S1: E14: John Kolosci (UFC / Strikeforce / Bellator) From Submissions to Commissions

John Kolosco Master 1

Sat, 1/15 9:30AM • 1:19:56

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

fight, people, fighter, mma, indiana, ufc, big, lose, sport, days, citrix, remember, gym, talk, game, skates, bit, backstage pass, wrestling, throw, John Kolosci, Randy Hulsey, Randy Hulsey Podcast, Interview, Podcast, Randy Hulsey Music, Backstage Pass Radio, Backstage Pass Radio Podcast, Chesterton Indiana,

SPEAKERS

Randy Hulsey, John Kolosci, Adam Gordon

Randy Hulsey  00:00

Good morning to all my listeners out there. I'm going to change gears a little bit today I have a good friend in town visiting from Northern Indiana. And normally as you guys know, this is a kind of a music only podcast but I thought that we would change the topic this week and maybe highlight the world of MMA. My guest today is an ex technical consultant that has worked for both manufacturers as well as in the channel. He is a retired fighter who spent time in the Hoosier Fight Club out of Indiana StrikeForce. He's a Bellator bat and a veteran of the UFC as well. He now makes a living as an account manager for a systems integrator out of Illinois, and I'm going to have my longtime friend and fighter John Colossi from season six of the Ultimate Fighter right here in the crystal vision studios when we come back. This is backstage pass radio, the podcast that's designed for the music junkie with a thirst for musical knowledge. Hi, this is Adam Gordon, and I want to thank you all for joining us today. Make sure you like subscribe and turn alerts on for this and all upcoming podcasts. And now here's your host of backstage pass radio, Randy Halsey. Johnny Good morning. Morning Randy. Are you doing good sorry to get you out of bed so early but I guess you guys have a flight to catch back to Chicago today. So we wanted to jump in and knock this out real quick before you took off doing good. I'm doing good. I'm fine. So it was great to see a family here this weekend and it was kind of a pleasant surprise to have your longtime friends Denny and Diana come in as well. So we had a nice four days together and guess the weather didn't cooperate too well the first couple of days but we were able to get out and do some stuff anyway. Had a nice boat ride last night so

John Kolosci  01:55

absolutely the you couldn't tell the weather wasn't good because I got the overcast sunburn

Randy Hulsey  02:01

laying out by the pool. Well, I think I mentioned that I'm think I mentioned that to get to it's like I think you can get just a sunburn like with no sun. I don't know if it's like that and Indiana and Illinois. But here it's like sometimes you get more burnt when the sun's not out, you know with the overcast days and whatnot. You're like oh, it's it's overcast. I don't need to put on sunscreen today and then you're like what an asked meeting.

John Kolosci  02:28

Yeah, a couple of drinks and some overcast skies and here I am sunburn for 3d.

Randy Hulsey  02:35

Let's go back some years. All right, John Colossi Well boy growing up in Indiana. What were you doing as a as a young boy were you What were you into back then? You know, later you got into the fight scene? Of course, we will talk about that. But what were you as a little boy, were you into sports? What kept you busy?

John Kolosci  02:53

Yeah, that was pretty much competition. I was baseball, basketball, football. You know, the big three that were really common around my area. And I'm just a guy that hates losing. So even in school, I was still good. Just because I wanted to get A's only because other people got A's. And I'm like, well, thank you get in like again, you know, very competitive for sure. checkers, you know, didn't matter. Now when you're young and you lose you throw the board. Of course I'm more mature now. I was that guy. Now you

Randy Hulsey  03:21

just throw the checkers not the board, right? Yeah, exactly.

John Kolosci  03:23

No, but uh, baseball was probably my favorite. But I played all of them. Love them all. Just love competition and always been that guy.

Randy Hulsey  03:31

Now you not to get way ahead of myself. But you? I think you were kind of known as a well, you I think you were referenced as a ground and pound fighter. But you had a wrestling background? Did you not have come through a wrestling background at all? Or was that something that was picked up later on as you got into MMA

John Kolosci  03:51

picked up later when I got Okay, um, Ray because of the gyms that are cheering that they were typically wrestling based. And then you just follow who your instructors are sure, kind of where it started off was the ground upon for sure.

Randy Hulsey  04:03

Gotcha. Now, it's kind of interesting, because you and I are, in a lot of ways poured out of the same mold. So we were ex engineers, for an IT consulting firm, we've worked with some of the larger manufacturers in the world. And then at some point in time, we decided that we wanted to go from fact to fiction and move into sales. Right? So So talk to me about a little bit about that transition, like what drove you to move out of tech into sales? Well, I

John Kolosci  04:35

got into tech just, I was really into computers when I was younger, too, as well. So I was a bit of a nerd even though I was a competitive athlete, but really loved tinkering as well. So that got me into the engineering side. I was an ocean consultant for many years. And then after about 24 years of doing that, with a little break for fighting, of course in between there. But you know, it was kind of the same thing over and over learn the new technology. What's the new features To new functionality, you're really heads down in these, the weeds they call it. I feel like I'm the account manager side, you get to be more broad, you get to be more businesslike talk to different type of executives. So that that was kind of the impetus that made me move towards that route.

Randy Hulsey  05:15

Sure, sure. And so on the tech side, what would you say? Was your your area of expertise as it related to tech, like when I go back, people say, Well, you were a consultant, you're an engineer, what, what was your thing? And my thing was Citrix, I was a Citrix guy, right? I architected and designed Citrix solutions. I implemented them, I supported them. What do you feel like? Your forte was in tech? Right? Did you have one that stuck out that you were just better at than any other maybe manufacturer technology

John Kolosci  05:47

has changed over the years when I first started, it was Microsoft and Citrix we were called and I worked for a ISPs application service providers, I would say that was the precursor to today's cloud. But you know, there wasn't the connectivity back then that there is today. Oh, yes to alias DNS was your main kind of Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  06:05

minding you is DNS together to get faster through?

John Kolosci  06:09

Yes. So it never really took off. And then the crash of 2001 really hurt. But Microsoft has issues where I started off that was my IT consulting years that I moved over to VMware and storage and servers when I moved over to Dell like EMC. Yeah. And then now I'm in the channel.

Randy Hulsey  06:26

Okay. And do you feel like you would have moved to sell sooner if you could have like, if you had to go back and do it all over again, I think it's great to have the the tech background because people like you, and I think that lends some credibility to us that we're not just out selling things that we really don't know about it at some point in time. We've, we've put our hands on those technologies and what whatnot. But do you feel like if you went back and did it all again, would you have jumped into sell sooner? Or are you happy kind of with where you started at the stage of your life with sales?

John Kolosci  07:02

Yeah, well, I'm not the kind of guy that regrets things. But you know, when did I meet you? 15.

Randy Hulsey  07:07

It was a Oh, seven, I believe seven,

John Kolosci  07:10

I wish I would have listened to you by Oh, eight.

Randy Hulsey  07:13

Now, if I could just get my wife to say that, you know, like we be in business, I think

John Kolosci  07:17

correctly, you've been you've been counting it for years, and I was just always anxious, you know, it's a big move. It's a completely different way of looking at at the job. And I still liked tech for all these years. You know, I took that break for MMA. And then when I came back, I think I got on the pre sales side of tech, that kind of opened my eyes to sales or watching sales guys, and finally made that move.

Randy Hulsey  07:41

Well, and I think that that was kind of my catapult into sales, because I like you was an engineer for a major oil and gas company. And then I was at compact as a staff engineer for five years. And I was I think it was there that I was trying to move into sales. Because with Compaq, I was in a pre sales role. So I was splitting, you know, supporting the sales teams. But yet, I was still technical. And I can remember, one deal, I worked in the Customer Center at compact. And it's where we brought customers in from all over the world to brief them on compact technologies. And I can remember the German government being in the States. And I can remember doing a two and a half hour demo in our lab for them on all kinds of compact gear. And I was talking to a translator because these guys didn't even speak English, right. And later on I, I learned that the account manager that had that account won that deal. And it was like an $80 million deal. And the comp plan that I was on at Compaq at the time and I can talk about compact because they don't exist anymore, right? I wasn't incentive that way. I was just a flat base salary engineer. So I saw no carrots for that deal that closed. That's when my brain started thinking. Okay, I'm kind of helping sell this deal to shouldn't have got a little bit of that. So that's when my gears started turning and then I moved in to the consulting side and then finally jumped into sales. But that was it. For me. That was kind of my story that that moved me from move the needle from tech to sales. Because it was a money thing, right? I mean, every year you're like, Man, I hope I get a 3% Raise this year, you're always it's always contingent on what they want to give you. I want to be in charge of my own destiny. If I if I make no extra money, that's my fault. If I make more money, that's my fault. It's all contingent on me. I live or die by my own sword. Right. So that was that was kind of it for me. Now, when you were working for a I think it was a major health care provider. In the Chicago area. You became a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter season six on Spike TV Correct. Do I have my time Correct. You got it correct. Yeah. Okay. And tell the listeners a little bit. How do you become a contestant on a television series that's as popular as you know, The Ultimate Fighter?

John Kolosci  10:11

Yeah, it was? Well, it's timing and luck, just like almost anything in life that is outstanding, right? I came from a small gym, Northwest Indiana, not really big connections to the UFC or anything. So I was fighting at 185 at the time, this was a show for 170 and I've been talking about going down the 170 for a long time, and I'm like, well, I might as well try this out. So you know, I bought my own ticket to Vegas buy my own hotel room, showed up at this in this line of 500 Dudes, you know, at the camera, remember the hotel that it was at in Vegas, but you know, it was literally three days of the wrestling the stand up the interview process, and then multiple? Well, so I did well, in the wrestling stage got past that, that's the stand up stage did pass that I had kind of rehearsed a little bit about how I was going to interview did the interview phase. And you know, they go from 500 to 250, from 250 to 125. And this is all over the course of weeks. And I'm talking to the spike producers, contacts trying to build that relationship almost like you do for sales. Yep. And I hit it off with her and then it got down to like the top 100 And then they started drug testing people. So you lose about 2030 Guys just from that out of 70 and then at that point, it was just me trying to make that spike producer like me that I'm going to do well on the show. Sure. And then it just whittled down to 16 and every week is just waiting for that phone call waiting for that phone call and finally you get it and you made the top 16 and couldn't believe it.

Randy Hulsey  11:41

Now were you out in Vegas during that whole process or was there a time when you went back home to Indiana and later found out that you were selected as a contestant or did you find out while you were there that you were going to be selected?

John Kolosci  11:56

Nope found out like a month later right

Randy Hulsey  11:57

so I only flew out for those first three days for the wrestling Stan of an interview and then it was you know couple months of just constant they fly you back for the drug test if I you back from medicals sure fire back for another interview things like that. Yeah, that was about it. Now if my memory serves me correctly, this was against season six and I believe the coaches were met Sarah and Matt Hughes right the the two mats Okay. And you were team Sarah weren't yet up. Okay. I in my memory is jogged a little bit because you have a a gym in the basement of your home with a mat and half cage or quarter cage and, and all of the side items that a fighter would have. And I can I remember seeing your framed jersey from the show, right? And I think it said team Sarah or Sarah's name on it somewhere. You and I met in 2007 and I don't I don't remember exactly how it came about. It might have come about through a friend but I can remember watching the show. And of course I knew I didn't know you then and seeing this contestant walk through the house from the gym one day and he's carrying the Citrix backpack and I'm thinking what in the hell I mean like what what is this? What is this tattooed, numbskull know without Citrix? Right? So, I guess after putting two and two together a mutual friend, I just don't know. But you and I made connection because of the Citrix connection. Had I not ever seen that backpack we probably wouldn't be sitting across from one another right now. But my brother Andy came out to Vegas with me for a Citrix show. And you and Kathy, your wife were out there at the time. And we wound up spending a lot of time together while we were out there. And I That's my recollection of how the friendship started. Does that kind of along the same lines with you? Or is your memory like as bad as mine? I

John Kolosci  13:56

don't know. Same recollection. I know you did a little research find our John class. He works. Why does he have a Citrix bag? And it's so hilarious that it is that Citrix bag. You know, I probably had 10 bags I could have taken with me on that show. Sure. Why did I take that one? Who knows? It's just black and red. Black are with us. Cool.

Randy Hulsey  14:13

Yep. And I can I think I remember seeing the backpack in the show a couple of times, and we're plugging the hell out of Citrix on the show, but that's okay. Citrix is a great technology but I think I also saw the Citrix backpack. When you were I think you are sitting on the bottom bunk of your bed and I think your your bunkmate was George Sotiropoulos. Right. And I remember him reaching over and you're kind of pouting you had lost to was it? Who did you Mac Danzig? Right. And you were kind of sulking about that and and then Then all hell broke loose in the house after that. alcohol induced rage. So you guys will have to just kind of watch the show or maybe not I don't know Johnny may not want to People watch that

John Kolosci  15:02

alcohol episode.

Randy Hulsey  15:05

But you did do your public service announcement by saying that all young kids should not do what I do on the show, right? Yes, you covered yourself a little mature. But you have to think that you're in a house full of monkeys, right? So monkey see, monkey, you know, everybody was kind of a little what I like to call a little throat off. I think, as a fighter, you got to be a little throat off to, to have that mindset to get in and just beat the tar out of each other. Right? It's not, it's not what the normal person does. Like you think of corporate America, you don't think of people just, you know, oh, I don't like I don't like that meeting. I'm just gonna like bash your face in or anything like that. Right? So you, you got to be a little left to center to get in there and be a combative sport participant, I think, I guess when we were out there also, we jumped in a rent car with you and Kathy and I think we went and had In and Out Burger. And then you took us by the house where the show was filmed. Tell the listeners a little bit about the house. Where was it? What was it like living with 16 guys that you'd never you'd never seen or didn't know anything about? I don't think there was any connection to the outside world, if I remember correctly on how the show works, but just talk a little bit about the house and what how long were you there? What it was like? Yeah, to the best of your recollection.

John Kolosci  16:29

Yep. So the house was in Vegas. You are locked out from the world you don't have magazines you have news you don't have any music outside of whatever you bring into the house couldn't even really bring books from what I remember. I think we're there eight weeks no phone calls to the family so it is it's really a mental game as well. I mean, we had one guy that left after two weeks as its I couldn't take it no more I really didn't like the idea of not having any access to the outside world. Yeah, it was tough. And then you know, the producers want to show so they're constantly they want you to act a little bit right up a little bit. All we are when you first get there as focused nobody cares about the show or writing up on the show

Randy Hulsey  17:12

you want to win we're trying to launch your career at that time right yeah,

John Kolosci  17:15

the first couple weeks are really really slow until you get a couple people that lose once the people lose you're kind of out of the competition but you're stuck in the house yeah, and those are the ones that

Randy Hulsey  17:25

that's when the drama begins we're bored we know we don't have a chance of winning this so let's let's create some havoc right it's kind of the mindset like

John Kolosci  17:33

there's no sugar in the house there's no bad foods there's no alcohol then when somebody loses all that

Randy Hulsey  17:39

comes in I had no idea I was like restricted at first and then it you know, like it's not

John Kolosci  17:46

restricted. You got to think of the mentality in there like I'm eating grilled chicken I'm eating broccoli, you know? Yeah, keeping your weight right and everything because you're gonna win but as soon as you lose, you know give me some ice cream and pizza pockets

Randy Hulsey  17:59

and alcohol right. Now did you did you have a favorite fighter slash person in the house that you you just hit it off with that was just cool all around and if so, do you stay in touch with any of the fighters that were on Season Six specifically,

John Kolosci  18:17

I got along with just about everybody on the show to be honest, George cider Rob was was probably the guy that I gravitated towards just how good he was and you know kind of took him on like picking his brain matter royal had you know, killer jujitsu second, his brain. And then of course, the coaches. Matt. Sarah was awesome. And Longo is awesome. And yeah, basically just, you know, my mentality is gravitate to the guys that are better than you at something and absolutely learned that thing from them. Yep. But it was a cool house. I think everybody pretty much got along.

Randy Hulsey  18:49

Yeah. And I was thinking it was six weeks, but you're saying that it was eight? Yeah. And I don't know. I just saw for some reasons six stuck out in my head, but it might it could have could have very well been eight so Sotiropoulos and, you know, kind of sticks out to you and Matt Arroyo Of course, and not to derail it's funny, I had stumbled across a YouTube video. And the title of the YouTube video was MMA guy restrains, you know, drunk somebody or whatever. Um, so that kind of piqued my interest. I'm like, What the hell, so I queued up the video. And it's like in a McDonald's or something. And there's there had been a drunk person or somebody on dope in there that was like just running, running amok, like acting crazy. And Matt Serra was in the restaurant and it shows Matt Sarah is sitting full mount on this guy. And the guys fighting to get up and Sara's just as cool as a cucumber. Like, it kind of puts in perspective how good you guys are. When it comes to the fight game like you know you you have people that think, Oh, I've been in a couple months. To my days, I'm a really tough guy. But when you get matched up with somebody that's trained in these disciplines, I mean, you're on a different planet than the average guy. And he was just so calm to sit in on this guy, like, just holding his arms with one hand saying, You're gonna calm down, I'm not gonna let you up and this guy was not a small guy either, right? It wasn't like he was holding the kid down. Right? So I remember that. And I remember on the show that Sara seemed to be a really cool coach.

John Kolosci  20:28

He was a badass. Yeah, I stopped, kept in touch with him for years, and I could still hit him up if I wanted him out of the blue. Yeah, really good personality, a good human being cared about people. But you brought up a good point. Like, I think one of the oddest things about, you know, sports in general, if you know people, I would say more people watch, like, you know, baseball, football, hockey, and they know that, oh, I can't play like that. I can't pitch like that. I can't skate like that. I can't throw the football like that. But when they watch fighting, they think, Oh, it's just throwing punches, you know, Shea easier than it really is. And one of the coolest things I would say over the years is when you get the tough guy that comes into the gym, you know, big muscle head wants to prove something, right? Yeah. 200 No, in the street, you're like, really? 230 600 people that you follow might be free. So that you're like, Okay, I'm gonna let you fight my 135 or, you know, this guy's 200 pounds in the 135 or just watch something. And he'll be like, Wow, that wasn't my game. I'm not a stand up guy. Okay, Let's wrestle LSU wrestle my 125 or 25? There's no, you know, so it is a skill. And you know, it's just like any other sport. You're trained at it, you're better at it's not just throwing punches wildly. There is an art to it. Sure. And Cheskin Sure.

Randy Hulsey  21:47

Yeah. And it's probably a methodical thought process, even though I'm sure in the rink and in and maybe not so much with professional fighters. But I know I've been in a few tassels in the streets and my days, and you're so you're so amped up and your adrenaline is flowing so much for me. It was almost like I went deaf, like in a fight, like I couldn't hear anything, which is weird. But I think that there's probably a more discipline mindset as a professional fighter in the ring, you're not going in, amped up. I mean, you're amped up for the fight, but you're there's no aggression towards that person. Specifically, it's a game to you, or it's a chess match, like you say, and I've got to execute on a game plan, I just can't go in there and just say, I want to knock this guy, um, you want to knock the guy out in one inch, right? You're making a living doing this stuff. But in a street fight, you just want to annihilate somebody, and, and you don't really care how you win the fight, whether it's submission, or TKO or knockout or whatever the case may be. But I don't think the mind goes in as amped up as if you're in a street fight, right?

John Kolosci  22:56

I mean, if you think about the average Street Fighter, it's probably six or seven seconds, right? Yeah. Maybe they want a second. Yeah. And maybe somebody lands a punch in that right? Yes. So no, you couldn't do that you would guess out within the first 30 seconds. You're winning their balls to the wall, and there's really no aggression. It's a sport. Yeah, think about it as a sport. The guy across from you is just like, your that

Randy Hulsey  23:17

off. He's just as good as Yeah, too, right? It's not like in a street fight, where you might be fighting somebody that's 50 times the fighter you are, or 50 times the weight, there's no there's no governance around any of that. It's like but you guys are fairly, you're pretty closely matched up weight and discipline. I mean, of course, you might be a wrestler he might be a BJJ guy but there's there's not a big disparity and how you train and and what you're bringing into the ring. Right?

John Kolosci  23:46

And then you bring your skill set to it. I mean, even when, you know a lot of people you see the two guys just up against the cage looking like they're holding each other. There's literally probably 3040 50 things going through your mind at that time. You know, hold hold is a risk, grab his shoulder, get the under hook up over, he's gonna go down, you know? Yeah. And things always going on in there.

Randy Hulsey  24:05

Well, and you don't know if you're, if he's going to use the elbow when he has you up against the cage. You don't know whether he's going to go to some Muay Thai knees or whatever the case may be. So you're thinking not only offensively, but you're thinking defensively to you both are at the same time, right? Yeah. So it's probably much like shooting the game of pool. If you're a really good pool player. You're not thinking about one shot, you're thinking about six shots, right? How am I lining that cue ball up with the next with the next shot? So you spoke of Arroyo being a really cool guy on the show. Sotiropoulos Of course, my think there was one that stuck out on the show, which was John Copenhaver. Pete There's always I guess, I guess there's always one villain on the show. I think Junie Browning was one of those guys like leaving might have been one of those guys in the first season. But John Copenhaver, who was also known as war machine was on the same series as you are season six and He later got into some legal trouble and I think is spending a life's or doing a life sentence right now for those for those problems that he had. What kind of guy? Was he on the show? What what do you remember about war?

John Kolosci  25:15

He came in late. He was the replacement for the guy that left that I mentioned earlier, came in about two weeks in. I remember him being pretty cool to be honest. Yeah. You could tell like it just looking in his eyes. He's he's had a little crazy streak. Probably. I can lose his shit. Pretty easy. Yeah. But like on the day to day and talking with them and be awesome with them. He was a good dude, me and him got along really? Well. Yeah. smarter than you think. You know? Yeah, sure.

Randy Hulsey  25:40

He had a there's a facade like, a goon persona. Like, this guy's got to be dumb as a box of hammers. Right. And yeah, he talked

John Kolosci  25:48

to him. Sure. A little philosophy about life and things like that. But I just think he had, you know, there's something in his brain that were when he lost his shit. He just couldn't control. Yeah, no. And that's what happened to I think they call that one brick shy of a full load or something like that, or one sandwich shy of a picnic?

Randy Hulsey  26:04

Well, I think we, I mean, we all have that, like, you know me well. Right. And I know you well, and there's things that I'm not proud of. And I know there's things along in your life that you probably are not ultimately proud. But I think as humans that's that's our humaneness yes, that we all have that. That breaking point, right. And some just can go longer without breaking than others as or burn. Yeah. Yeah. Was there and you can plead the you can plead the fifth on this, because what you just can, what about least favorite fighter on the show? Was there somebody that you know, if if you said, Okay, you get to pick one fighter to remove from the show, and it doesn't have to be a personal thing. It could be anything. What was there one that maybe you'd say, Okay, well, I could have done without this guy. And again, I don't want you to feel like you've got to answer that question. Because this is not really a bash conversation. But it's really more so just from the Ultimate Fighter program. Because I think if you asked that same question to people on the show about Junie Browning, they would have said, Junie, by far get rid of that guy. He's just a knucklehead. And it's not really a personal thing. It's just that demeanor, and that personality just clashed. But he was great for the show. Like I know spike, love that guy. From the villain perspective, was he the best fighter in the house? I doubt it. But but he put on a show. And he, I mean, he brought me back week after week to watch the show. But I didn't know if there was one on the show that kind of stuck out in your mind. That was the villain of your show, and that everybody kind of felt like, Gee, man, he's just like wreaking havoc in here all the time.

John Kolosci  27:41

Now that I think we were one of the very few shows that didn't have that guy. Okay. Like I said, when we were a few weeks, and we actually had the spy producer, sit us down and they were trying to find that guy. Okay. We really don't have much content. Right. So you know, they were trying to tell us to bring it up. But most everybody in there was a serious about one to win the show. help other people get better as time went on. I mean, don't get me wrong. There was the double decker incident.

Randy Hulsey  28:07

Oh, yeah. Remember that with Jared rollin? It was at Rollins. Is that his last name? That was at Rollins, I think, yeah, somebody? Yeah.

