Shows
The Pasta & Performance PodcastFounding a successful wellness business in your 20s | Vatche, Arman's performance therapistIt is not often that you meet a man in his 20s who has already built real success as a businessman, especially in a highly competitive environment like Los Angeles. Vache is one of those rare exceptions.After completing his university studies, he founded Muscle Lab, a performance and recovery center where he works with both professional and amateur athletes, focusing on mobility, recovery, and overall physical optimization. I was introduced to him through Arman Tsarukyan, with whom Vache has worked closely over the past three years. His client roster also includes high profile...
2026-02-1136 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastWhen weight cutting is too much | Uroš Medić, UFC fighterWe sat down with UFC fighter Uroš Medić to explore his complex relationship with the 155 lb weight class and his evolution as a professional athlete.Uroš reflects on the early stages of his career, when fighting was not his full-time profession and training, nutrition, and physical development were less structured. That changed in 2020, after earning a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. Following the move to California and his commitment to training at Kings MMA, his workload, strength training, and overall performance level increased, long with his natural bodyweight.Despite becoming stronger and more...
2026-01-1643 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastKhamzat's fight camp with my first intern | David PapyanI sat down with David Papyan to explore the intersection of sports nutrition and culinary excellence in his internship at CapoNutrition. We recounted the rigorous journey leading up to a UFC title fight, sharing insights into the demanding world of MMA and the art of crafting performance-based meals. Together, we dove into the cultural nuances of Italian and Armenian cuisines, offering insights into the life of a performance nutritionist dedicated to fueling champions.
2025-10-3134 min
Pasta, Stelle e StrisceAu Pair e nutrizionista a San Francisco | Caterina Addabbo (Ep #8)Ho chiacchierato con Caterina Addabbo, biologa nutrizionista di 25 anni, che ha deciso di mettere in pausa la sua carriera in Italia per provare l’esperienza americana da ragazza au pair.Trasferitasi a San Francisco, ha vissuto per un anno con una famiglia italoamericana, immergendosi completamente nella cultura statunitense. Abbiamo parlato delle sfide di vivere 24 ore su 24 in un contesto culturale diverso, dei momenti più complessi, ma anche di quelli che lei reputa i punti di forza degli Stati Uniti, come la capacità tutta americana di presentarsi e vendersi come un progettoUn episodio onesto, leggero e pi...
2025-06-171h 36
Pasta, Stelle e StrisceMarghera - Albuquerque con un sogno | Padman Mattia Zecchini (Ep #7)Mi scuso in anticipo per la qualità audio di questo episodio: c’era del ritorno in cuffia e alcuni passaggi risultano un po’ disturbati. Ospite della puntata: Mattia Zecchini, fratello del fighter UFC Manolo, attualmente in New Mexico per supportarlo nel suo percorso, ma anche per affinare le proprie abilit rispetto al mestiere del padman.Mattia ha solo 24 anni e ha scelto di dedicarsi al mondo delle MMA fuori dalla gabbia, costruendo un suo ruolo tecnico e professionale. In questa chiacchierata tra San Diego e Albuquerque, parliamo del suo viaggio negli Stati Uniti, del rapporto con i...
2025-06-031h 06
The Pasta & Performance PodcastCoaching wrestling in high school | Matt AlfonteI caught up with Matt Alfonte, a former wrestler, amateur MMA fighter, and high school wrestling coach from Orange County. I’ve known Matt for about ten years, ever since he was part of the first MMA team that Marvin Vettori joined when he arrived in the U.S.We shared some memories from those early days, talked about the team environment, and reflected on how things used to be before the UFC. Later in the conversation, we dug into Matt’s experience coaching high school athletes and explored the controversial practice of cutting weight—how it...
