🏆 From wrestling beginner to NJ State Champion in just three seasons.

Eric Childs didn't discover wrestling until high school. By 1988, he had become Rancocas Valley's first state wrestling champion.

🤼 In this New Jersey Mat Chat Legends episode, Eric shares his unlikely journey from a sophomore who barely knew the rules to defeating some of New Jersey's toughest competitors.

🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE:

🥇 Winning the 1988 NJ State Championship

🔥 His rivalry with Chi Santone

💪 The work ethic that transformed his wrestling career

🏟️ The unforgettable state finals at Princeton

❤️ Why his mother saw him wrestle for the first time in the state finals

🎓 Wrestling at Rider University and qualifying twice for the NCAA Championships

🫁 Surviving pulmonary fibrosis and receiving a double-lung transplant

🙏 The importance of organ donation and appreciating life

An incredible wrestling story — and an even greater story about perseverance and second chances.

💬 Could a wrestler today start in high school and win an NJ state championship just three seasons later?

🔔 Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches, and legends who built NJ wrestling.

Watch 'The Godfather of MMA'

Now available now on Amazon Prime:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0HHCGGT6S

00:00 The Godfather of MMA

01:06 Meet 1988 State Champion Eric Childs

01:38 Discovering Wrestling as a Sophomore

05:25 His First District Tournament

06:22 Realizing He Could Become a Champion

07:56 Beating Chi Santone

08:08 Eric's Wrestling Philosophy

09:46 Learning at Wrestling Camp

10:26 His First Region Championship

13:04 Training Harder Than Ever

15:12 Natural Athleticism and Coordination

16:26 Rivalries With Chi Santone and Johnny Duran

17:32 Two Early Senior-Year Losses

18:08 The Undefeated Run Begins

19:10 Finally Beating Chi at Districts

19:33 Mapping Out His Championship Goals

21:47 The 1988 State Tournament

22:01 Reaching the Semifinals

23:42 Beating DeJoseph to Reach the Finals

24:03 Winning the Semifinal

25:26 His Parents Finally Watch Him Wrestle

26:59 His Mother's First Match Was the State Final

28:09 Winning the 1988 State Championship

29:30 Choosing Rider University

30:50 The Shock of Division I Wrestling

32:48 Qualifying for the NCAA Championships

33:40 Learning About Freestyle Wrestling

35:06 Becoming Rancocas Valley's First State Champion

36:06 Moving to California

36:43 Diagnosed With Pulmonary Fibrosis

37:31 Receiving a Life-Saving Double-Lung Transplant

38:04 The Day His New Lungs Arrived

40:06 A New Appreciation for Life

40:51 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro