John Alessio - Fighting in the 90s | MMA History Podcast

Join hosts Mike Davis and Joey Venti on the MMA History Podcast for Episode #323 with John "The Natural" Alessio. The former UFC Welterweight title challenger, 50-fight veteran, and Canadian MMA pioneer discusses his remarkable career from outlaw shows in British Columbia to the bright lights of the UFC, PRIDE, King of the Cage, Pancrase, and Super Brawl.Alessio turned pro as a teenager after spotting a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu bumper sticker at a gas station. He shares wild early stories, including no-rules biker-backed events in a Sikh temple (with mid-fight police interventions and headbutts allowed), mismatched weight bouts in Japan, altitude struggles in tournaments, training at the Shark Tank with Ken Shamrock and legends like Pete Williams, and his UFC title shot against Pat Miletich at UFC 26 at age 20, making him the youngest fighter ever to compete for a UFC championship.Now a veteran with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on the FBI fugitive apprehension task force, Alessio also talks police jiu-jitsu training, life after fighting, and the raw, unregulated era of the sport he helped build. Packed with OG tales of Jason Height, Eddie Millis, John Peretti, Stefan Patry, Shawn Tompkins, and more.If you love early MMA history, Canadian pioneers, and unfiltered fighter stories, this is essential listening.Subscribe for more interviews and deep dives preserving mixed martial arts history.0:00 MMA history podcast intro 0:32 Joey Venti’s guest introduction 0:54 interview start 0:57 current life/ career 3:49 50 fight club members from Canada 4:33 training accident with Javier Vasquez 6:45 Jason Heit9:11 beginnings in MMA10:34 Bikers supporting early MMA in Canada15:06 Ultimate Battle 4 man tournament 16:38 Adam Ryan 17:29 John Alessio vs David Harris19:33 Extreme Challenge 4 man tournament 23:39 dealings with Bill Mahood24:21 Kalib Starnes vs Nate Quarry 26:29 connection to Pancrase27:06 meeting Phyllis Lee 27:27 meeting Eddy Millis in Japan 28:04 John Alessio vs Kosei Kubota30:51 quitting Job to be a full time fighter 32:37 early support from friends 33:29 John Alessio vs Jason Meaders34:23 never turning down any fights 37:52 John Alessio vs Egan Inoue41:42 John Alessio vs Jay R Palmer43:14 John Alessio vs John Chrisostomo43:39 partying with the Lions Den 46:42 Lions Den initiation 49:03 John Alessio vs Pat Miletich52:40 UFC not acknowledging John Perretti 55:32 parents trusting fight career 58:14 arm barred by Pat Miletich 59:35 John Alessio vs Joe Doerkson1:00:34 getting cut from the UFC after title fight 1:03:29 Andy Anderson story after UFC event 1:08:34 declining involvement with the Bikers1:12:52 cancelled bout with Yves Edwards1:15:24 John Alessio vs Thomas Deny1:16:44 starting bad seed incorporated 1:17:59 dealings with Bobby Hoffman 1:19:07 Aaron Brink story 1:20:56 Bobby Hoffman story 1:24:40 fighting in the early MMA era 1:27:46 training camps with Billy Rush 1:28:53 Jeremy Horn not self promoting 1:31:08 John Alessio vs Sean Pierson1:31:37 interactions with Stephan Patry1:33:01 John Alessio vs Jason Black1:37:00 head kick KO to Sean Pierson 1:38:59 becoming a well rounded fighter 1:40:21 developing jiu jitsu with Javier Vasquez 1:41:17 interactions with Rafiel Torre1:42:58 John Alessio vs Chris Brennan 1:46:52 John Alessio vs Eiji Mitsuoka1:49:16 John Alessio vs Jason Black1:50:40 John Alessio vs Jason Black1:51:56 training with Karo parisyan1:52:57 John Alessio vs Ronald Jhun1:55:25 John Alessio vs Jonathon Goulet1:57:46 coached by Shawn Tompkins2:01:10 partying with Bas Rutten 2:01:40 John Alessio vs Shannon Ritch2:02:50 training with Dan Henderson and Matt Lindland 2:04:12 interview wrap up 2:05:23 cancelled bout with Joey Villasenior2:08:02 cancelled bout with Nick Diaz 2:10:56 outro/ closing thoughts#MMAHistory #JohnAlessio #UFC #EarlyMMA