2025-05-301h 02
Pasta, Stelle e StrisceCinque anni di Team Vettori | Samuele Maffizzoli (Ep #6)Samuele è stato il manager di Marvin Vettori per quanto riguarda gli affari italiani per circa cinque anni. Insieme abbiamo condiviso avventure incredibili, dai viaggi on the road negli Stati Uniti fino a match titolati in UFC.In questa puntata ripercorriamo la nostra esperienza professionale e personale, parlando anche degli aspetti meno noti del lavoro dietro le quinte di un fighter. Come si gestisce un atleta agli inizi? Qual è l'importanza dei social media e dell'immagine pubblica? Cosa serve davvero per emergere?Un episodio ricco di storie, riflessioni e consigli pratici, che piacerà sia agli appassionati di spo...
2025-05-181h 01
Pasta, Stelle e StrisceMax Reppucci | Striking coach di Marvin Vettori (Ep#2)In questo episodio abbiamo avuto come ospite Max Reppucci, noto in Italia per essere stato lo striking coach di Marvin Vettori e Alen Amedovsky. Max vive in Brianza, ma ha viaggiato diverse volte venendo negli Stati Uniti. Abbiamo parlato del superamento della barriera linguistica, un argomento su cui abbiamo riflettuto – e scherzato – durante la nostra chiacchierata.Max ha raccontato di alcuni momenti cruciali della carriera di Marvin, tra cui il match a Londra saltato a causa del Covid, e le sue esperienze in California e Nevada. Questa é la prima parte della conversazione con uno degli allen...
2025-05-1353 min
Pasta, Stelle e StrisceGli albori delle MMA italiane | Fabrizio Forconi (Ep #5)In questo episodio di Pasta, Stelle e Strisce ho il piacere di ospitare Fabrizio Forconi, una persona che conosco ormai da 15 anni e che ha avuto un ruolo fondamentale nel mio primo coinvolgimento nel mondo delle MMA.Fabrizio è stato uno dei pilastri di mmamania.it, all'epoca uno dei principali portali di informazione sulle MMA in Italia, e insieme abbiamo vissuto i nostri primi eventi locali, ancora prima che il nome di Marvin Vettori entrasse nella nostra storia.In questa chiacchierata ripercorriamo aneddoti e momenti che pochi conoscono, soprattutto chi si è avvicinato allo sport solo negli ultimi anni...
2025-04-291h 46
Pasta, Stelle e StrisceUn nutrizionista italiano a Las Vegas | Dr. Andrea IppolitoIn questo episodio di Pasta, Stelle e Strisce, ho il piacere di ospitare il dottor Andrea Ippolito, biologo nutrizionista italiano, con cui condivido una storia particolare. Un anno fa, Andrea mi ha scritto raccontandomi del suo desiderio di fare un viaggio a Los Angeles, che però rischiava di saltare per via del ritiro di alcuni membri del gruppo con cui avrebbe dovuto partire. In quel periodo stavo seguendo il fighter UFC Edmen Shahbazyan durante la sua Fight Week, così gli ho proposto di unirsi alla spedizione come osservatore, offrendogli la possibilità di vivere da vicino un'esperienza piuttosto rara e inte...
2025-04-111h 06Pasta, Stelle e StrisceSimone Casotti | La mia prima UFC fight week | Ep #3Ho avuto il piacere di chiacchierare con Simone Casotti, ex fighter di MMA e preparatore atletico. Simone ha dieci anni meno di me e mi ha colpito per le sue qualità umane e la sua dedizione, ho pensato a invitarlo ad una delle mie Fight Week, quella di Arman contro Islam.Abbiamo discusso il suo primo viaggio negli Stati Uniti, la sua esperienza con noi in California e le differenze che ha percepito rispetto all’Italia. Essendo la sua prima volta qui, la sua é una prospettiva fresca e inedita, diversa dalla mia dopo sei anni in nella Cost...
2025-04-021h 12
Mike DropUFC Fight Nutritionist Matteo Capodaglio | Mike Drop Episode 228Dr. Matteo Capodaglio is a performance nutrition coach who specializes in working with elite athletes. He is the founder of CAPONUTRITION, a company that provides tailored nutrition coaching to athletes from a variety of disciplines, including ADCC and IBJJF champions, UFC title contenders, NHL and NFL players, professional motorcycle racers, and Rugby 15 national team members. Over the course of his career, Dr. Capodaglio has worked with the likes rising UFC Lightweight Division Star Arman Tsarukyan, BJJ World Champion Dante Leon, and UFC Middleweight contender Marvin Vettori. Dr. Capodaglio's approach to nutrition is based on...
