen:

hitting into the outfield. Yeah. Running full speed, taking multiple bases, like, just like The

Drew Beech:

next Bryce Harper. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Dialed. And he stood out so much because it was absolute chaos

Drew Beech:

Oh, yeah.

Joey Bowen:

On the field. And then he was actually,

Drew Beech:

like, he's locked in. He's locked in. He's locked in. So, yeah, you were trying every you wanted to go every day, and then you wanted to compete as much also?

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. So then I again, like, I was just a competitive kid, so I just didn't win competition. And that was another thing too, like, talking about not having that many kids around. Like, there wasn't even that many girls around. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah.

Drew Beech:

I

Amanda Leve:

mean, Daniel Kelly was on the scene at the time, and this there was, like, another girl who was on the scene at the time, but I barely won against them. Like, I had to go against boys for the most part because we were different weight classes. Like

Drew Beech:

So in the the tournaments, you would go against guys? Yeah. I

Amanda Leve:

would go against boy. I grew up fighting majority boys. Like, if there was a girl, they would put me against them. But even if they there was a girl, my dad would put me in The

Drew Beech:

guys bracket.

Amanda Leve:

The guys bracket.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Then he would put me in the weight class above me. Then he would put me in the age above

Joey Bowen:

my age, and

Amanda Leve:

then the age and the weight above me.

Drew Beech:

Dude, I didn't even think yeah. Yep. Your dad's got mister Levy's got my wheels turned. Yeah. I I only put Parker in 1 bracket.

Amanda Leve:

I would do, like, 9 divisions.

Drew Beech:

Well, you're there all day. Yeah. You're

Amanda Leve:

there. I would just get up from 1 match. They would be calling my my name at, like, 3 other mats, and I would just go to the next one, the next one, win or lose. Like, not even having time to process if I won or lose.

Drew Beech:

Good. That's good. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Yep. Just going right to the next one. Cardio was great. Yeah. I swear that's why I'm still, like, very conditioned is because I just grew up doing that.

Drew Beech:

That is a what I don't even think he realized how how Dude,

Amanda Leve:

he knew what he was doing.

Drew Beech:

He didn't get a vacation. I'm like I'm like, yo. He was he was doing a killer. Like, no wonder. Exactly.

Amanda Leve:

And then my uncle, my his twin is just as invested in my

Drew Beech:

Mhmm.

Amanda Leve:

Career as

Drew Beech:

he was.

Amanda Leve:

So, I basically had, like, 2 dads that were just Is that what

Joey Bowen:

what was it, like, outside of competition? So, obviously, I train in every day, but what was it, like, were they, like, nutrition wise and, like, sleep and stuff? Were they they on you with that stuff too or no?

Amanda Leve:

No. I feel like back then, like, especially even as a kid, like, it didn't really matter. Like, I always ate a lot. Like, if I had to cut weight, they would be, like, alright, Amanda. Like, we have to, like, settle down.

Drew Beech:

No ice cream tonight.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

But you're probably burning plenty of your

Amanda Leve:

diarrhea. And then, then as I got older so, like, when I wanted to do MMA, like, my dad was, like, started getting on me about nutrition. I did get have a strength conditioning coach as, like, a teenager.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

And yeah. And then they just started dialing everything in as I started getting older.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

But, yeah, it was just so cool because, like, if my dad was working, my uncle would take me to a competition. That's cool. Sometimes they both would go.

Drew Beech:

That's cool.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. So I

Drew Beech:

was like, like, they were, like, core memories for you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. I was just so lucky.

Joey Bowen:

Well, so they need to write a book. Yeah. For the youth, what

Drew Beech:

what I mean, amazing half by them too because you're there. If you're doing, you're there all day. I know you're just sitting sitting around waiting for your freaking next match. You're busy the whole time. Like, I've probably imagined all that.

Drew Beech:

I have no problem. The worst part of it is sitting around.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Oh, yeah. It is for sure. It's, like, waiting for the match to start. It's a whole I tell everyone.

Amanda Leve:

I'm like, if you sign up for a tournament, just get ready for, like, the biggest roller coaster of emotion of your life.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. It's crazy.

Amanda Leve:

You get, like, nervous. You get excited. You if you win, you're like

Joey Bowen:

Carry off. You

Amanda Leve:

wait. Happy. Then if you lose, you're showdown. Like, it's just Yeah. A whole a whole ordeal.

Joey Bowen:

Sounds like entrepreneurship. It is. It sounds like entrepreneurship a lot.

Drew Beech:

So I hope you have, like, metal score. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

So

Drew Beech:

Naga belts.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Actually, I don't even put them out. I just have them, like I have, like, so many Naga belts that I actually got rid of some. Yeah. No problem.

Amanda Leve:

I just have, like, a whole, like, laundry baskets full of them.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. That's wild.

Amanda Leve:

The one year we actually decorated our the one Christmas tree, which is, like, all of my medals. That is amazing.

Joey Bowen:

I think there's photos of that.

Amanda Leve:

I probably do. I'll have to look

Joey Bowen:

for it. Get that as a cover photo

Amanda Leve:

because we,

Joey Bowen:

you're in the trade for the for the show.

Drew Beech:

I think it's great that your dad never wanted to train at all your or your own goal.

Amanda Leve:

They did for, like, a couple months.

Drew Beech:

Okay.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. They trained for, like, such a short period of time, and they weren't bad at it. They actually competed too. Wow. But my dad's first match ever, he did get choked unconscious.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. He

Drew Beech:

was, like, I'm not tapping. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

It was I know it wasn't even that. He was, like, he was, like, I legit it was one of those ones where he's, like, I didn't feel anything.

Drew Beech:

It comes on quick.

Amanda Leve:

It just came on. It was, like, hit must have been rid of the arteries

Drew Beech:

where he didn't even feel like he was being choked,

Amanda Leve:

and it just went out.

Joey Bowen:

Was it gi?

Amanda Leve:

No. It was no gay.

Joey Bowen:

Okay. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

That's the thing too in tournaments. Like, it's they're on full set. Like, we probably never had a gay team rip that hard in in training or in the room, but, like, hey. The tournament, that guy's looking to win. Now he's ripping that gay to the fucking moon.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Ironically, we just saw the kid who well, the guy he's the adult now that, choked him unconscious. He was at webs, and, my dad was like, oh my god. He's like, dude, how are you? Like, you ever shake him

Joey Bowen:

out of

Amanda Leve:

the you? Yeah. Yeah. It

Joey Bowen:

was funny.

Amanda Leve:

That's why that's crazy.

Drew Beech:

He's still training the guy. Yeah. He is still training.

Amanda Leve:

I think he's probably a black belt now probably.

Drew Beech:

Oh, really? Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Crazy. You, you said that when you first started, you didn't really tell, kids in school that you were training. Like, when did that come to light that you were training? Like, if you're out there and you're competing constantly, like weird.

Amanda Leve:

Like, you know what I mean? Like, the close contact. So I didn't even, like, wanna tell anyone, because I'm, like, it looks weird. And I, like, I I had majority of majority of my friends are girls. It's, like, you're in, like, 6th, 7th, 8th grade.

Amanda Leve:

Right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm, like, they're gonna think

Drew Beech:

I'm so weird. Yeah. Exactly.