John Kolosci  28:14

I forget who did it. Yeah, there's a couple of guys involved. And of course, my drunken episode with throwing all the foosball table and everything in the fall and I don't want the kids to see what right nobody really stuck out. Is that a hole throughout the show? Yeah. Well, I

Randy Hulsey  28:31

also believe that we've all made mistakes in life. And I believe I was listening to an Eddie Eddie trunk podcast with Nikki Sixx the bass player from Motley Crue, and they released a movie called The dirt, which was about their life, Motley Crue his life and his own as you can only imagine, there was debauchery, starting that at the minute they open their eyes till the time they close their eyes at night. And for the dirt, they did a big premiere of that show. And Nikki Sixx was sitting next to his I think she's 18 year old daughter, right. And I think they said, the first scene in the movie is an oral seen, right, let's just leave it at that myth. I have some young listeners. And he's sitting right next to his daughter. And he's like, it's weird. It's weird, but you know what? It was me. And it was who I was. And it's who I became. And I can't change that. But what I can do and like what you can do as a parent, you know, if your kids happen to see your season six episode, you help them as a dad to understand that we all do, not the right things in life, but it's how we persevere and correct those things later, right. You turn that you turn that negative into a positive, I guess, turn into a learning lesson. Exactly. What did the training schedule look like when you were in the house to walk the listeners through what was a day in the life of John Colossi for eight weeks? In Vegas? guess

John Kolosci  30:00

Yeah. So you were pretty separated at once you got picked on a team, it was almost like the other team was you'd even hang out with them at the house. Right? You know, unless you instantly became enemies, right? Yes, right off the bat. But there was two schedules in the morning and two schedules at night. So I don't remember the times, but it might have been like eight to 10, and then 10 to 12. And then five to seven and then seven to nine. I believe that was the schedule. But you know, whoever woke up first went, you waited, you ate breakfast when they came back you went, and then you're both in the house for those few hours in between. My by my time was spent with Matt Arroyo wasn't my acid ping pong. I think he went about 77 An hour against me.

Randy Hulsey  30:40

Now that's interesting that you say that because you have a little competition going on in Indiana. I forget the name of the tournament, but it's a bunch of buddies that get together. And you have a cheesy ping pong tourney ping pong belt that you guys created. And there's a lot of pride in this tournament. I haven't played in it myself. I played on your ping pong table in the basement, but I've never been a part of the tournament. So for you to say that Arroyo whipped your ass 77 out of you know 77 And oh, against you. I know. You're a pretty good player yourself. I know you didn't like that

John Kolosci  31:13

I did. And he's the one that made me get into it even more really made me create this tournament. And yeah, it's our yearly bash the winter solstice party in December, and there's usually about 20 Guys in it. And then it's a pride thing to get the belt and hold it. I was injured last year with an ACL. So one of my friends wanted and I had one to three years in a row. So he's been talking shit.

Randy Hulsey  31:40

Would you like to name him on the show? Because I think you're Indiana friends will probably probably hear this or Greg. Robert. You're famous Now Greg. Right. Got it. Yeah, I'm about hanging on to Danny ever had any had it wants. Danny had

John Kolosci  31:56

it a couple times. Maybe once with Danny talks. Yeah. Yeah. When Danny had it, though, is like he wear it out to a restaurant. Bring it over the house.

Randy Hulsey  32:07

Like it was really valuable or something? Yeah, it was a Walmart WWF. About where we modified it. Yeah. He was really proud of that. It sounds like I'm proud of it. Yeah. Truth be told. Yeah. Speaking of Arroyo, I think it was. Well, let me let me change gears. I think your first fight in the show was Billy miles, was it not? And you won against Billy miles. Right. And then from there, you had the face Mac Danzig? Now, if I remember correctly, danza gave you a pretty good weapon. Right. And and you lost to Danzig? Yep. And I think there had already been some contestants in the house that had lost if my memory serves me correctly. And then Dana White King Cullen, and he said, Hey, we lost I think we lost somebody that was okay. Lost was supposed to fight Danzig. Okay, and he got hurt or what what happened there? Yeah, he got injured and couldn't go on to the final against him. Okay, so. So Dana White asked some of the contestants that had been eliminated. Hey, would you like to come back? And would you like to fight mag Danzig? And I think the general consensus from what I remember. And Mac Danzig was a seasoned fighter. At the time, he was a means guy, and he was the best guy in the house. Okay, and because I knew you guys had kind of looked up to him, like he's been in the game a long time he was, he probably had 20 or 30 fights under his belt at that time. And I think the consensus from the people that were asked to come back and fight him were kind of like, oh, I guess you know, sure. I you know, and when Dana White asked you, you were like hell, hell yeah, I'll come I'll fight anybody here. That's why I'm here. That was the mindset and I think that that's what Dana was really looking for. He wanted somebody that was they weren't there to have their five minutes of fame on TV they were there to fight Yes. Right. And to earn a contract. Talk a little bit about the coming back. I think you had also had to cut was it 20 pounds in two days or three days or something like that? I'll tell you Yeah, I'm gonna give you the my clock talk us through that talk us through the whole Dana asking you to come back. And then what it was like to try to come back in a quick timeframe. Yep. So the guys that lost some who were injured some clicking come back. And then we're waiting in the gym knowing you're going back to this back room to interview with Dana talking him into letting you be the guy that takes on Mack for this next fight to take a royal spot. Well, my

John Kolosci  34:42

assumption was everybody was in there begging right and that it was gonna be hard uphill battle for me because I just last night I saw while I'm waiting on the gym, I'm just going through my head. How am I going? What am I gonna say? How am I gonna say it? You got to be up you know, I was. I pictured myself pounding the table. I want this fight. And that's what I did. I went in there and I just went on this five minutes spiel about how I should get in how I want it and how their last fight wasn't me and, you know, going on and I go, I know I just lost him. I know all these other guys are begging for it. And then it goes, nobody's begged for it. He's like, You got it. And I'm like, what? Yeah, he was like everybody had an excuse. They're overweight. They you know, maybe I'll take Yeah, if you want to give it to me. So I got it immediately and I was 27 pounds over because like I said, I moved to Pizza Pockets and ice cream. Yeah. For the pool.

Randy Hulsey  35:29

So you were you were selling before you even knew you're selling right yeah, with with Dana. You were selling to get back into the end of the house. Right. So okay, so you're 27 pounds overweight. This was welterweight that you were fighting at? That's 170 for the listeners that don't know MMA and don't know the weight classes, but I guess you're walking weight was somewhere around 190 ish or something. It's time 188 to 92 Yep. Okay, and then so you had to cut down you are 27 over 27 pounds overweight, to fight at welterweight, right? Okay,

John Kolosci  36:02

no, two days to lose it. So I was 197 You know, the diet wasn't good for the past week and a half. But it was not no excuse. I was you know, I was like I got to do it. And the good thing is that teammates helped me right so we're literally sitting in the house will be just doing jumping jacks and then squats and push ups and run it in place and run on a treadmill with a sweatshirt on. And I made wait I made 171 And two days. It was draining but you know, you gotta you gotta do what you got it there.

Randy Hulsey  36:31

I guess for the listeners. You know you talk about cutting weight. I've been trying to lose 20 pounds for 38 years now and I haven't been able to Okay, so I don't think that cutting 27 pounds in two days there there's anything easy about that? What kind of weight is that? Is that water? Wait what what are we talking about here? And how do you cut water wait that quick? It's pretty

John Kolosci  36:53

much all waterway cuz you gained it all back the next day. So even even think about now when you see a guy that's fighting at 155 171 85 Whatever they are that the way ends the day before they're probably 20 pounds heavier when you see him in a cage. So you'll see a 150 500 like than I do today. Well he's probably 175 right now. Yeah, it's the wrestler mentality took over on that and you get 24 hours to rehydrate right? So you could lose me personally everybody's different but I would lose 1516 pounds pretty easily over the course of you know the evening before and the morning of it was always those last two or three pounds there were really hard changes sunken in you can't he can't sped can't do anything. But you grind it's a mental grind to get to three pounds off. And then as soon as you weigh in Bill Pedialyte Gatorade, pasta you're eating and drinking like mad for the next 24 hours before

Randy Hulsey  37:45

because you have to pick yourself back up and be nourished enough to fight and weigh ins are usually on Friday nights right? And you have till 24 hours Saturday nights is usually like the is when the fights are correct not not so much even for just the UFC. But HFC when you were anything in that show, I mean it's it's any of the fight shows right? For the most part. So it's it is my understanding that about the closest thing that you'll get to go into hell is cutting Wait is that is Have you heard that before in a fight game?

John Kolosci  38:19

100% I say that to everybody. Like the worst part of fighting was cutting weight. But it was part of the job. And you know, anytime I see somebody not make weight, it just annoys the hell out of me because I've never not made weight no matter how dead I was. And I can ask I have a lot of horror stories about trying to cut them as two pounds and my coach is dragging me into the sauna like and I'm like, I can't do it. And they're like, yes, you can. Okay, I can. But it is one of the toughest parts of fighting at least for me. It was always tough.