2025-02-253h 10
The Pasta & Performance PodcastEdmen Shahbazyan | Weight-cut struggles, traveling to ItalyIn this episode, I sit down with UFC middleweight Edmen Shahbazyan to explore the mental challenges of cutting weight and how the mind can play tricks on us under pressure. We dive into the psychological aspects of maintaining focus and discipline during such a demanding process.
Edmen also shares his recent experiences in Italy, particularly when it came to navigating the local cuisine. As he prepares for his upcoming fight on August 24th against Gerald Meerschaert, we get an inside look at how he balances his preparation.
2024-08-0916 min
Pasta, Stelle e StrisceHabakkuk Baldonado | Da Roma all'NFL (seconda parte)Ecco la seconda parte della mia conversazione con Haba Baldonado, giocatore italiano di football americano che ha militato nell'NFL. In questo episodio, abbiamo parlato della preparazione alla NFL Combine, un processo di test di circa cinque giorni che avviene prima che le squadre professionistiche scelgano i giocatori nel famoso Draft. Inoltre, abbiamo discusso degli "outliers" dello sport: quegli atleti che sembrano sfidare le normali leggi della fisica, seguendo diete stravaganti ma riuscendo comunque a mantenere percentuali di bodyfat e livelli di performance inimmaginabili.
Colgo l'occasione per ringraziare tutti coloro che hanno ascoltato il primo...
2024-07-2228 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastEdmen Shahbazyan | Rebuilding, sport psychology, keto dietI sat down with Edmen Shahbazyan, one of the first athletes I met after relocating to the United States. As a veteran of the UFC middleweight division, Edmen's career skyrocketed at the beginning but faced some significant challenges along the way. We discuss his journey, the importance of sports psychology, and his experience with the ketogenic diet. Edmen also shares his reasons for relocating to Las Vegas, where he earned the nickname 'Vegas Ed.' Additionally, we explore what led him to choose Jason Manly as his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach and Dewey Cooper as his striking coach.
2024-07-1824 min
Pasta, Stelle e StrisceHabakkuk Baldonado | Da Roma all'NFL (prima parte)Trasferirsi negli Stati Uniti all’età di 17 anni dall’Italia non è affatto facile. Farlo e diventare in pochi anni uno dei maggiori prospect NFL è davvero un’impresa per pochi. Nell’episodio pilota di “Pasta, stelle e strisce”, una conversazione con Habakkuk Baldonado, nato e cresciuto a Roma e poi trasferitosi in Florida. Giocatore di football americano e atleta CapoNutrition, Haba ha parlato della sua esperienza alla high school americana e al college, raccontando aneddoti sull’adattamento iniziale, le differenze culturali nel cibo e l’importanza dell’imitazione nel suo gioco del football.
The longest yard
2024-07-0840 min
The Mayn Idea Podcast#114: Dr. Matteo Capodaglio - Sports Nutrition: MMA vs. BJJ, Fueling Pro Fighters, and Why Carbs RuleDr. Matteo Capodaglio is a Sports Nutritionist and Doctor of Pharmacy who holds a Masters Degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Milan. He handles the nutritional science behind top tier combat sports athletes such as Dante Leon, Marvin Vettori, and Lightweight phenom, Arman Tsarukyan
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2023-12-121h 35
The Pasta & Performance PodcastJosh Richards | A last second weight cut for ADCC trialsIn this podcast episode, we sit down with Joshua Richards, a dedicated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt from New York City. What makes this conversation unique is the story of Joshua's last-minute preparations for the ADCC trials, which we undertook together.
Just a week before the trials, Joshua reached out, and we had to navigate a challenging, time-pressed situation. This resulted in a less-than-ideal weight cut. In the podcast, we take a deep dive into the details of his experience.
