On this episode of The Full Tilt, Hatch sits down with two-time NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist Randy Lewis for a storytelling masterclass. From his first day on the mat in fifth grade to setting a national record with 45 straight pins, Randy breaks down the mindset that made him, as he says, the toughest kid on the block.

He shares how a pull-up contest gave him the confidence to win his first state title, why he set insane goals like pinning every opponent for an entire season, and what it was really like being recruited by his hero, Dan Gable. Randy also tells the hilarious and humbling story of going from pinning a Russian world champion to getting absolutely worked in practice by Gable himself.

If you love wrestling, old-school toughness, and legendary stories, this is Full Tilt at its finest.

Timed Highlights:
0:00 Opening story: “Don’t poke the bear”
0:22 Welcome to The Full Tilt podcast with Hatch
0:43 Introducing Olympic gold medalist Randy Lewis
1:49 Randy’s first day of wrestling in fifth grade
2:05 Winning regionals and the belief that he could be state champ
2:22 The pull-up challenge that gave him confidence
2:40 Toughest kid on the block mindset and book title origin
3:08 Learning the rules the hard way: penalties for locking hands and choking
3:40 Winning his first state title and going to camp to really learn wrestling
4:20 Dominating AAU nationals and setting bigger goals
5:00 The goal to beat everyone by eight points or more
5:11 Facing Phil Hammond, cutting to 98, and wrestling fear
5:49 New goal: pinning everyone and setting a national record with 45 straight pins
6:28 College coaches come calling and Dan Gable enters the picture
6:57 Showing Gable the shoes he signed back in eighth grade
7:21 Hearing about Dan Gable’s Olympic run with no points scored on him
7:52 Randy’s young belief he could beat Gable “if I was as big as him”
8:12 Moving up to 149.5 and pinning the Russian world champion
8:54 The day he wrestled Gable in practice
9:01 Catching Gable in a headlock and then getting turned over and over again

If you enjoy this episode, hit subscribe, drop a comment with your favorite story, and tell us which wrestling legend you want to hear from next!

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