Amanda Leve:

I kinda just kept it hush-hush. And then, like, when like, I actually had, like, a tournament, and then I was, like, couldn't, like, hang out with them or something or, like, they had a sleepover and I couldn't sleepover. I was I just told them

Drew Beech:

Oh, you didn't even tell your closest friends.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. I just ended up telling them. And they're, like, they didn't really, like, say anything or, like, about it, honestly. And then when I got to high school, I tried to join Ryan's wrestling team.

Drew Beech:

That sounds I was a very young man.

Amanda Leve:

And they wanted the archdiocese doesn't like girls wrestle with boys.

Joey Bowen:

Okay.

Amanda Leve:

So even if a boy a pub a Catholic school boy gets put up against a public school girl, they make the archdiocese makes the boy forfeit. So you could be in the championship. Imagine you're in the championship match. It

Drew Beech:

it was a gift and a curse though for us because being on the the boys wrestling team, like, if you're at a tournament, you probably remember, but, like, the guy going out as a girl, the guy was, like, the public enemy number 1. Everyone's cheering for the girl. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Oh, yeah. 100%. And and I understand that too. Like, even growing up, like, I knew that, like, I had nothing to lose to these guys. Like, boys feel definitely have more

Drew Beech:

to lose.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Absolutely. It's 100%. Like, I totally understand that, and I respect the guys for still competing with me Yeah. Because of that reason.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

So they didn't let you wrestle on the team. So how do

Amanda Leve:

Well, yeah. So they didn't let me wrestle on the team. So I tried to sign up. They were like, no, you can't. The archdiocese doesn't let girls wrestle with boys.

Amanda Leve:

So, we, like, fought the archdiocese. I was, like, on the news. I was on, like, the front page of the metro in Philly.

Drew Beech:

Oh my god.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. I got I made my rounds on

Drew Beech:

That's cool.

Joey Bowen:

Good. Alright now. For

Amanda Leve:

sure. And archdiocese basically came back with, like, the most sexist statement. They were, like, basically saying they teach gender differences and, like, this whole thing. Like, dude, a sport's not, like Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah. You know

Amanda Leve:

what I mean? I don't know. Whatever. So, anyway, I just, like, kinda, like, chalked it up. I probably could've sued them, but I didn't even bother because I'm, like, I was doing jujitsu every day anyway.

Amanda Leve:

Exactly. Yeah. And looking in hindsight, I kinda wish I joined a club or something because wrestling is just such a good aspect of jujitsu that I wish I did it as a kid.

Drew Beech:

Mhmm. Life changing sport too.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. But I'm, like, luckily, I'm very proficient at wrestling because I enjoy it so much. Like, I really do love the sport. I like watching it now and stuff like that. So, my wrestling is really good, but I

Drew Beech:

I thought you wrestled before I heard that story. Did you ever think about, like, going to a public school or anything or no?

Amanda Leve:

No. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

So in in public, it was just parochial they didn't allow

Drew Beech:

Yes. Correct.

Joey Bowen:

Boys and girls on the wrestling team, but in public, they did.

Amanda Leve:

Yes. So

Joey Bowen:

then that's how you were gonna decide and wrestle. So that's how you got matched up with

Drew Beech:

Well, I we didn't because we've got the 4th year.

Amanda Leve:

You'd have

Drew Beech:

to 4th year.

Joey Bowen:

That's how the the match up at least

Drew Beech:

happened in the tournament.

Joey Bowen:

Okay. Now I get

Amanda Leve:

it. Yeah. So,

Joey Bowen:

so you could have went to a public school or, like you said, joined, like, a a club or something? Yeah.

Drew Beech:

What weight would you have wrestled at that at that? Like, were you, like, a smaller

Amanda Leve:

I was, like so the the year they got it at Ryan, I was a junior. So I was probably 1 forties, which is, like, bigger for girls, I guess, at that age. I definitely was always weighed heavier just because I have a lot of muscles. Yeah. But, like, like, even now I'm, like, considered, like, a heavyweight even though I don't think I'm a heavyweight when you look at actual heavyweights.

Amanda Leve:

You

Drew Beech:

heavyweight. Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Like, like, ADCC, I could have been in, like, the heavyweight. I dropped weight to do the last ADCC, but the heavyweight division because it's 143 and above.

Joey Bowen:

Oh, okay.

Drew Beech:

That's heavyweight?

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. So I dropped down to 143 because I

Drew Beech:

walked around at 165. Easy.

Amanda Leve:

And, like, 165 compared to girls who are weighing over 2 £100, like, that's a lot of weight.

Drew Beech:

A lot of weight. That's an insane amount of weight. That shouldn't even be a thing.

Amanda Leve:

Yes. So I'm, like, if I'm 165, I might as well just drop down the 143. I fought at 145. So, like, it's not like I wasn't accustomed to, like, dropping weight. So I'm, like, dude, this will be way better for me if I just fight out.

Amanda Leve:

Especially with because I tore my ACL before that. So I'm like, it'll be better for my knee to be lighter anyway. And dealing with heavyweight girls with a knee injury, I can't imagine would be Mhmm.

Drew Beech:

Fun. Not a recipe. Yeah. Probably felt a lot better too, like, going against lighter people rather than heavier people.

Joey Bowen:

And then

Amanda Leve:

even, like, honing in on the diet, like, my inflammation had to be so down that, like, it probably helped my knee so much. So, honestly, I think it was just the perfect recipe of, like, alright. Let's get everything. You know, you're doing PT.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Doing the diet right. So you're eating right. You're not inflamed. That's probably double thumbs up on Yeah. Your recovery.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. For sure. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

And all the all the work JJ was doing for you too probably felt, like, amazing. Like, all the

Amanda Leve:

Yep. She's the best. In this. So

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Because I feel even the dry needling and stuff like that, I feel like that I mean, I don't I don't know, but maybe it has, like, anti inflammation effects. So A

Amanda Leve:

100%. I would always walk into primal. And when I was walking out after seeing JJ, I would always feel like my knee felt a 1000 times better. Mhmm. It's just insane.

Drew Beech:

That's what we were just saying before. Shout out to JJ from primal physical therapy. You heal not only physical ailments, but spiritual ailments as well. Emotional ailments.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Just leaving there.

Drew Beech:

You you you cleanse. You cleanse.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

What's that called? I forget the the the technical or the scientific name for it, but the place you go to, you like pilgrimage too, and you leave a changed person, like Like an Ayahuasca journey. Mind and body. I've never done that, but maybe it's something like that. I don't know.

Joey Bowen:

But that's what prime was.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Whatever that

Joey Bowen:

is, that's what prime was. So, wrestling didn't, didn't work out, but you were doing jujitsu one time. When so you you had mentioned that there was some striking maybe at that, like, first kid's class or first school.

Amanda Leve:

I was lucky because my I would always do striking, like, on and off. I was never consistent with it. So, like, I would sign up at a boxing gym. I would box for, like, a year, and then I would be, like, off of it for, like, 2 years. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Because

Amanda Leve:

I couldn't really fight yet. So, like, you know, I just, like, didn't have, like, interest in it because, again, I wasn't gonna compete in

Joey Bowen:

it. Sure. Sure.

Amanda Leve:

And then eventually, when I knew I wanted to do MMA, so, like, around 17, 18, I

Drew Beech:

Mhmm.

Amanda Leve:

Did more striking. I had had my first MMA fight, I think I was 20, because I couldn't find girls that were actually willing to fight me because they would see my jiujitsu background. Yeah. And they'd be, like, absolutely not.