A crucial aspect of this episode is the discussion around...
2023-10-2831 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastMike Guadango: coaching Pro Bowlers, All-star Gamers, priorities of a S&C coach, building a private practiceMike Guadango is a top-tier strength and conditioning coach located in New Jersey. Mike has honed his craft under the mentorship of legends like De Franco and by training notable athletes such as Kevin Love, and in this episode, we delve deep into his coaching methods from the early days of his career.
Our conversation covers the critical role of practice in the field when building a winning roster of athletes, work-life balance, strategies for weight management, and Mike's unique perspective on longevity. We also explore his approach to strength and conditioning, emphasizing the significance of the "...
2023-10-1152 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastOliver Taza | Making weight at ADCC, the importance of rest for professional athletes, upsides of a balanced nutrition planOliver Taza is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu professional athlete. He recently became Pan American Champion, earning his title with four impressive submissions in four matches. He's been a CapoNutrition athlete for about six months. In this episode, Oliver shared his humble beginnings in Jiu-Jitsu and how he found his way to the prestigious Danaher Death Squad in Austin (formerly NYC), where he trains under the legendary John Danaher alongside champions like Gordon Ryan, Nicolas Meregali, and Giancarlo Bodoni.
We explored the importance of rest in the life of a professional athlete to prevent injuries and peak performance, and...
2023-10-0351 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastAlex Park: US vs. Italian school system, admission to top university, first UFC experienceAlexander Park is the founder of Food for Thoughts. His company has been instrumental in guiding high school students toward their dreams of university admission. We discussed the main differences between the US and the Italian school system. But that's not all - Alexander is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner, adding a dynamic perspective to the world of sports.
We'll also be delving into the world of MMA since he is UFC fighter Jacqueline Amorim's partner and team member. I have the privilege of working closely with Alexander and Jacqueline, making this episode all the more special.
2023-08-041h 03
The Pasta & Performance PodcastStemple Creek Ranch: regenerative agriculture, farming in NorCal, climate changeWhat is regenerative agriculture?Walking around US supermarkets’ aisles, you will notice products from regenerative agriculture practices.While the US government still has to define what legally that is, I love to engage with farmers that put food on my table.I met Loren Poncia because I was looking for high-quality locally raised beef and pork. He owns a ranch in Marin County, about an hour north of San Francisco, and he has been focusing on farming animals doing what he calls “the dance with mother nature.”He is not a sponsor; I just love his wo...
2023-06-0737 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastJason Manly: Italian food, Berkeley and Diaz brothers, BJJ for self defense, team VettoriJason Manly was born and raised in Southern California. He then relocated to the Bay area with a track and field scholarship at Berkeley; in the meanwhile, he started to train BJJ under Cesar Gracie, earning his black belt.
Jason coached countless MMA elite athletes, including Ronda Rousey, Rampage, and Marvin Vettori. That led him to visit Italy numerous times, to the point he could start understanding Italian cousine and the differences with its representations overseas.
In this podcast, we discussed his college experience, the effectiveness of grappling in MMA, and BJJ in a street...
2023-04-2541 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastAndy Murasaki: eating disorders, cutting weight in BJJ, becoming a world championAndy Murasaki was one of the most dominant BJJ athletes in 2022, with a gold medal at the IBJJF world championship (no-gi) and a silver medal with the gi.
In this episode, Andy discussed the cultural differences between Brazil, Japan, and the US regarding food, and his move to SoCal at ATOS BJJ. Still, most importantly, he opened up about developing an eating disorder because of weight cuts in the first part of his career. This podcast offers food for thought, and I hope it will help younger athletes not to fall into the vicious circle of not...
2023-03-231h 05
The Pasta & Performance PodcastTanquinho: ADCC gold, extreme cuts at 135 lb, coaching O'MalleyAugusto Tanquinho Mendes is one of the most accomplished athletes in BJJ history, with multiple wins at IBJJF worlds (both gi and no-gi) and ADCC 2019. He has also been a UFC athlete.