Randy Hulsey  38:49

Now you say that it's it can be disrespectful or fighters look at it as disrespectful in I'm gonna assume and I'm not a professional fighter by any stretch. But I have to assume that that's because you feel like they're not putting into the game they're not they're not working as hard as you're working to to make the weight to take the fight or, or that's kind of a cheesy way out of a fight. What's your take on that? Like if you if it if it's disrespectful to you if I'm if you and I are teed up to be a co main first show. And we're Welter, right and I come in and I weigh 175 And you're 171 I don't make weight. You find that a little disrespectful or what? Tell me what goes on in your mind with that, like what do you feel about me at that point in time?

John Kolosci  39:39

So there's multiple things you know, did I think on the lower level shows people just give up because they don't like how hard it is. But on the higher level shows. You have season strike forces and stuff. Those guys that don't make it. It's probably their prep, right? They just didn't prep right. And there couldn't be very legitimate excuses. Maybe they were sick the week before and just, you know lost the whole week on that. You know, mentally, physically everything and they couldn't do it, but you still do it. To me, it's, you know, it's part of the job. Your job is to make weight. And if you don't do it, it's disrespectful to your opponent who did make weight sure might have had the same challenges, but he still did it. You know, there are really no excuses even if they see us, quote unquote, legitimate right. And

Randy Hulsey  40:19

I'm sure that in I'm not Dana White, and I don't think for Dana White. But I have to think from from the President's seat, that when he brings 16 contestants into a show, and they don't make weight, that's certainly pisses him off, right? Because, look, you're one of 10 million people that would love to be on the show. And I bring you on, and you can't even do the most simple thing. And I shouldn't say simple, like, it's easy. But you have one prerequisite for sure. And that's to make weight to fight and if you don't, I could see where that would completely pissed him off, right? You're not coming back again. Right? This is your, this is your last hurrah. And who would not make Wait, you get that? You get that one shot to be on the largest stage for MMA, and you don't make white like that. Just horrible. To me. That's just horrible. And that's just coming from a non fighter. Now. You were fighting out of Portage, Indiana at the time. And for those that don't know, I believe that Northern Indiana is a hotbed for MMA. And there's been many maybe not many, but there's been quite a few fighters that were both UFC and W E. C vets that have come out of that area. Of course there as yourself. The ones that come to mind are Josh Shockley wasn't Josh in the UFC. Didn't he have some UFC time or did he get to that level? Or do you remember?

John Kolosci  41:56

I don't remember Jasper

Randy Hulsey  41:57

if it's okay, but But you had Eddie Wineland Of course, you had Miguel unhealed Taurus. I don't remember if he fought in the UFC fights but I know he was a WBC champion. Along with Eddie. I think Miguel had gone like 33 and Oh or so he had some stupid record like 33 and one or something crazy. And amazing. BJJ guy right black belt in BJJ. tough kid. Yeah. Out. I think he was from a Chicago. Correct. And then Edie was Chesterton at the time you were Portage. You also had Darren Elkins. Right. Oh, fine. Okay. And then

John Kolosci  42:35

Keith was your ski? Yes.

Randy Hulsey  42:37

When you trained under him for a while. Right. And what about John Fitch was from that area to I believe more than in the area? Yeah. And I and I guess one of the fighters that even put the US who I think put the UFC on the map the first fight ever, Griffin and Bonner right. I mean, those guys teed off on each other for 15 minutes. I think that was a three rounder, and they beat the shit out of each other. And the UFC went from you know, just no holds barred UFC no rules to this mega gang. Right? I mean, they literally I think, but they put the fights on the matters organs for Dana and I have

John Kolosci  43:21

to agree with you there. Yeah, yeah. 100% Chris lighter was out of Indiana as well. Okay. And there's probably a lot that I didn't name a ton with the guys I trained with where, you know, the first ones you mentioned, and then, you know, right over the border in Illinois, there's a lot of good fighters as Ron Gilbert brothers. You have Damien Joby Gilbert,

Randy Hulsey  43:40

they're in their big name and grappling. Right, Gilbert grappling. Right. I remember seeing a lot about them. So yeah, there's Neil Magny. That falls out of LA box. And I don't know if he's still training there or not, but that's a gym that will talk about this a little bit. But that that was a gem that you trained out of in Merrillville, right. Now, did you ever train with any of those guys are cross paths with a man and I know the answer is yes to that because I met Eddie Wineland through you guys, of course years ago, and I know that he's cornered some of your fights as well. Yep. Correct.

John Kolosci  44:11

And I've quartered his, our beginnings were Keith and Justin was new ski. And me and anyone who was just us for me and Eddie had no experience at all. Keith and Justin had experience and literally like our first six months of training was Keith and Justin picking us up throwing us against a wooden wall because it was a wooden gym with a wooden walls, slamming us on the ground and attacking us out like seven times in five minutes, right? Just like you gotta teach us anything. Yeah, don't get tapped out. Gradually, you'll figure it out. It was tough love, basically. Yeah. I think it made me and Eddie you know, as tough minded as we were because Keith and Justin were two of the toughest minded people I've ever known in MMA and just in life in general.

Randy Hulsey  44:56

Yeah. Well, Eddie was a WC champion before the UFC bought the WEC. I think that's how that went down but he was always a big name and WEC, him and cub Swanson I remember a lot of the names you know, back from those days. It sounds like there were some great places to train but you made your home at La boxing and Merrillville. Correct dip was that your home would you consider is there such thing as a home gym and MMA?

John Kolosci  45:24

I would say my home gym was more Gilbert grappling. Okay, la boxing. So there were like where we mixed like boxes where I trained most of my stand up and that's where I ran the gym. Gilbert Grambling is where my coaches were, and that's where I went to learn,

Randy Hulsey  45:38

okay, okay. And that gym, la boxing was owned by Paul and Daniel Vale, who I met through through you guys great people. And they're also the founders and promoters of the successful Hoosier Fight Club, which is still growing, still going strong today. And I believe it. If I last time I looked, it was like over 40 shows that they've done and I think all of them pretty much sell out. But they do really well with it one way or another, right? They're doing really

John Kolosci  46:09

well. And it's actually a great seed for the UFC as well. They've had guys come through there. They'll get a couple of UFC veterans on the show all the time to fight and a lot of times that win propels them back into the UFC. All Danielle are great promoters.

Randy Hulsey  46:24

Yeah, and how does that how does that work? Like you're a small gym, Midwest, you know, a city in the Midwest and the big stage? How does the big stage discover? You know, an Eddie Wineland or John Colossi? Or are Stephen Bonner in? You know, the cornfields of Indiana Right? Like, how does that happen? Like, do they have scouts that that are out looking for? up and comers are what? How does the system work? Like baseball, you know, there's always scouts looking at the lower levels trying to move them up to the big show, right? Is it kind of the same way with the UFC? Or is it something totally different?

John Kolosci  47:01

Exactly the same and there's levels of shows, right? There's a shows where nobody's paying attention, but it's great to have your first two or three fights there. Then you move up to maybe a little more regional show, and then maybe get on a show that's more statewide or something like that. And then it depends on who you're you're meeting in. In MMA who your who's your coach, who is your manager? Who did they know? Can they get you into this bigger regional show? Okay, and then maybe you make it till Bella tour, StrikeForce and then once you're there, of course, your name is well known and you could get into UFC but you don't even need to go through them. I think it just depends on who you're beating. And then who's talking you up Yeah, we're gonna managers and coaches but if you beat a couple of UFC veterans on a local regional show that helps Yeah, sure. Job or

Randy Hulsey  47:48

sales at the time right? Yeah, yeah, he left the UFC I believe I don't think he's around the UFC anymore but I could be wrong with that but he was the big promote not the promoter. What was fight fight? Maker fight Yeah, matchmaker, whatever, okay. Yeah. Now there was a fight that you had. I think it was at the steel yard and Gary, Indiana. And it was against Luigi fear. Avante, do you? I'm assuming you remember the fight and would you say that that was probably the big name fight for you along the way? I mean, I know you fought Arroyo right and he went on to have some success in the game but was Luigi a big fight for you? Because he this was a guy that was Was he I can't remember if he was UFC or if he was WBC. But he was one of the two but he was a better known fighter and a tougher guy from from those shows.

John Kolosci  48:43

He was he was definitely my biggest fight. Probably in my career. And it was one of the better wins, right? It was a left hook. Knock knock down and then the rear naked choke to follow that up. But yeah, that was one of my bigger wins. And that's my biggest one. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  48:59

And that's interesting. That you submitted a black belt in BJJ. Right? He was out you know, Oh, okay. So you you didn't have

John Kolosci  49:07

took knock them down. Okay, he was wobbly. Okay, I went for it. I got you. I'm going to talk a little show. So yeah.

Randy Hulsey  49:14

No, go ahead. This is your platform. I mean, if that's what you want the listeners the belief. I'll just go along with it because I wasn't in the fight. I wasn't at the fight. I've seen a few of your fights up in Indiana, had the the pleasure of being at some of them. I think one of them was the I think it was called the red white and blue and Lowell and it was butter bean was actually headlining that he was just getting at or maybe he had been in MMA for a while but for those that don't know Butterbean he was like, probably one of the better known boxers champions in the world and a really really big guy but had a knockout I mean, if he caught you with with that left hook, you know you were going down big time.

John Kolosci  49:55

That's great. It's interesting that you say that with a black belt and because with ghee versus no ghee it's a lot different. Yes. Much more than you would think. You know, if I roll with a black belt, where in the ghee, they're going to submit me 100 times 100 I've rolled with NUMBER Numerous black belts where it's no ghee and I do find it you know, I can hold I can hold now. Yeah, don't get me wrong like if you find a man at Sarah or somebody who's like the highest level of yeah, that fell on me. But yeah, when there's punches being thrown, it makes it a lot different

Randy Hulsey  50:25

Sure. And for those that are not familiar with BJJ, or Brazilian Jujitsu, that that Johnny and I are referring to as BJJ that's one of the four disciplines in MMA and there's, you know, in BJJ competitions, you can either go GI or no Gi. And in the GI is basically the suit, right, the white or black suit or blue suit or whatever, that that the that the contestant actually wears. And also for those that don't know, there's a lot of ways that that gi can be used against you in combat to you have cross collar chokes that they can they can take and take the color of that GI and choke you completely unconscious with which, which I'm sure John has been probably put in those compromising situations rolling before right are not aligned. And I remember my instructor, right, I've spent a little bit of time at a gym here in Houston. And he's like, okay, he was showing me the cross collar was one of the chokes that he was showing. He's like, you know, you just have to get I have to put you in the choke, to help you to understand one, how it works, and then what it feels like also, and I'm like, oh, okay, you know, I willingly accepted that. Like, you know, I wasn't going to be that guy that said, Oh, no, I'm scared. Don't Don't do that to me, right. I'm like, oh, yeah, go ahead. And oh, my God, I think my throat was sore for like, three weeks after that. Like, I think he gave my whole lyrics. Yeah, I got I got taught a valuable lesson that I should probably just stick to going and sitting behind a keyboard every day and not not have people bashed my face. And but that's, uh, that was a great win. With Luigi. I know. However, you submitted him submitting a black belt when you're probably what were you at the time? white or blue belt? I've never went above blue. Yeah, never really got into it. And that's, that's an all consideration. That's a low level in BJJ. Right? I mean, you have like three or four levels or five levels that separate a black belt from a white belt. And and there's a world of difference in the two that what white belt is almost like, you know, nothing. And you're fighting a guy that's trying. And in BJJ is not like karate, where you get promoted every three months, right? BJJ you might get a promotion every three or four years or something like it and correct me if I'm wrong. But it's not a quick promotion in BJJ to go from a white to a blue blue to a purple to a brown to a black right years. Yeah, years. And most of the guys that are blackbelt have been in that discipline for at least a decade. Right. Okay. When did John decide that it was time to give up the fight game? What What kind of led you to that? Like, um, you know, was it an age thing? I know everything is a young man's sport, right? Whether it's baseball or basketball or track or MMA? Was it an age thing for you? Was it a family thing for you? What got the wheels turning like, you know what? It's I, I've been here, I've got the t shirt. It's time to move on. Like I was that way with hockey. You were your you had the MMA career. Talk to me a little bit about that.

John Kolosci  53:42

Yes, a little bit of everything. There's there's multiple aspects to that. I would say the one thing that really pushed me was the two broken hands in my you know, to my last three fights, and it that takes a long time to heal, right, you're not fighting again for six to nine months. And then when I was 37 years old, I'm self aware. So I realized I was slower in the gym as well, there were guys that were getting the better of me that weren't, you know, even a year earlier. So I was slowing down. I was aware of that. But it was the age and you know, you're not making any money when you're not fighting for six to nine months at a time. And when you bite your hand a second time and going through all that rehab again and all back into it and you're 37 years old, and you already feel like you're getting slower and you hurt, you know, ever you wake up, you're hurt. Like, okay, it's time to it's time to move on

Randy Hulsey  54:30

and you don't heal as quick the older you get. And 37 is prehistoric in that sport. Right? I mean, what would you say? That's a fair inaccurate statement? I mean, it is a 2020 You know, what, 1718 year old to maybe 30 year old me, you know, maybe 30 I would think is but and that's like, again, that's like anything, you know, you have guys that whether it's hockey or baseball that play into their 40s and they're still competitive, but they're not what they were. Yeah, I mean the Roger Clemens' you know, they, he threw the ball until he was however old, right? And still, by all, you know, he could still strike guys out like me for sure. But was he is effective against the really good people in the major in the major leagues, right, they were probably knocking the cover off the ball with him at their some point in time, you just don't have the same advantage that you had, at one point in time as a young man. We'll switch gears a little bit. So you will go back to tech, you went from engineer to account manager? Would you say that it's the life of an account manager for a system integrator is harder than you ever imagined. Talk to me a little bit about that, like, what were your expectations? Because I'll tell you mine. My mindset was probably a little bit of an arrogant mindset where if I can implement these solutions, I mean, who couldn't sell themselves cells as these until I got into sales? And then I learned real quick that I was very wrong about that. So would you say that for yourself? Is it easier, or harder transition than then you had made up in your mind of what it would be like?

John Kolosci  56:15

I would say it's slightly harder only because I didn't jump in. You know, I didn't just say, I didn't just say one day, I'm gonna move over to account manager side and just do it. I was on the pre sales solution architecture side, where I was able to watch salespeople for, I mean, I did this for five years, it was probably a little too long a Jag but not too long. But did I know what it was? Like, once you're in there? And, you know, I think you alluded to it earlier, you're basically running your own business now. Correct. So every single opportunity you have, there's probably five or six people that are involved in it. And I'm in charge of all five or six salespeople to make sure they're doing exactly what the orchestration is trading at. Yeah. And then you might have 10 different opportunities, and all 10 of them have five or six different people. And a lot of them overlap, but yourself trying to keep track of it. So in that sense, quarter, we know that we talked about quarterbacking, yes, it is a lot more work and a lot a lot harder than I probably had anticipated. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  57:12

I think there's all different kinds of expectations I had, I remember moving into sales and just beating the phones up from 7am to 7pm. Like, you know, it's just it wasn't an I put in my time, you know, and I also believe that over time, as you build trust, and you build relationships, and people know you as an ATM, and you have those trusting customers that eases up. And I can always remember early on making all of those calls, my boss used to say, You got to dial for dollars, you got to dial for dollars. And I'm like, Yeah, I get it, I get it, I get it. And I said, Man, but it would be so nice if my phone just rang or one time, just one time, I don't even care who it was, I just want that phone to ring because I've made so many outbound calls, I won't want to come in. And I can still remember my first call coming in the customer. I'm still working with him today. 20. Some are 15 1617 years later, but you just say I wish the rolls would reverse right? And somebody would just need something from me for change. Instead of me needing something from everybody else. What three technologies? Would you say you personally see, or have talked about most now you're you're early on in the am game? Is there three technologies or manufacturers that stick out in your mind that you're talking about the most today? Or just the opportunities that you've come up with? It's not necessarily I like these better than others? It's just like, I have more of these than those like, is there two or three that come to mind?

John Kolosci  58:49

Yeah, it's hard to say a manufacturer because we're on the solution side, so more agnostic to the manufacturer, stick to the manufacturer. We sell tons of Cisco, VMware, you know, pure EMC, all those things. But to me, it's more holistic in our field. It's digital transformation, right? Everybody's trying to digitize their workloads, digitize their employees digitize everything they're doing internally automation, Software Defined everything. So I think that's where everything's moving. And then what do you use for that digital transformation? Well, there's going to be some public cloud. So AWS, Google Azure, there's going to be some on prem infrastructure, with software defined stuff like hyper converged infrastructure is for you taxes, Dells, VX, rail, things like that, VMware, virtualization of your compute infrastructure. And then of course, all the AI and ML and RPA. That's really popular now. Yes, robotic process automation, automating all of your processes internally. And basically what you're trying to do is get your employees away from the minutia the day to day, get them working on higher level projects, and then automating all the easier stuff, but that seems to be where where I see See the most of my talk tracks growing? Yeah, transformation?