Drew Beech:

Absolutely. And

Joey Bowen:

try because now you're value your your stuff's on YouTube now or whatever. Like

Amanda Leve:

And grabbers quest back in the day did such a great job of putting everything on YouTube. Yeah. Like, they would have videographers there for all the matches.

Drew Beech:

Which is crazy if those were your like, that was, like, not a Yeah. It wasn't a thing. Super hard.

Amanda Leve:

He was definitely way ahead of the curve on that because he videoed so much, and he had so many of my YouTube YouTube videos, like, so many of my matches on YouTube. Yeah. So, like, a couple of them have, like, 1,000,000. Really? One has, like, 3,000,000.

Amanda Leve:

I'm, like, yeah. I'm going

Drew Beech:

to be bitter. What? Like, like any of that.

Amanda Leve:

Like, yeah.

Drew Beech:

Smoking a guy or something like

Amanda Leve:

the one was I actually beat the guy, and he was, like,

Drew Beech:

shirt

Amanda Leve:

it was like a teenager. He was like shirt off, like super muscular. Yeah. And then I was super muscular at the time and I was just wearing like a sports bra, so I was like fit and tell. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

And it was the UFC Expo. So, UFC used to do expos in Vegas and grapplers quest would do a tournament at the expo. So, it was so cool. I wish I would still do it. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Because the UFC expos were sick. You would meet like all the MMA fighters would be like at different stands. Yeah. Absolutely. Then you would have like tons of products, like, questionnaire, like, people that get they answer questions and stuff.

Amanda Leve:

It was so cool. But yeah. So I would always go to them.

Joey Bowen:

So that was that match?

Amanda Leve:

And that was at yeah. At the expo. I

Drew Beech:

know what I'll do. I'm not gonna

Joey Bowen:

I know. Same.

Drew Beech:

Pay the levy. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. So I'm like, these pretty cool because I I probably have I mean, I'm sure Gordon has, like, a lot of views on his thing, but I wouldn't wouldn't be surprised if my videos have more more views than his videos. Yeah. Because when I tell you these grappler trust videos have millions, they have millions.

Drew Beech:

That's crazy. I'm insane.

Joey Bowen:

I'm a exactly. I'm

Drew Beech:

a check.

Joey Bowen:

That's what I'm doing

Drew Beech:

after this.

Amanda Leve:

The one I lost in it has 10,000,000.

Drew Beech:

Wow.

Amanda Leve:

And, you know, people in the comments are just so annoying.

Drew Beech:

We were just talking about the last episode. Yeah. We were

Joey Bowen:

talking about how wild YouTube is in the comments. It's wild.

Amanda Leve:

And and it's funny because, like, I was, like, 15 at the time, and I remember, like, reading and and and now there's people that say, like, don't read the comments, but, like, I was 15 year old, and back in that time, like, no one was, like no. There was no joke in being, like, don't read the comments. Don't read your comments.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

So, yeah. I remember just reading the comments and getting so mad because, like, people would be, like, oh, you're she's on steroids.

Joey Bowen:

Oh, yeah. Oh, I can't imagine. This.

Amanda Leve:

So they would say, like, she's stupid, like, gross sexual things, which is, like, terrible.

Joey Bowen:

Things that things they can say with, like, no repercussions Yeah. Yeah. From their, you know, basement. You know what I mean? Cheetos

Drew Beech:

or whatever. That's yeah. That was what Sean Brady's famous, line now. The

Joey Bowen:

Oh, I was doing it. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

The interview. Yeah. Some fucking guys. Well, I was basically in Cheetos.

Amanda Leve:

Yep. So

Joey Bowen:

then you started so you were you were striking a little bit. When did, like, when did the desire to fight set in for you?

Amanda Leve:

Definitely, I love this story too because it was so cool. My last MMA fight, Chris Cyborg, was at my fight. So she if I for people that don't know, she's like a pioneer of, like, women's MMA. So when I was 13, I watched her fight Gina Carano in Strike Force for the belt, and that was, like, the first huge MMA fight Yeah. For women.

Amanda Leve:

And, I remember, like, how excited me and my dad were, and, like, we were on the couch. Like, we went out to dinner before, we then got him, we, like, sat on the couch, we were watching it.

Joey Bowen:

I love that. That's awesome.

Amanda Leve:

I actually, like, got to, like, tell this story in the interviews, like, that they were giving me before, like because I fought for the PFL, so it was, like, you know, we did, like, a media day and stuff like that. So they were, like, did some interviews with me, and I told this story. And, she was actually there in the audience as they played that. So I'm, like, that's so cool.

Joey Bowen:

Oh, that's cool. Full circle moment.

Amanda Leve:

After. Yeah. It was so neat. That's cool. But, yeah.

Amanda Leve:

So that was the first time I really, like, was, like, oh, I wanna be a MMA fighter. Mhmm. And then my first MMA fight was, like, awesome because it was, like, in New York, my whole family came out, you know, and it's just, like, you you, like, wanna do this for so long, and then you finally get to do it. Yeah. And I, like, beat the girl in, like, the first round in, like, 3 minutes or something with, like, a triangle.

Amanda Leve:

Mhmm. And, then I had my second MMA fight, and that was in West Virginia, and that's, like, a wild place because that's, like, pro rules when you're an actor.

Drew Beech:

Uh-huh.

Amanda Leve:

And I ended up, like, knocking the girl down. I won that fight. It wasn't, like, a knockout, but, it was a decision. And then I just could not get a fight after that. And

Drew Beech:

it was

Amanda Leve:

to the point where I, like, reached out to, like, a management company and was, like, if you hear of anything, like, let me know because I needed to fight.

Joey Bowen:

And I'm, like,

Amanda Leve:

I might as well just go pro at this point. Mhmm.

Drew Beech:

The whole time are you training at Marquez? So

Amanda Leve:

No. So I started I didn't start training at Marquez till after my first pro fight.

Drew Beech:

Oh, yeah. Okay.

Amanda Leve:

So I was training at a place called Beacon MMA in Jersey. His name's Robert Peach, and he's, like, such a great, like, well rounded MMA coach. Like, he he fought, he used to fight back in the day, but he, like, coached a lot of MMA fighters, a lot of people that went to the contender series, Bellator, stuff like that. Mhmm. So he has great Muay Thai, great jiu jitsu.

Amanda Leve:

I started working with him. We went to the PFL, and that was, like, that was, like, heavy weight because that was, like, 155. And I, like, when I eat clean, I'm I walk around 155.

Drew Beech:

You know

Amanda Leve:

what I mean? Like, 165 when I'm, like, not caring what I eat. Yeah. When I, like, hone my diet in, I'm 155. So I literally was just, like, eating steak the night before.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. I remember, like, stepping on the scale to make sure I was good, so I, like, brought my steak dinner down. All these girls are cutting weight. I I, like, go to the test scale the night before weigh ins with, like, 2 water bottles and my, steak. And I stepped on the scale with both.

Amanda Leve:

I'm, like, alright. Cool. I'm good. Then when I

Drew Beech:

was 8 That's great. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

So that was, like, fun.

Drew Beech:

This your your opponent that just sucked all this weight and you're, like, literally well fed.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah. So it felt good to, like, fight at your natural weight and feel good. Yeah. And that's why I do like jujitsu, like, fighting in my natural weight.

Amanda Leve:

I I will always prefer to fight at my natural weight for sure.

Drew Beech:

I've always wondered, like, if people would do that. Like, would you have more success potentially just fighting at your natural weight, not inflamed, eating well? Like, maybe, like because a lot of these fighters could probably be at such a lower weight if they eat well all year round.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah.

Drew Beech:

But, like

Amanda Leve:

I feel like back in the day, they could get away with it. Like, I think Frankie Edgar did that back in the day, and he was able to get away with it for a little bit, but, like, fighting close to your natural weight like that. But, like, I think nowadays, I think you don't really have a choice Oh, yeah. For MMA. I think there's just, like, the talent is just too good.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. So what was, so you you had a couple how many amateurs did you have

Drew Beech:

for you?

Amanda Leve:

Just 2.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. 2.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. And then I did, like, a boxing match before. I did a kickboxing match before. Mhmm. So I did one on one of those, the 2 amateur fights, and then I the PFL called and I was, like, let's do it.

Joey Bowen:

Okay.

Amanda Leve:

And they were such a great organization to fight for. They're the coolest people. Ray CFO is, like, the president.

Drew Beech:

Mhmm.

Amanda Leve:

He's a badass, previous fighter. Mhmm. And then, you know, so he cares about the fighters and stuff, which is cool. They pay well. And, yeah, I really enjoyed fighting for them.

Amanda Leve:

They were they were really awesome.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah.

Drew Beech:

So then what after that fight

Amanda Leve:

Oh, yeah. So then my second so I had my second, pro fight with them. Mhmm.

Joey Bowen:

And you're undefeated in those 2 fights right in in PFL?

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. So I had my 2nd pro fight with them, and that was for a contract with them for their $1,000,000 tournament. Mhmm. So they do, like, 4 fights. You, like, earn points depending on how you win, and you have the opportunity to win a million.

Amanda Leve:

So I won the contract that night because they pick out of, like, the 4 out of the 4 fights that fight that night, they pick 1 one person to get a contract. I got the contract, then they were, like, okay, we're fighting in Vegas. Here's the the medicals you need for Nevada Commission. So they require, like, so much more. So I got, like, an MRI of my head, an MRI of my head, and the MRI looks at the arteries in your blood vessels in your brain.

Amanda Leve:

And, they found, like, an aneurysm. And, of course, like, right where this aneurysm is placed, they're, like, you cannot

Joey Bowen:

Point of contact?

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. You, like, you cannot take damage to the head because if this is gets, like, dislodged, like, you're either gonna die or go blind. Wow. And I'm, like, you've gotta be kidding me. So, that was, like, so hard for me because, like, I identified with being a fighter since I was, like, a kid.

Amanda Leve:

Right? And then I remember, like, the first time I was at Trader Joe's, and I was, like, wearing a tank top, and it was just after my first pro fight. And someone was, like, woah. What do you do? Like, you know, and I was, like, oh, I'm a professional fighter.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. And then

Amanda Leve:

he, like, I was proud I was super proud of it. And then I just, like, got taken away like that. And then I you know, because you're on, like, the highest high, and then that is just the lowest low because you feel like your identity has been taken.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. You're going into that doctor's appointment on the cloud 9. Like, you literally just achieved everything you wanted thus far, and then you literally no. Completely unsuspecting. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

It's like you completely suck.

Amanda Leve:

Not like yeah. You had

Joey Bowen:

to go going in to do those medicals you had, that was the furthest thing from your mind. Yep. That something like that was gonna happen.

Drew Beech:

It'd be, like, routine. You're like, I just need to go do this today and go home.

Amanda Leve:

Yep. And, I remember, like, getting a call from, like, the doctor in, like, the morning, like, 2 days after Mhmm. And I missed it. And then they called me again, like, that night. And I was, like, oh, this can be good.

Amanda Leve:

This is, like, a Sunday. And I, like, remember, like, thinking, like, crap. And I answered the phone, and he's, like, you know, give me this, like, the rundown. And then I, like, just walked downstairs, and I'm, like, already crying. And my boyfriend's in the kitchen, and I'm, like, so I can't fight anymore?

Amanda Leve:

Oh, man. The guy's, like, the guy's, like, yeah. You definitely should not be, like, taking trauma to the head. And I just was, like, balling. I'm, like, this is terrible.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. But, and you know too, it's just, like, it wasn't even just made effects. Right? Because, like, my family has watched me put all my effort. Like, you know what I mean?

Amanda Leve:

Like, and I am not a slacker by any means.

Joey Bowen:

All the chips.

Amanda Leve:

Like Yes. All the chips. So, like, I always eat right. I Yeah. Train.

Amanda Leve:

I never miss training. I exercise. Like, anything and everything, I just always would put a 1000% into MMA. Right? And then, like so, like, it was almost like a loss for all of them.

Amanda Leve:

Because, like, I I was crying, and then, like, my dad's crying, my mom's crying, my sister's crying, my brother's crying, like, maybe, like, everyone's, like, literally feels like someone actually died, which is, like, so dramatic. But, like Where

Drew Beech:

your dream died, essentially.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

For sure. Well, change And peace.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Piece of a piece of the dream.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Absolutely.

Joey Bowen:

But then So other pieces could live.

Drew Beech:

Exactly. So you went at what point do you change course? Or, like Yeah. So then

Amanda Leve:

I was, like, you know, I'm just done everything. I'm, like, you know, like, I'm just not gonna compete anymore. And everyone's, like

Joey Bowen:

You're saying across the board too.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Because I was I was happy to leave jujitsu. That's, like, the also the the piece that's missing here is the first time I could tell a promoter, a jujitsu promoter, no. I cannot take a jujitsu match because I have an MMA fight coming up. I was so happy.

Amanda Leve:

Why?

Drew Beech:

Why the hell?

Amanda Leve:

Just because, again, like, I always just felt like I was doing jujitsu for MMA. You know what

Drew Beech:

I mean?

Amanda Leve:

Like, I never looked

Joey Bowen:

at jujitsu

Drew Beech:

MMA was always here.

Amanda Leve:

Yes. Like, I always wanted the MMA dream. Like, I never wanted the jujitsu dream. I was just fortunate enough that I was good at jujitsu

Drew Beech:

to be

Amanda Leve:

able to compete at a high level. Yeah. But I just always wanted the MMA life, like Okay. Okay. And the goal was always be an MMA fighter.

Amanda Leve:

Mhmm. So, I didn't wanna go back. Because it felt like I was taking a back a step back. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Right?

Amanda Leve:

Because then I'm, oh, I have to go back to jujitsu now. And then at that time, I was out of jujitsu for, like, a year because I wasn't really focusing on it. And I'm, like, oh, my gosh. Like, these girls are gonna be so much better than me because they've only been focusing on jujitsu

Drew Beech:

for the

Amanda Leve:

last year.

Drew Beech:

So then

Amanda Leve:

I was, like, nervous to go back to jiu jitsu and, like, get my ass kicked in, like, a tournament. But then I just started, no. Because I I didn't stop training. I'm, like, I'll train jiu jitsu till I can't. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Because just because, again, it's, like, therapy. Like, you know, people would, like, coin it, like, oh, it's therapy, which it really it is for me, like, I feel so much better after a role. So, I was just training throughout the summer, and then trials was like October of that same year I found out. And I was just, like, doing so well, like, training that I was, like, maybe if I compete, like, the fire will come back to wanna compete again. Sure.

Amanda Leve:

And I, like, killed it at trials, which felt really good to be back. Yeah. Then I killed it at Westchester's trials, but I tore my ACL. And then I got the invite for ADCC, and I was able to compete in August. So, I mean, it was definitely a full circle moment.

