The Future of the UFC: Andy Stumpf & UFC Matchmaker Mick Maynard

On this bonus episode of Change Agents, Andy heads to Austin to sit down with Archery Country owner Tyler Vanderkolk. Tyler shares his unconventional path from scrappy entrepreneur to building a thriving archery business, plus how the sport has influenced figures like Joe Rogan and Cam Hanes—and why it’s changing more lives than people realize. Change Agents is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (02:10) Acquiring Archery Country & Scaling the Business (04:15) The Goat Trade: How Tyler Ended Up in a Mexican Jail (11:31) The Art of Taxidermy: From Side Hobby to Studio (13:45) Exotic Species & Year-Round Hunting in Texas (18:20) Inside Archery Country: Making the Sport Approachable (21:00) Conservation & The Ethics of Hunting (25:25) The Tuning Room: High-Performance Equipment Setup (30:13) Partnering with Joe Rogan: Building a Safe Space (35:43) Archery as Life Change: Getting Kids Off Screens Sponsors: FIRECRACKER FARM Enter the Firecracker Farms Hot Salts Giveaway from April 20-24, for a chance to win an Ammo Can Hot Salt Kit + handcrafted Walnut Holder: ⁠⁠https://app.viralsweep.com/sweeps/full/2c256c-225272?framed=1⁠ Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=ironclad&utm_campaign=ironclad Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/change-agents-with-andy-stumpf/id1677415740 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3SKmtN55V2AGbzHDo34DHI?si=5aefbba9abc844ed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Andy welcomes back conservationist Paul Rosolie to discuss the "Wild West" reality of the modern Amazon. Paul reveals how organized crime and narco-traffickers have invaded the deep jungle, threatening uncontacted tribes and placing a WhatsApp hit on his life. They discuss the "lethal blow" of the Trans-Amazonian Highway and Paul’s new book, Junglekeeper—a 20-year odyssey of a man standing in the breach against the dark forces destroying our planet’s most vital ecosystem. To purchase Paul's book, visit: https://www.junglekeepers.org/store/items/junglekeeper-the-book Change Agents is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:30) The Battle with Amazon Organized Crime (07:00) Writing Jungle Keeper: 20 Years in the Rainforest (10:30) Standing in the Breach: If You Want it Done, Do it Yourself (21:10) The Trans-Amazonian Highway: A Lethal Blow to Nature (27:00) Why Narco-Traffickers are Moving into the Deep Jungle (41:50) Training Lex Fridman: 25 Miles of Battle (51:30) The End Game: Protecting the Amazon’s Last Tribes Sponsors: FIRECRACKER FARM Enter the Firecracker Farms Hot Salts Giveaway from April 20-24, for a chance to win an Ammo Can Hot Salt Kit + handcrafted Walnut Holder: ⁠https://app.viralsweep.com/sweeps/full/2c256c-225272?framed=1 Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=ironclad&utm_campaign=ironclad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mick Maynard is UFC's Senior Vice President of Talent Relations and matchmaker. He is also the founder of Lions Youth Foundation, a group dedicated to bringing Jiu-Jitsu to schools and communities. In this episode of Change Agents, he and Andy talk about the state of the UFC, its growth, and why believes that training kids in BJJ could change the world. NOTE: This interview was recorded prior to UFC’s debut on Paramount+ Chapters (00:47) Becoming UFC’s Matchmaker (02:27) What Makes for a Good Fight (04:55) What People Get Wrong About UFC (10:06) Misconceptions about the Business of MMA (25:03) Why Schools Need to Teach BJJ (30:11) Learning to Lose (33:30) Working with Renzo Gracie Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=ironclad&utm_campaign=ironclad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Andy sits down with counterterrorism expert Mubin Shaikh to discuss his transition from a radicalized youth who encountered the Taliban to an undercover operative for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). The conversation explores Mubin’s role in thwarting the "Toronto 18" terrorism plot, the psychological drivers that lead individuals toward extremism, and the current global threat landscape. Mubin also provides a detailed look at the mechanics of domestic terror cells and offers practical advice on situational awareness and community resilience in the modern world. Change Agents is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction: The Encounter with the Taliban (05:30) The Identity Crisis: From Public School to Radicalization (12:15) The Utility of Extremism: Taking the Paycheck, Hating the West (15:45) The Turning Point: How 9/11 Shattered the Narrative (21:20) Deep Cover: Moving to Syria to Study the "Sith" (27:30) Recruited: Working Undercover for Intelligence Services (33:50) The Toronto 18: Infiltrating the Banquet Hall Meeting (40:00) Tactical Discovery: "Cop Killer" Rounds and Training Camps (45:30) The Northern Border: The New Springboard for Terror (52:00) 2026 Threat Assessment: AI Recruitment and Digital Rabbit Holes (58:30) - Sleeper Cells: How Embedded Actors Operate Under the Radar Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=ironclad&utm_campaign=ironclad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Luigi Vendittelli is the director of the upcoming documentary "S4: The Bob Lazar Story", a figure he calls, "the original UFO whistleblower." Change Agents is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: 01:15 - Meeting Bob Lazar 10:33 - Why UFO Interest Has Gone Mainstream 17:22 - Is S4” Real? 23:17 - The Best Evidence of UFOs 42:12 - Addressing Holes in Bob Lazar’s Story 47:18 - Why Is the Government Covering Up What They Know 54:50 - Is It Possible to Reverse Engineer UFOs? Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=ironclad&utm_campaign=ironclad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest today is a former CIA official who is believed to be a victim of a direct energy weapon attack after experiencing what is known as “Havana Syndrome". Newly revealed evidence suggests that he and others were in fact, targeted by an exotic new kind of microwave weapon – and the CIA has tried to cover it up. Marc Polymeropoulos retired from the Senior Intelligence Service ranks in 2019 after 26 years in the Intelligence Community, including operational field and leadership assignments.Change Agents is an IRONCLAD OriginalChapters(01:17) Marc’s career at the CIA and the war in Iraq(10:37) Questions about why we go to war(18:16) Havana Syndrome Marc being targeted by a direct energy weapon(23:05) The CIA’s harsh treatment of Havana Syndrome  victims(27:15) The CIA covering up Direct Energy weapon technology (38:09) Can the CIA be forced to admit these weapons are real(45:01)The lack of government transparency and exposing government overreach (52:14) How many direct energy weapons exist Sponsors: Firecracker FarmUse code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide.Norwood Sawmills:Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=ironclad&utm_campaign=ironclad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Dalby is a journalist and an expert in transnational organized crime. He’s also the director of the “World of Crime” think tank and a Senior Analyst for Dyami Security Intelligence. Today on Change Agents, he joins Andy Stumpf to discuss the Shield of the Americas operation, and how U.S. Special Forces plan to stop the violent Los Lobos gang from taking over more of Ecuador.    Change Agents is an IRONCLAD Original  (00:00) Preview & Guest Intro: Chris Dalby (01:06) US Military Operations in Ecuador (03:38) How Ecuador Became a Narco Dream Destination (06:58) Deep Dive: The Rise of Los Lobos (14:17) Why 70% of the World's Cocaine Flows Through Ecuador (18:25) Analyzing the "Shield of the Americas" Doctrine (25:38) US Surveillance: AI, Radar, and GPS Spoofing (31:12) The "Red Line": US Military Raids into Mexico? (41:26) High-Tech Smuggling: Remote Subs & Liquid Coke (47:20) Why Seizures Won't Solve the Drug Crisis (50:57) Final Thoughts: The Human Cost Sponsors:  Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ GHOSTBED:  Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Change Agents, Andy Stumpf talks with Matthew Thomas about cartel operations in Arizona, how cartels recruit members in the U.S., the brutality of cartel operations and more. Matthew Thomas is a retired Chief Deputy at the Pinal County Sheriff's Office in Arizona, where he led the regional SWAT team for 18 years. He frequently went undercover during anti-cartel operations. He is the author of “Interceptors: The Untold Fight Against the Mexican Cartels.” Chapters: (01:29) The Operation to Take Out El Mencho (06:37) Pinal County’s Role in the Cartel Wars (12:02) The State of Border Security (16:43) Tunnel Systems Run by Cartels (22:38) Going Undercover to Fight Cartels (32:37) U.S. Citizens Working for Cartels (36:06) Sicario vs. Rip Team Battles (47:41) Cartel Members Getting Military Training (52:06) Cartel Human Trafficking Operations Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, Andy travels to Austin to visit with Ways2Well founder Brigham Buhler at his Longevity Lab lab to discuss the search for the genetics secrets to eliminating chronic disease and how some species seem to live forever. They dig into why how the field is practiced today often leave patients without real answers, and why Buhler believes a more preventative, patient-focused approach could change that. Change Agents is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Intro (02:08) Redesigning the Clinic: Making Healthcare Fun (07:10) How Insurance & PBMs Broke the Medical System (14:42) Big Pharma’s War on Compounding & Telemedicine (18:22) Why Your Doctor Is Trapped in a Broken System (21:18) Ways2Well Tour: 80s Nostalgia & UV Murals (30:52) The Opioid Crisis & Brigham’s Origin Story (38:25) Fighting the FDA & The Illusion of Surgical Safety (43:47) What Are Peptides & Why Pharma Wants Them (48:22) ALLEN: The Ways2Well AI Health Assistant (52:14) Debunking Medical Myths: Testosterone & HRT (58:16) Wearables & The Future of Proactive Health (01:10:57) Inside the Lab: Stem Cells, Red Light, & Hyperbaric Oxygen (01:17:48) Next-Level Detox: Blood Filtration (IBU) & Ozone Saunas (01:20:25) Gene Editing & The Future of Human Evolution Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/change-agents-with-andy-stumpf/id1677415740 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3SKmtN55V2AGbzHDo34DHI?si=5aefbba9abc844ed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, Andy sits down with Jonathan Pullen, Assistant Chief of Operations for the South Central Region of the DEA. They discuss the logistics of the modern drug trade, the international supply chain of fentanyl precursor chemicals, and cartel operations along both the northern and southern U.S. borders. Chapters: (00:00) Cold Open & Introduction  (01:16) What is the DEA's True Role? (03:05) China's Involvement in the Fentanyl Crisis (08:15) Smuggling Rings Beyond the Major Cartels  (11:31) The Northern Border Threat & Montana Pipelines  (17:02) How Drugs Move Across the U.S. (The Denver Hub)  (20:32) Cartel Smuggling Tactics & Forced Labor  (24:43) Money Laundering: Cash, Crypto, & MSBs  (29:07) The Epidemic on Native American Reservations  (34:59) Why Fentanyl is Deadlier Than Previous Drug Crises  (42:05)  Raiding an Underground TdA Nightclub in Denver  (50:49)  The DEA's Biggest Hurdle Right Now  (55:03)  A Final Warning to Parents Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices