Dan Lambert built American Top Team because he loved mixed martial arts. Keeping it going eventually required him to think like the owner of a professional sports team.
Dan joins Jay Hicks and Gary DeFranco to talk about the gym's growth, the fighters who shaped it, and his move into professional wrestling. Stories shared with visiting wrestlers helped open a door into a world where athletic punishment and theatrical storytelling meet.
The conversation gets into the personalities behind the performances, why audiences connect with certain characters, and what MMA and wrestling fans see in each other's sports. Dan also explains how his other businesses helped fund the gym and why passion alone could only take its operations so far.
What We Explore
* Building American Top Team around a love of MMA
* The business demands of running a professional fight gym
* How Dan found his way into wrestling
* Character, personality, and connecting with an audience
* The physical toll behind wrestling's theatrics
* The fighters and wrestlers who thrive in chaos
About Dan Lambert
Dan Lambert is the owner of American Top Team. This conversation explores his experience building the MMA gym and stepping into professional wrestling, including AEW.
The Tragedy Academy
Candid conversations exploring the human experience through tragedy and triumph.
Hosted by Jay Hicks and Gary DeFranco.
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