Amanda Leve:

It feels good to be back in jiu jitsu. Yeah. But I will say there is there is nothing compared to the preparation of an MMA fight or the glory of winning an MMA fight because the risk reward is so much greater

Drew Beech:

Yep.

Amanda Leve:

Than jujitsu.

Drew Beech:

Would you say the glory of winning MMA fight is comparable to that of the Gabby Garcia match?

Amanda Leve:

Oh, yeah. So I I will say that was probably the greatest highlight of my life was the Gabby Garcia match. So, like, for people that don't know, like, Gabby was only defeated, I think, like, 2 or 3 times before I beat her, but you don't like, they would be, like, by an advantage point. Right? Like, it was never, like

Drew Beech:

Never submitted.

Amanda Leve:

It would yeah. And it was, like, never, like, a huge, like, oh, my God. This girl killed Gabby by

Drew Beech:

any means.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

And Gabby wouldn't reveal her weight, but we say she's probably, like, 265. Yeah. Like, if you see her in person, you you actually cannot believe the way

Drew Beech:

she lost it. From all the CGI stuff, it made Craig James look small.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yep. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. And he's a big guy.

Amanda Leve:

She yeah. She's, like, 63, I think.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

So I, like, got into this, who's number 1 tournament, and it was, like, you know, 8 women that were, like, considered really good at the time. And I was, like, lucky. It was literally right after my first pro fight. And so I was in, like, good shape too going into it. And I knew I was gonna be seated 8th, and I knew I was gonna fight her first.

Amanda Leve:

And she didn't she didn't weigh in. Like, we all they made us all weigh in, which is kind of stupid that they made us weigh in because there's no weight class. Yeah. It's 143 and above. Like Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. You know

Joey Bowen:

what I mean?

Amanda Leve:

Like, it's not like there's a cat.

Drew Beech:

Everyone waited but but her?

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. So everyone waited, and she just casually strolls in late.

Drew Beech:

Is she not getting any better?

Joey Bowen:

Treatment because of

Amanda Leve:

Yes. Because she's

Drew Beech:

the one who she is.

Joey Bowen:

She is. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

So I'm, like, annoyed. I'm, like, I have to fight her, and I'm, like, no. We don't know her weight. It's not

Joey Bowen:

only you. I'm imagining everybody else's is super annoyed too.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah. So I'm,

Drew Beech:

like It's probably good though because you're you're not you don't know her weight, but you could

Joey Bowen:

Once you get that number, you're pretty happy. Exactly. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Well, I was, like, well, what if I win? I wanna I wanna know her weight when I win, really. For sure. So I guess I'm gonna brag about. But, so anyway, so she was, like, mad that I called her out on it.

Amanda Leve:

We had, like, a press conference, And I'm not one to ever be confrontational. Yeah. So even when my sister was seeing this on social media, she's, like, telling my mom, like, mom, Amanda's, like, being, like, controversial. Like, she started something. Mom's, like, our Amanda started something?

Amanda Leve:

Like, get out of here. Yeah. And, yeah. She, like, called me, like, I don't know. Am I allowed to curse on here?

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

She called me like a pussy.

Joey Bowen:

Really?

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Like, on, like In the In the press conference. And she's, like, saying it's not under contract. And I'm, like, okay. You know, whatever.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Like, that's fine. And I could tell I I definitely got it in her head. She's saying she even went on social media.

Drew Beech:

That'll do it. That'll do it. Yeah. She even

Amanda Leve:

went on social media and started going off.

Drew Beech:

Because she's not used not used to that kind

Amanda Leve:

of No.

Joey Bowen:

So going on social media and going off before the match.

Amanda Leve:

Yes.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. So that's expending energy.

Amanda Leve:

Yes. Like,

Joey Bowen:

that's expending energy. You know what I mean? And

Amanda Leve:

then the morning of, I woke up, and I'm, like, damn. What did I do, dude? Like,

Drew Beech:

because, you

Joey Bowen:

know, it's just

Amanda Leve:

so much heavier than me. Like, all she has to do is just do something stupid. And that's that's another reason why I was kinda mad that she was even in this division, because fighting someone a £100 heavier than you is dangerous.

Drew Beech:

It is. You know

Amanda Leve:

what I mean? Like, all she has to do is sprawl me a weird way, and my back is, like, screwed.

Joey Bowen:

Plus that's 1 so that's after your first pro fight. Yep. So you did not know No. That you would no longer be fighting MMA at that time.

Amanda Leve:

Exactly.

Joey Bowen:

So that's running through your mind too. Like, you know, I have more fights ahead of me. Like yeah.

Drew Beech:

Yep. And you're a no ACL problems until

Amanda Leve:

Oh, yeah. No ACL problems. So yeah. So I was, like, holy shit.

Joey Bowen:

Morning of, it set in there. You were kinda, like, wait. What am I about

Amanda Leve:

to do?

Drew Beech:

I just fucking pissed this girl off.

Amanda Leve:

Yes. Exactly. I'm like, why

Drew Beech:

do I

Joey Bowen:

say that? The mind is crazy. Right? Like, you were probably, like, yeah. I'm sure you had nerves and things like that, but then, like, the day off, your mind's kinda, like, I wanna mess with you now.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

You gotta be, like, let me

Joey Bowen:

send you signals down.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. She's, like, number 1 seed. I'm number 8. I'm, like, I have nothing to lose here. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

I am the underdog times a 100 against you.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. For every pound that she has over you, that's

Amanda Leve:

just And and honestly, I'm not one to back down anyway. Like, I'm, like again, like, even before I keep, I I tell myself.

Drew Beech:

I'm, like, don't make monsters of these women. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Like, they're just women. Yeah. Like Mhmm. They're just women. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. At the

Drew Beech:

end of the day. That's what I that's a mantra I do, like, teach

Amanda Leve:

him to,

Drew Beech:

like, famous people or people.

Amanda Leve:

So, like, I don't

Drew Beech:

celeb worship anybody. Everyone's just a man. You know? Just, like, I'll never wear another man's name on my back. Like, this is what it is.

Drew Beech:

Like Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Yep. And then, the morning of, my favorite thing ever is that my dad texted me and said, like, 5 minutes before I was about to go on, he's, like, you're gonna shock the world.

Joey Bowen:

Oh, that's amazing.

Amanda Leve:

Yes. And then they they did, like, a 10 minute documentary of, like, the whole match and, like, the whole, like

Joey Bowen:

Yep.

Amanda Leve:

Press conference stuff, like Flo Grappling did it. And they put the title Amanda Levy shocks the world. Tell me that's

Drew Beech:

why we're saying that?

Amanda Leve:

I yeah. I I don't know if

Drew Beech:

they can.

Amanda Leve:

What's that? Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Oh, that's amazing.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. I think mister Levy might as well be careful. Get on the get on the

Joey Bowen:

way to

Drew Beech:

guests there.

Joey Bowen:

I'm your uncle. This dude. We gotta have him on the show, and they gotta write a book. Yeah. They gotta write a book.

Drew Beech:

That's crazy.

Joey Bowen:

The story's not the story's not over yet. So maybe

Drew Beech:

they Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

It's just me drafting. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

For sure.

Joey Bowen:

You're drafting. Drafting the book.

Amanda Leve:

So I went out there, and I think I really think I won just because I wasn't afraid of her. Like, I think a lot of these girls, like Mhmm. Fought her and, like, respected her too much.

Drew Beech:

Mhmm.

Amanda Leve:

Because, like, at the end of the day, like, her jiu jitsu really isn't good. It's just that she gets away with a lot because she's so big. Yeah. You know? So, yeah.

Amanda Leve:

So I put a clinic on her, like full clinic. And I, like, don't even mean to brag, but I'm, like, if you watch the match, like, I destroyed her with, like, basic jiu jitsu. And, like, it's crazy because the night before, with J. R. I.

Amanda Leve:

Gobido, he was in my my corner with, my boyfriend Christian. But that night, we were game planning what we were gonna do against Gabby, and it was almost like we wrote a script out and handed it to him. We was, like, yo, can you reunite this with us? Because it worked out so perfectly. Our game plan just literally was the exact game plan that we hit in the whole match.

Drew Beech:

Was that Jay's, like, master plan? Jay's ran out of it. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

No. It was.

Drew Beech:

Jay's been in the court with a lot of a lot of Oh,

Joey Bowen:

Jay's one

Amanda Leve:

of the most knowledgeable.

Joey Bowen:

With the gang was here yesterday, and we were just saying the same exact thing.

Amanda Leve:

Yep. He's so knowledgeable. It's just insane. He studies jujitsu like no one I've ever seen before. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. You know, just, like, watches so much footage of Yeah. Jiujitsu. And the commentating, you know, he watches so much jiu jitsu from commentating. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

The instructional is just he's the man.

Drew Beech:

It's the end of the game. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah. So yeah. So it just, like, it was just literally, the plan played out literally perfect. The whole crowd was, like, so deafening that I wish I could just relive it on re repeat, like I told you guys earlier.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. And, you know, I just, like again, I wish I could just relive the moment. But, then, like, I've my whole social media blew up. Like, it definitely put me on the map for sure. And, yeah, it was just such a great experience.

Amanda Leve:

I Yeah.

Drew Beech:

You already must have been making waves too because, like, the fact that you even got on the card is, like, saying something.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Absolutely. You were definitely So I was definitely, like, known a little around, like, the area, because I won, trials in 2019 too.

Drew Beech:

Mhmm.

Amanda Leve:

And that was 2021 I fought her. So yeah. So I I was definitely on the map before, but that really, like, cemented my place.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

What did that morning the morning of when, you know, the the mind started to mess with you a little bit? Like, what am I doing? Like, what did I get myself into? What did you do to overcome that? It sounds like you had a solid plan.

Joey Bowen:

Right? Sounds like you said to yourself, hey. Look. I don't really have anything to lose here. Like, sounds like those played into it, but was there anything else, like, just from, like, a mindset standpoint?

Amanda Leve:

So I made sure I had, like, a good walkout song that I knew would, like, get me, like, the, it it was actually September by Earth Wind and Fire. Like, I just wanna tell them, like, Groovy that I

Drew Beech:

was gonna make it happen. Giving the vibes up.

Amanda Leve:

So it's, like, funny because, like, around September, like, that's, like, still, like, my favorite song ever just because

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. I love it. Sound true. I love

Drew Beech:

dude, it's all the mindset, dude. It's everything. Like, Nicky Rodett, I I don't know if you guys know it, watched CGI, but, like, he watched a Millie every time he was walking out. Like, literally, he just fucking told told the universe. Like, yeah.

Drew Beech:

Fucking Yeah. A million. Yep. Let's say.

Amanda Leve:

So yeah. So and again, I will ironically, I started working with a mindset coach before my first pro fight.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Okay.

Amanda Leve:

So, his name is Mindset Mike, and he was big in, like, the wrestling community for, like, wrestling mindset and stuff. And,

Joey Bowen:

so you add some extra tools in the toolbox too.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. So, basically just, like, you know, training your thoughts to kind of, like, stay in between the lines Yeah. And not, like, when it starts to veer off, like, you know, mantra is to help you steer it back on, you know, like, reminding yourself of stuff or even just saying, like, you know, instead of saying, like, I'm nervous, just being, like, I'm so excited.

Drew Beech:

Reframing. I'm excited. Yeah. Yeah. Mental mental frameworks.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

And I will say, like, now, like, my mindset for, like, competing is the best it's probably ever been.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Like, I'd rather be entertaining and lose than than fight going out there and just, like, fighting not to lose.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Like,

Amanda Leve:

fighting to win is so different than fighting not to lose, and I, like, harp on this all the time. I'm, like, I will forever be out there going for the win over fighting not to lose. To to put on a crappy performance that's not entertaining, and you didn't really go after it. I'm, like, I wanna get after it.

Drew Beech:

There is.

Amanda Leve:

I wanted someone who's gonna scrap with me back too. Yeah. So, like, that's why, like, my last match at ADCC, like, the girl was, like, not really giving much, like, super stalling, like so to me, I'm, like, it's just a crappy way to win. Yes. You know?

Amanda Leve:

Get after it. Yeah. Like, trade with me.

Drew Beech:

It's funny. So that Nick Salas, my coach, just walked in and, like, that's him and Danny. He said a lot to, like, people a lot in jujitsu just fight not to lose. I mean and the big, argument in jujitsu now, the guard point and not guard point. Like, they're like, we they we play all of our basketball and guard, and it's like, they're in 900 out of 10, they're the ones engaging.

Drew Beech:

The other person is backing away and not engaging, and that's it it it's easy to do a lot of hand fighting, a lot of non engaging, and just, like Yeah. Just try not to lose, not get caught in anything.

Joey Bowen:

You make a you make a really interesting point. Like, you're blending fighting to win with having fun and, like, because you're having fun with it. Yeah. And I feel like a lot of the times when I hear people say, like, well, I'm just gonna go out there and have fun with it, They're not actually fighting to win too.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Right?

Amanda Leve:

Yeah.

Drew Beech:

I'm like

Joey Bowen:

Because they're they're almost saying, like, I'm gonna go out there and have fun, and, like, the outcome doesn't matter. But you're blending those two things together. You're going out there and you're saying, look. This is gonna be entertaining. Like, I'm gonna give it all I got, you know, like, the best show.

Joey Bowen:

Gonna have fun, but I'm also gonna win. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like, I'm gonna do both. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Which I think is amazing. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

And it's so much easier to transition to back to jujitsu when you've done MMA because, like, you're not gonna punch in the face. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

You're not

Amanda Leve:

gonna get knocked out. You know what I mean? So it's just almost, like, more freeing after, like, coming back to it because I'm, like, I just now I just have a tougher mentality. Mhmm. And I'm coming back on the jujitsu stage.

Amanda Leve:

I'm, like, so now I just feel great because I have a tough mentality, and I'm willing to, like, really scrap.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. It's I mean, your energy too. Like, you, like, you just locked in. You know what I mean? Like, you're like you're like, I'm this is where I'm going.

Drew Beech:

This is what I'm doing. And, like, it's just it's what it is.

Joey Bowen:

Young Amanda, do you think you had those same type of, like, mindset tools, but they you just didn't know how to use them or speak to them? Because you had to have someone of that mindset from, like, competing from an early age and going in there and enjoying and not having to be convinced to go to practice. And

Drew Beech:

I

Joey Bowen:

also have to be there.