He played a crucial role in my growth as a performance nutritionist in the US because winning ADCC gold was my first main accomplishment on a big stage. He also connected me to other champions like Mikey Musumeci, Dante Leon, Matheus Diniz, and many more that, to this day, are still part of my professional athletes' team.
In this episode...
2022-12-0355 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastChase Cichos: mindset for elite athletes, overcoming disability, BJJChase Cichos is a S&C coach born in Bellflower, Southern California. His humble beginnings didn't stop in his journey to becoming one of the best trainers in the world, receiving a nomination from Fighters' Magazine for coach of the year. His roster of professional athletes included title challenger Marvin Vettori, Kelvin Gastelum, Giga Chikadze, Uroš Medić, and many more.
In this episode, we talked about how Chase's disability affected his life and how he overcame the initial disadvantage, his love for American Football first and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu later, and -of course- the Italians' influence on his career an...
2022-11-2256 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastDante Leon: New weight class, ADCC bronze, conjugate method for BJJDante Leon is a 2022 bronze medalist and IBJJF world champion.
He is one of the most skilled grapplers in the world at 170 lb, and he joined team CAPONUTRITION earlier this year.
In this podcast, Dante and I discussed his journey to become one of the most accomplished BJJ players starting from a small city in Canada and growing his game far from the leading sports hubs.
Dante is also a Westside Barbell member and worked on numerous S&C tutorials for grapplers. We talked about the importance of a sports-specific routine to optimize p...
2022-11-1549 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastKeir Wenham-Flatt (Rugby Strength Coach): NCAA, why interns don't get paid, Key Performance Indicators in sportsKeir Wenham-Flatt, aka The Rugby Strength Coach, is a British S&C professional who lives in the US but previously worked in Japan, Argentina (coaching its national team), and Australia, becoming one of the most authoritative coaches in Rugby 15.
After a brief chapter in college football, he is now devoted to creating resources for young coaches who want to learn the art through an evidence and practice-based approach.
Keir is known for his criticism of aspects of college football, including the broad concept of toughness. This podcast discussed that and other sports-related topics like MMA and his...
2022-11-0147 min
The Pasta & Performance PodcastNino Asaro: importing Italian olive oil to the USNino Asaro is an Italian entrepreneur living in NYC and working as the head of development for his family company, Asaro Oil which has been importing extra virgin olive oil to the United States from Sicily for five generations.
Nino is also a great cook and an NYU Gallatin graduate. In this first episode, we discussed living in the US as Italians, how he learned to make the most delicious Italian dishes, and his extra virgin olive oil.
If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, send it to a friend and subscribe. Grazie mille!
2022-10-1846 min
Over The Top RopeOver The Top Rope S3E19: Doc. Matteo Capodaglioil Dottor Matteo Capodaglio è stato ospite dell'ultima puntata di Over The Top Rope il podcast di The Shield Of Wrestling. Doc Capodaglio ci ha raccontato della sua formazione, ci ha raccontato cosa è CAPONUTRITION, la sua compagnia ed ovviamente ci ha rivelato alcuni piccoli segreti dell'alimentazione sportiva.Tra una domanda e l'altra il protagonista della Docu-puntata ci ha anche spiegato la sua versione dei fatti dell'ormai celebre lite tra Marvin Vettori e Karl RobersonDiventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/over-the-top-rope--2807390/support.
2020-06-0459 min
The Fight Science PodcastThe Italian Job With Dr. Matteo CapodaglioDr. Matteo Capodaglio is the owner and founder of Caponutrition, a Performance Nutrition company based in Los Angeles, California. He has a Doctor of Pharmacy, a Masters of Science specializing in Human Nutrition and a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance Nutrition from the Institute of Performance Nutrition. Dr. Capodaglio is known for integrating his Italian heritage into his Nutrition Protocols which are used by top level Combat Athletes in many disciplines. In this episode, we discuss his philosophy when it comes to Performance Nutrition for Combat Athletes, and the different Nutrition approaches needed for...
2020-06-0148 min