Randy Hulsey  1:00:04

Well, you speak, you speak really well about that. And of course, you're, you're fresh out attack out of the consulting side, the engineering side. And I'll have to say, once you get out of it, as long as I have been out of it, you, you lose a lot of that. But part of me doesn't want to, I shouldn't say that. It's not that I don't want to remember it anymore. I've just learned that I don't have to know it. And you learn to leverage the smart people that can talk about that. But it was very hard for me as an engineer, to relinquish that to somebody else. And I'm sure I speak for you as well. You go out on an appointment with an a new customer or a new prospect. You want to talk subnet mask, you want to talk about, you know, ICA protocols, you want to talk about all these tech things, because you're very comfortable doing that. But as time goes by, where you're not turning the wrenches in the data center, you become more conceptual like, Okay, I know conceptually how they tied together, but I don't know how to implement them anymore, because the technology changes so fast. So I had to learn over time that Brandi, you have to let those people do their jobs. And you talked about it earlier. That's the it's the quarterbacking thing. You say I need you five people to go downfield. And I'm going to drop back and I'm going to throw the ball to one of you, you're going to catch it and we're going to take it into the endzone, ie close the deal, right. And that's all you are is a glorified quarterback getting the right people on the field to go out and move the ball down the field. So I can remember conversations with John Colossi early on about what I think some of the exact comments because I don't I don't forget things. A lot of the well I forget things that Terry tells me to do. But there's other things that just kind of resignate in my brain and never go away. But I can remember, at one point in time, John Colossi said, God, golf is such a stupid sport. What idiot would hit a white ball like seven miles and chase it until they put it in a hole? Like what idiot would ever play that? So last time I was up in Indiana, John said, Hey, what do you want to do today on my I don't know, what do you want to do? He's like, let's go play golf. What is going on with this guy? Like this is not the same guy I knew like three years ago. So you took up golf because every sales guy has the golf right. So you have to spend some time with customers on the golf course. And it's all about building relation relationships, of course. But talk to me about your perception of golf now. Like as a sport like Dee Dee like it? Are you getting better? How much do you play that kind of thing? Okay, yeah, I

John Kolosci  1:02:49

think it's just like any sport, right? You look at badminton and think ah, who to help play bad. Then if you got in there and started getting Oh, you like, wow. So, you know, I probably thought the same thing about golf. And you always meet the golf do shoes, right? You know, just those guys that annoy you and they almost make you hate the sport. Yes. Or golf? Golf. Everything's a

Randy Hulsey  1:03:11

golf, or they're wearing something stupid or whatever. Yeah.

John Kolosci  1:03:14

I don't care about your pink polo dude. Oh, you're awesome. So maybe that should kind of annoyed me over the years. Sure. And you know, once you start playing, you realize how difficult it is. And the competitive sure niche in you is like, Oh, my goodness, I gotta figure out how to drive man. Oh, my goodness, I can't believe I can't make that little seven foot putt What the hell. So now, you know, I got the club, you know, I got the job that requires me to be a little bit better and not embarrass myself on the course. And I'm probably my biggest critic. Anyway, I want to do. So I get out and drive as much as I can. I got a golf course in the backyard. So I mean, the kids will sneak out there after hours and maybe hit some hit some balls as well. Sure. I'm loving the sport, and it's a great news probably feeds my competitive urge that maybe I'm missing now.

Randy Hulsey  1:03:59

Yeah. And you don't have to be a big physical guy to be a great golfer. And certainly when you watch golf on TV, a lot of people say Oh, god, that's the most boring sport in the world to watch on TV. But you really don't know how good those guys are until you've played side by side with guys of that caliber. I can remember. The first guest on my show, Paul Paul Hartwell his cousin Trey Tyner was he played at the University of Houston with two of the greats Billy Ray Brown and Steve Elkington. They were NCAA champions. Dre went through Q school got his card to play on the PGA tour played a number of years on the PGA Tour. And I can remember one weekend we went out to Pinewood, which was Trey Turner's home course up in the Beaumont, Texas area. And it was Brian litski, Bruce litski, his brother and Trey and we play with like nine or 10 people pulled the course was wide open. And we were just playing and just to see these guys hit the ball was like, and they work it any way they want, you know, three, three feet to the left, you know, high and landed saw. It's like wow, I mean people like you and I are like, I mean I do pretty good at golf. But I mean, these guys know how to play the game and they can make that ball, do whatever they want it to do. And it's amazing. When you get right up against those guys, whether they're MMA guys or baseball guys or whatever, you don't understand how damn good they are. Hockey players in skates. Unbelievable. Like who can do that on a quarter inch blade of steel? You know, it's just, it's amazing. And it puts it in perspective. You know, real quick, like, this is not as easy is, you know, it seems like a dumb game, blah, blah. And you get out there, like, wow, yeah, it's just a whole different perspective, right? Yeah, a lot of fun. Going on nice days, you can hang out with a friend you can hang out and just have casual conversation you and I played up in Indiana, and it was there was nothing competitive about that other than just getting out and spending some time together. And that's sometimes that's the most enjoyable it doesn't have to be a competition. Just getting out in the nice weather and enjoying the undulation of the fairways and the greens and quiet time is, you know, cool in and of itself. Yeah, like

John Kolosci  1:06:18

the aesthetic. Nobody thinks about that. Just walk into a course and how beautiful it is. Yes, rolling hills and lakes and Sanford you know, everything is yeah,

Randy Hulsey  1:06:27

it's all part of it. For sure. Now you have two young sons now. And they keep you busy these days. You and Kathy both, I'm sure you're going in a million. Well, maybe not a million directions yet. But that that's to come. Yep. For sure. What keeps you guys busy with with the boys right now. Um, any sports, anything going on with the boys that kind of tie up the time, right?

John Kolosci  1:06:49

They're just turned four and five in January. So they're into the sports, we are part of the why. So they go to the YMCA for preschool. And then of course, there's sports for that for that age. So Coach, me and my wife are coaching as soon as soccer. My five year old loves them most basketball my four year old loves the most. They play T ball as well. So those three sports so far. It's so fun to watch, especially the when they're competitive at that age and yep, you know, you're not really keeping score at that age. Doesn't even make sense. Half of them are running off to the other court or running her mom in between a play. I need water. Okay, yes. So so water. It's like herding cats, but it is fun. It is it is fun to watch the ones that are actually competitive. You know, she's like, 20% I'm gonna Yes, but my five year old is Uber competitive can't lose anything. Yeah. And you know, the more you're like, Oh, you cheated.

Randy Hulsey  1:07:52

Well, and you could tell you could tell that he's competitive. When you compared him to the PN and I was up in Indiana, I guess it was in October timeframe of last year. If I remember correctly, I'm horrible with dates. But he was playing soccer for the y and I think he had scored two or three goals or whatever. But you could always tell the kids that are just a notch above the other day I call them Daisy pickers. The ones that just stand in the field and just like twirl around and

John Kolosci  1:08:19

Mary had a nine GO game once I was at nine so and he was going for his 10th and shoe fell off. And he still talks about it this fall off. It's my

Randy Hulsey  1:08:30

fault because I didn't tie Yeah, in the score was probably like 10 to nothing too. So he scored all the goals that were even made in the game. My oldest son Brandon was much like that early on with hockey because I had him in skates at such a young age like it two and a half. We were in skates. So by the time he was playing competitive hockey at five, there wasn't a kid that can come within, you know, a moon shot of staying up with him on the skates and that's all real. I think hockey players might tell you something different. But that's, that's 7050 versus 50% of the game right there. You got to be able to skate to be effective, right? It's a prerequisite. It's like running track you got to be fast before you can even say I'm a track guy. There were kids that were just standing out there wobbling on the skates and Brandon was just going into and just like just lighten the lap every time and it was not uncommon for him to have eight and nine goal games and it got to the point where I'd either have to bench him which I didn't want to do because he wants to play too but but then you don't want the parents you know like God that palsy kid you know all hating on the like it's not I mean he's not doing anything wrong playing the game. But you try to back them off a little bit okay Brandon dropped back on defense now like you're not going to score as much you just hook other players up with the past and let them try to score whatever but but I see a lot of Brandon in in in JJ right like that competitive and goals is not enough there has to be one more right so even like throwing

John Kolosci  1:10:03

the paper towel under garbage can if he misses he you know he'll keep shooting. It'll keep moving further back so it's harder but he still got to make

Randy Hulsey  1:10:15

it. Yes. Well, it's funny that you tell that story because I don't remember what restaurant we were eating at the other yesterday or day before yesterday and we were all in the restroom together and they were shooting the the napper the hand towels that they were washing their hands with at the damn hole in the sink for the garbage and it's like they stayed in there an extra 10 minutes because they were making the shot so

John Kolosci  1:10:44

JJ even racist P he'll like run into the bathroom. Yeah, who could go fastest? It's not a competition.