Drew Beech:

Mister Lovey's telling me they let you be a bitch about anything. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I never changed. Myself.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

I never heard of you a bitch about anything.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

You know what? I think I just competed so often

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

That it was just like second nature to me.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. This is true. You know what

Amanda Leve:

I mean? Like, I didn't even like think twice of it, but like if I did lose. So I will say this was the the thing with losing. If I lost and it was not a good match, my dad would get mad.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. But

Amanda Leve:

if it if I lost and it was a good fight, he wouldn't he wouldn't care.

Joey Bowen:

You know? So if you were out there fighting to win.

Amanda Leve:

Yes. Exactly. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

Of course.

Amanda Leve:

Exactly. So subconsciously, that probably helped a lot. Yeah. But when I tell you I would lose to the most muscular teenager teenage boy

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

And my dad would be behind the refs with his arms crossed and, like, shaking his head, like, in disbelief that I just lost him. Like, I'm just getting my hand. Like, the other guys get his hand written. I'm just, like, standing there, like, dude, dad, what do you expect? Just get next to me.

Drew Beech:

That's good.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. I think he he always he saw your potential. He

Amanda Leve:

knew he

Joey Bowen:

knew what you were capable of. You know what I mean? Yeah.

Drew Beech:

I think competing a lot too. Like, he's probably only competes once in a while, but, like, it makes the losses that much harder. But if you're competing all the time, you never have time to even really soak or or or feel Actually, like The losses don't hit that that hard. If you're losing Yeah. All the time, not that you were, but, like, frequently losing, like, once like, it's a lot different than losing once every 3, 4 months.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. It's like reps. Like, getting reps of stuff.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. A 100%.

Amanda Leve:

When you're competing a lot, if you're winning, losing, like Yeah. It just becomes to the point where it's just, like, not even a thing. You just walk off to the next match.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Like you said, the one thing I always say, like, in MMA jujitsu, like I mean, maybe not jujitsu really, but MMA, one loss is, like, a huge thing. Like, like, Michael Jordan lost thousands of times. Mhmm. But for some reason, in MMA, you only get the grace of, like, one loss.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

So or 2 losses.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. And it's kind of stupid. Again, too, but I, like, look at, like, fighters like Cowboy, you know. He's, like, such a scrappy Yeah. Like, bad ass, you know.

Amanda Leve:

He's had so many wins, so many losses. Yeah. And, like, that's cool too. But yeah. Like, I'm in that that mindset of, like especially now too in jujitsu.

Amanda Leve:

I'm, like, I don't care if I win, if I lose. I just wanna go out there

Drew Beech:

and perform.

Amanda Leve:

That's it. And

Drew Beech:

that'll that's what will drive you to

Joey Bowen:

Stack more w's all the time.

Drew Beech:

And and and start on me. I mean, because if you wanna see, they really no no one knows. I don't know Nicky Rod or Craig Jones' record offhand or even Gordon Ryan. You know what I mean? But it's they're great performers, great athletes, and they're fun to watch.

Drew Beech:

And it's

Amanda Leve:

crazy too to see so many people that can't compete. Do you you know you know those guys. There's, like, guys at these gyms that, like, are so good at practice, and then they go out and compete, and they cannot compete.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

And it honestly, it amazes me how, like, the mind can just play a trick on you, like, you're just doing jujitsu out there too. You know what I mean? Like, you're just jujitsu against another person.

Joey Bowen:

Exactly.

Amanda Leve:

And people's minds just overtake their whole game. It's, like, it, like, overrides their system

Drew Beech:

and just makes them into

Amanda Leve:

a completely different person. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

And

Amanda Leve:

every single time I see it, I'm, like, holy crap, dude. Yeah. Like, you're so good in the gym, and you can just just the competition match just changes your whole game.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Yep.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Some people, I see, have the adverse effect too. Right? Like, they'll be kinda, like, slow not slow in the gym, but, like, less, they don't look as good in the gym, but then you see them on in competition, they're like dialed here. Like, holy shit.

Drew Beech:

Like Yeah. They they turn they they could turn it up.

Amanda Leve:

Turn it out. Yeah. Top ups it. Yep. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Or, like, the people that eat crap and then go out there and perform. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Exactly.

Drew Beech:

I don't I'd

Joey Bowen:

bad I got.

Drew Beech:

Don't give me so I mean, I I've I swear I work so hard to be so bad at you. It's just like, I'm like, my my nutrition style. My fuck. I work out all the time.

Joey Bowen:

Time just hasn't caught up yet.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. Exactly. I'm on my own journey.

Amanda Leve:

I will say caught

Drew Beech:

up yet.

Amanda Leve:

The one time I had some stress fractures in my shin, and I was already booked to go to worlds in, like, 2016 or something. And I ended up double golding and and having, like, one of the best tournaments in my life because and I didn't train for it at all. Like, I literally was just, like, oh, I'll just go that day. Went out there that day, no training, and double golded. And I swore it was because I just had no expectation for myself.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. You just let it let it be.

Joey Bowen:

And then just

Amanda Leve:

let it fly. And, actually, one of the practices the mindset coach had me do Yeah. Was write down all my best matches and what my mindset was for that or the circumstances around it, and then all my worst matches, and the and the mindset and circumstances around it. And the pattern that I saw was so crazy of, like, when you have no expectations for yourself and how free and when you feel free to compete Yeah. How much better you compete.

Amanda Leve:

Like, every single match Yeah. Is just, like, I let it fly.

Drew Beech:

Living in the flow.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

They are freeing up the resources to do what your body wants to do and what you know is right instead of, like, soaking up the resources to just mentally, like, beat yourself up and get in your own mind. Yeah. You know

Drew Beech:

what I mean? Funny. Like, the there was, like, Brown belt at number 5 where I used to train, and it was Tim. And he would always be like people ask me a question. He'd be like, you just gotta use your jiu jitsu, man.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. You just

Drew Beech:

gotta use jiu jitsu. Yeah. Like, it's like, so I just do do other jujitsu.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. No mind. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

No mind. So what was it like after after the match with Gabby? Like, after the win, what was it like?

Amanda Leve:

Oh, so it was 17 because I still had to compete against the girl who just won ABCC in heavyweight division Yeah. This past one. And I fought her before, and she's tough. And honestly, I was felt like I already won the tournament because I just beat the number 1. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

You did. And you're So,

Amanda Leve:

I was mindset was just, you know, everyone's like, I walked in the back and everyone's clapping for me. Other competitors, the one girl literally got down on

Joey Bowen:

her knees Yeah. Well, you just

Amanda Leve:

grabbed my hand and was like, thank you for beating her.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

I was, like, wow. This is what a moment. Amazing.

Drew Beech:

So you did win. That's not true.

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. Yeah. So then I was just completely out of the tournament, but and and not to mention so I fought her for 15 minutes. Mhmm. Someone's a 100 pounds heavier than you.

Drew Beech:

You're gassed.

Amanda Leve:

Dude Why? When I tell you my, like, whole the veins that were popping out of my arms Mhmm. I inter got an interview with Flo Grappling, and it was, like, 15, 20 minutes after I just beat her. And I'm still, like

Joey Bowen:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Like, explaining the whole rundown of what just happened. Yeah. So I, like, literally went back to the hotel, got a shower, laid down for an hour, and my boyfriend's like, alright, we have to go back now. You're about to you're about to go on again. And I'm like, because, like, now my body's cool.

Amanda Leve:

I feel like crap. I'm, like, do I have to go back? And he's, like, I mean, if you don't want to, I'm, like, no. I'll go back. And I, like, went back.