Randy Hulsey  1:10:53

Right? Exactly. Okay, so let's do this. I'm going to hit you with some what I call them quick fire questions. It's like one answer, right? We won't even elaborate on these. How many years did you fight? 10. Favorite submission? sidearm choke, favorite discipline? Wrestling? memorable fight performance?

John Kolosci  1:11:17

If you're ready. Oh, that one and Gator roll to the side arm choke. But with that Butterbean wins we're talking about Yeah, yeah. But but the win itself Luigi?

Randy Hulsey  1:11:26

Favorite MMA fighter?

John Kolosci  1:11:29

That's a tough one. Probably Randy Kucera Matt lumen and those two. I love watching those guys by night. I heard stories about their wrestling and their Greco how sick they were. Yeah, those two.

Randy Hulsey  1:11:43

I'm trying to remember who the was it. Who was the professional boxer that couture fault was at Tony was talking all that mad shit about you know, I'm a professional boxer. I'll get in there and annihilate Randy Couture. And then so they they set that fight up. There was a UFC event. I don't remember that. Yeah. And this guy was a world champion boxer. Right. I think it was I think it was Andrew. Maybe I have the name wrong. But I think the last name was Tony. I'll have to look it up. But you guys can Google it. It's out on Google. But yeah, there was all it was all kinds of it was kind of like the Mayweather and Conor McGregor. You know, it's all kinds of shit talking that, you know, a boxer couldn't hold a match to a guy in the ring. Right? Come on, you know, and and so they Silva teed this fight up, I think it was Joe silver from the UFC. And it was interesting, because I don't think that Tony threw or landed either even one punch on couture because Randy took him down and ground and pounded the shit out of him. And then I think ultimately submitted him and he had actually tapped twice. If I remember the fight correctly, he tapped once in the whoever was rough in the fight didn't catch it. It might have been a verbal tap. But so we basically wound up tapping twice in that fight. But the boxer didn't even throw a punch. So that that puts it in perspective right there like these guys are, you know, they're coming at you with a lot of they're, they're not one dimensional, right? They're all very multi dimensional fighters.

John Kolosci  1:13:22

And a you know, I've always had the wrestling background with the wrestling gym. So of course, I'm like Linlin and cutter, but if you're talking about all around best fighter who I think the greatest fighter, I'd say GSP

Randy Hulsey  1:13:33

St. Pierre George St. Pierre. Yeah. Canadian fighter, right? Yeah. Definitely. A great place

John Kolosci  1:13:40

guys. No matter who he is fighting, he would figure out the weakness and be good at that thing by time if I came. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  1:13:45

And I think he was a disciple of the sport and very much he was kind of the Wayne Gretzky to me of MMA. He was always a gentleman and he was not really a shit talker. Like a lot of the fighters are he was just he was he always seemed to be humble, a humble guy for him, and I don't hang out with him. And I don't know him personally. But he always seemed to be respectful of the other fighters and never talk, you know, mess about them. And he just got in there and did his business any any letters, his art and skills back his mouth? For sure. Yeah,

John Kolosci  1:14:18

he didn't have to be rambunctious to create a correct following. Yes,

Randy Hulsey  1:14:22

but watch him exactly your favorite music. Favorite music?

John Kolosci  1:14:27

Well, I got quite a few. Here's my workout in the morning. I start with wrapped warm up. I moved to death metal to workout and then I moved to classical I Bach. I like classical era classical. For my cooldown. That's pretty eclectic.

Randy Hulsey  1:14:45

My morning ride is three different genres but Classic Rock is probably my go to Okay. Yep. Yeah, there's nothing like some Celtic Frost or some seven dusts to get your morning going at eight o'clock. How about uh, can you think of a favorite song? Like, is there a song in your head? I have to tie this podcast back to music a little bit. But everybody loves music to some degree, right? And I don't know if there was a song that ever did it for you that sticks out in your head. That's Oh, that's my favorite song.

John Kolosci  1:15:16

Well, I have to pick one like that I really want to listen to about Master puppets by Metallica, Metallica

Randy Hulsey  1:15:22

here. Yeah. Metallica is probably one of the more popular melodic metal bands that's been on the scene. I got into them. I think it was Ride the Lightning album. And they just kept going up and up and up from there. Like always had good songs they were while they were heavy. They were still melodic, you could understand what they were saying. It wasn't like that kind of thing. Right? It wasn't like Satan was coming through the microphone or anything. You could actually okay, I could listen to this.

John Kolosci  1:15:55

And I always appreciated that they would try new things, even if their fan base writing them shit and call them sellouts and things like that there's or whatever, you know, I want to try something.

Randy Hulsey  1:16:05

Is it paying the bills? Or is it not paying the bills, call me what you want. It doesn't matter. You're always gonna have haters. It doesn't matter if you're the best in the world at what you do. There's always going to be one person that thinks you suck or doesn't like your style. And it's it's hard you know, being a musician or fighter or whatever. You want to please everybody you want to you want to be liked by everybody. I think that's our humaneness. But the fact of the matter is, not everybody does. And it just it doesn't it doesn't mean shit. You know, at the end of the day, it doesn't change you of how you train, or how many songs you learn or how good you do you just go out and enjoy yourself and enjoy life I think is really what it boils down to. Are you happy doing what you do? And if the answer is yes, doesn't matter what other people think this on a might is kind of the mindset, favorite vacation spot.

John Kolosci  1:16:53

favorite vacation spot? You mean a vacation that I've been on or where I'd like to go or

Randy Hulsey  1:16:59

either either or Okay, places you've been places you want to go.

John Kolosci  1:17:03

One of the funnest was Cabo me and my wife just had a excellent time they caught a blue marlin. She caught a she's gonna count Oh, roosterfish Yeah, you know, it's funny. We went on this charter. And we missed the morning one. So we had to do the afternoon one, we were all pissed off, because you're not going to catch anything in the afternoon. The morning one came in, they caught nothing. And we went out there and caught you know, all over everything. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. And then we met some cool people that ended up being friends for you know, to this day, we still text and call it was just one of those good shows where everything went right. And there was really no,

Randy Hulsey  1:17:36

that's awesome. Yeah. So you do that one again? If you could, right. Yeah, I don't know.

John Kolosci  1:17:41

Cuz you might. It might be it might be hard to replicate now. Right. Sure. But now you go again. And it's not it's not Yeah, exactly. But it was a great area. Not that I wouldn't do it again. But there's a million places to visit in this

Randy Hulsey  1:17:53

world. Yeah. Well, Johnny, I appreciate you taking the time out the last three days here in Houston with you and the family and Dennis Danny and Diana has, it's always a treat to us to have you guys in town. I know that travel is a little less these days, because you have young ones that you didn't have, you know, five years ago. But you know, will will reciprocate the trip and come back your way soon. So again, thanks for sharing your story. I think a lot of the listeners even though it isn't along the music lines, which is what this podcast was really designed for. I think that venturing off the beaten path some time is is sometimes fun, and I wanted to be able to hear your story. And have you shared because I have a lot of friends locally here that personally know you as well. Just like when I go up to your place. I have probably just as many friends up in Indiana, as I do here in Houston. So great to see you guys. Thanks for hanging out with me. Yeah, my pleasure. And you can always find the Show on Facebook at backstage pass radio. can find us on Instagram at backstage pass radio on Twitter at backstage pass PC. And then you can find us on the official website at backstage pass. radio.com Thank you again for joining me, Johnny. And you guys make sure to take care of each other and yourselves and we look forward to having you right back here on backstage pass radio.

Adam Gordon  1:19:19

Thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoy today's episode of backstage pass radio. Make sure to follow Randy on Facebook and Instagram at Randy Hulsey music and on Twitter at our Halsey music. Also make sure to like, subscribe and turn on alerts for upcoming podcasts. If you enjoyed the podcast, make sure to share the link with a friend and tell them backstage pass radio is the best show on the web for everything music. We'll see you next time right here on backstage pass radio