Amanda Leve:

I put on a good performance. I really can't complain. I lost by decision. But, again, I didn't even care because I was like

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

I'm walking away from this weekend, and everyone's remembering Exactly. One match. If they're remembering one match, it's my match.

Drew Beech:

Yeah. They probably remember who wanted to win, but they they were Exactly.

Joey Bowen:

Would, so, you know, before your match with her, there's some trash talking and all sorts of stuff. How about afterwards? More trash talking?

Amanda Leve:

Yeah. So This is my favorite story to tell. So, then last time. Because, well, so then the next day you could wrestle back for 3rd place, and 3rd place was still $7,000. So Oh, wow.

Amanda Leve:

I woke up limping, and she, because she lost the day before, she could also wrestle back. So I said to my boyfriend, I was, like, I am not, if I have to go against her again, I'm not competing for 3rd place because my body will not be able I it will break under her. Yeah. I'm, like, if I fight if I fight someone else, I will still compete. And Jay called me and was, like, yo, Gabby's not even answering her phone.

Amanda Leve:

Like, she's not coming to compete. And I'm, like, wow. What a sore loser.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

I'm, like, I'll be there in a second. I'm still competing. I ended up losing that day too. I just felt like crap. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

Again, didn't care. Yeah. Then later that night, we were outside of the hotel. It's, like, 1 in the morning. We just were hanging out with a bunch of jiu jitsu people.

Amanda Leve:

They all went in. And then me, my boyfriend, and Jay were, like, standing outside the hotel, and we're, like, oh, my God, dude. I cannot believe you just did that. And I'm, like, yeah. I know.

Amanda Leve:

I can't believe you either. We're just, like, still discussing it in awe of what happened, and she just comes flying by us on an electric scooter, because, like, the Austin has these, like, electric scooters. They go, like, 20 miles an hour.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like, you pick them up. You drop them wherever you want those.

Joey Bowen:

Yep.

Amanda Leve:

They're so awesome.

Joey Bowen:

And The, like, the scoo it almost analogy, it almost had to look like she was riding like like a like a miniature, like, circus bike

Drew Beech:

or something. What it

Amanda Leve:

would look like.

Joey Bowen:

Because they're small, those

Drew Beech:

things. At 1 AM, you said?

Amanda Leve:

What'd you say?

Drew Beech:

At 1 AM?

Amanda Leve:

Yes. At 1 AM. So and she knew it was me, so she just kept going up and down the, the street in front of the hotel and, like, making these obnoxious noises with her, like, groupies. I guess, like, it was, like, her coach or something that was also on them. I don't know who it was.

Amanda Leve:

And her last pass by, I heard her speak Portuguese, but because I've been around so many Brazilians, I was, like, she definitely just called me a bitch in Portuguese. And I goo Googled it, and it was. And it said it was the vulgar way of saying it or something.

Joey Bowen:

Like, the worst way. Yes. Like, it's, like, this.

Amanda Leve:

This is a big man. Blast. And then we're, like, laughing. We're we're cracking up.

Drew Beech:

Wow. Big med. Big Yeah. Too big med.

Amanda Leve:

I'm, like, dude, you're just a sore loser. I couldn't imagine, like, being like that. Yeah. But, yeah. So that was just one of my favorite stories ever because it's just funny.

Amanda Leve:

And it just honestly, just that story just tells me everything I need know about you just by how you reacted

Drew Beech:

after that. Mhmm. Been

Joey Bowen:

silent since then? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

It's like you

Drew Beech:

wanna see the true side of a man, like, see how he reacts after a loss and not after a win. Yeah. And, like,

Amanda Leve:

I shook her hand after, like, in the back or whatever. Like, I wasn't I wasn't gonna hold the whole, like, press conference thing against her. I didn't call her any names. She was the one that called me the day.

Drew Beech:

I

Amanda Leve:

didn't even say anything remotely bad. I just was, like, why didn't you why didn't you weigh in? And we had all all the way in. That was, like, the only thing I said the whole press conference.

Joey Bowen:

Which is,

Drew Beech:

like, a legitimate

Amanda Leve:

question. Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

It was a legitimate question.

Amanda Leve:

But yeah. And then I got a ton of messages from, like, former students that said that she was, like, so mean to them and stuff like that. So I was, like, I don't think she's a good person.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, based on the evidence and the stories that we've heard today, I can understand where they're coming from, I guess. Yeah. Yeah.

Drew Beech:

But my only last question for me is, like, what's next? You know what I mean? Like, where where do you go from here?

Amanda Leve:

Yes. I wanna get, like, some super fights now for grappling, just because they're so, like, they're so much it's so much bigger now than it ever has been. So, like, the UFC fight pass does invitational, GJ's Invitational. I'm, like, I would love to get on that. Maybe, like, Paul Harris, which is, like, in England.

Amanda Leve:

I would love to do that. So there's a lot of promotions out there now, so I'm I'm just looking to get a a super fight. And, you know, when ADC is coming around or CJI does, like, a women's division, oh my gosh. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Amanda Leve:

And CJI would be, like, my favorite role set too because it's that favorite person that's usually on top and, like, pushing the pace. And I'm, like, I feel like it's all to my game plan. And honestly, I always wanted a jujitsu tournament that did something similar to, like, wrestling and how that wrestling has, like, periods. Mhmm.

Drew Beech:

Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

So

Amanda Leve:

I think it's cool that they do, like, the 3:5 minutes. And again, I trained MMA for that. So I'm, like, again, this is just so perfect for me. I'm, like, I would love to be able to do CJI. So hopefully Craig gets on that with, like, a women's division.

Amanda Leve:

Oh, yeah.

Drew Beech:

Oh, yeah. Or you do the women's super fight for Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. That's great. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Any else? Any other questions?

Drew Beech:

That's all.

Joey Bowen:

I had another one queued up. Where, where can the community find you on the on the interwebs, on social media,

Amanda Leve:

or whatever? Social media is, Amanda Levy_ MMA. And it's, like, funny too because I, like, I don't wanna change it back to jiu jitsu.

Joey Bowen:

I don't

Amanda Leve:

You'll have to. But You

Joey Bowen:

don't have

Amanda Leve:

to. Too. I always, like, just say, like, I wanna bring, like, the MMA mentality to jiu jitsu. So I wanna be tough. I wanna, you know, be scrappy, and I feel like there's not this new generation coming up for jiu jitsu, there's definitely, like, the Vertollos.

Amanda Leve:

Like, they're, like, scrappy and tough and stuff. Mhmm. But I feel like a lot of the community is not really scrappy and tough. So I'm like, I wanna bring the MMA mentality to jiu jitsu, so I'm gonna keep it.

Joey Bowen:

Keep it. Keep it. Don't change it. Yeah. Don't change it.

Joey Bowen:

I had a blast speaking with you today. So many so many great stories. Had had fun getting to know you a little bit better. So thank

Drew Beech:

you for,

Joey Bowen:

thank you for coming in. And who knows? Maybe we'll see some super fights at HQ soon. Yeah. And Yeah.

Drew Beech:

If you're out there. We're just talking about it. Yeah.

Joey Bowen:

Yeah. Alright. I'm gonna leave a few with a reminder.

Drew Beech:

Click the

Joey Bowen:

Always choose hard work over handouts. Always choose effort over entitlement. Remember, no one owns you. No one owes you. You're one of the few.

Joey Bowen:

Let's hunt.