1-on-1 with DP – 93.7 The Ticket KNTK - Nebraska Wrestler & National Champ AJ Ferrari - November 5th, 2025

Episode Date: November 6, 2025

Nebraska Wrestler & National Champ AJ Ferrari - November 5th, 2025Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's time to go one-on-one with D.P. Coming at you live from the heart of Lincoln America, a 93-7-a-ticket and the ticketfm.com. Here is your host, Derek Pearson, brought to by Canopy Street Market. Late night, wrestling week, boom. Ah, can you feel it? It's almost that time. we've been building up to this season, this group of young Huskers, this group of warriors.

And Friday, Friday night, we're two sleeps. We're two sleeps away. We welcome you in. You can be a part of what we're doing, and you want to be 402, 464, 5685 is the Sartar Hayman TechSline. You want to be a part of what we're doing. Reach out, hit us with a what's up. We got a smoker for you.

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Let's set the tone. Harrison Arndes, let's give this young man a proper welcome. I would like to officially announce my commitment to the University of Nebraska. Wow. Wow. He is one of one to be certain, both in life and in the collegiate level, as he wins a national title of 197 pounds. One thing I would like to say, and that is there is a big red Ferrari coming through, and he's going to be finishing out every single heavyweight match. Let's go, I'm fired up.

It is. Let me just, let me set the table. This is the first. We're talking. And this is the first of many because the personality, the energy, the life source needs to be shared. That is the blessing that we need to share that thing in us. And he is worthy of being shared with the world. Let's welcome.

Hey, J. Ferrari. Big Red Ferrari. It's kind of sir. What's happening with you? Doing really, really good. You know, honestly, this time of year, it's just about staying calm, cool, collected, not getting too hype, too overenergized. today is just, I had such a great workout today and just feeling good, moving good. And I'm just excited, you know, all the work.

It's just wrestling is such a sport where, like, there's so many aspects of your life that you like make sacrifices, you know, for me, for the diet, I'm eating so much food every two, three hours, you know, the lifestyle, the stretching, the heavy lifting, the wrestling, you know, going to bed. And then for me, like, just living that lifestyle, you know, watching a film, always trying to improve. And it's just, it's an obsession, you know. And really for me, it just, it has to show for me because, like, I go out of the

there and it's like kill be killed and that's what separates me as a competitor is that like i put my life into this it's not just all a wrestling match whole for other people whatever sport you're in it's a football game it's a baseball game no it's when you live lose you die you know and that's really the way that i treat it and that's what separates me and again i love doing what i do if i didn't love that i wouldn't do it you know is it is it the work the discipline that's required to get to do what you do or is it the result it's it's the work in the process i think what people miss you know they think that they want to be all AJ Ferrari, Mr. Fast, Twitch, and just the national championship and all of that.

But for me, that's a bonus. That doesn't even, honestly, it doesn't even matter that much. Just the process. Like, I enjoy competing more than anyone, you know, it's just, that's what I live for, you know, the pressure, the bright lights and the big stage, all you got to win, you got to perform, you know, like Iowa this year. We're doing Iowa here at home later this season. Let's say we're losing a duel by three points.

Got to get a major against Ben Keeter, tough opponent. Those are the moments I live for, you know, and that's when Ferrari. really shine. I feel like me and my brothers, we've always been from a very, very young age. My dad put us in environments where, you know, the obstacles seemed impossible. You know, it seemed like you got a rope to the ceiling, right, in our, in our basement, in our wrestling room. And basically, you've got to do five rope climbs all the way up, all way down within 45 seconds, you know, and it's like you do it once, and you do three of them. You do it once, you do four, and then all of a sudden you're doing it after a wrestling workout. So you're just so fatigued.

And it's like, my dad had that mindset built into us from a very, very young age where it was like, no matter what the obstacle is, losing is when you give up. Even if you lose, it's that never say die attitude. That's what winning is. And that's what the mindset is. That's a Christ-minded mindset. That's the Jesus Christ mindset that even when he was in the cross, father, have you forsaken me? Right.

He never gave up to the end, you know, and he was the ultimate sacrifice. And every day I try to just strive to be like him and try to be like my father, AJ Ferrari, Sr. you're in their lifestyle, their mindset, and their work ethic. Let me talk to you about this family. Because we are all the accumulation of the people that love us, right? And it shows up in every kind of way. Right. So let me talk to me and give me some insight on who your parents are.

Talk to me about that. Right. So my dad is AJ Ferrari, Senior. Just very, very intense man, as you would say. So, yeah, everything. with him is pretty intense. You know, his, uh, I said this, I don't know if it says last time on the last time we, we were on here, but, um, his mindset is if you don't work in my family, you don't eat. So, and that, and that's specifically for the men and the family, you know, the men, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, you know, from a, from a, from a very,

young age, we're talking about since I came out of my mom's wound, that's what the mindset was, you know, it was, it was, it was like, that old school Italian-American work ethic, you know, that was just like so, so important that was instilled in me. And just another thing, too, was like, nobody cares about your excuse. Nobody cares about you got this going on, that going, nobody cares. You know what I mean? So that was just, it was just a good thing to have that around. There's no victimhood. Like, some of people weren't in today's society, you can choose to be a victim or choose to be a victor. You know, I've had, you guys look at my lifestyle, man. I'm not going to go through it. But I've had so many things where I could say, man, I was a victim when I had this happen to me. You know, I had this situation happen to me

and everybody turned their back on me when I was in the right and people still turn their back on me, you know, but realistically, I was never a victim. I was a victor because I chose to learn and grow from those obstacles, you know, because we can always go around those obstacles or we can go through them and learn from them, right? So I think that for me now is like, man, I'm 24 now learning from the fact that, man, sometimes for me, it's about taking the less taken path. You know, and at my age, you know, it's really a very very very. very, very small circle, right? I mean, I'm a friendly guy, but at the same time, I'm not going to let people come in my circle if you're not trying to help me grow as a person, right? And I think that's why

me and you've become such good friends is just that like, you're a real person, you know, you really care about me as my growth as a wrestler, as a man, as an individual, you know, you don't want to just see me, you know, being another guy that, man, could have been this, should have been that, you know what I mean? Oh, AJ Farre, it could have been, should have been, would have been, you know, but then it's like, nobody cares at the end of the day because the worst thing in life is wasted talent, you know, and I refuse. to let that be me. And even if, God forbid, something did happen,

it's like, I'm going to die on my shield, right? Every time I go on the mat, I put it on a line, right? And I'm not going to be defensive. I'm not going to wrestle scared. You know, scared money, don't make no money. You got to go out there and just enjoy the moment. I think that's one thing that you see Angelo doing. He's at Iowa now, just dominating guys because he's had to have the same exact upbringing

I had, except for he had an older brother, me and Anthony beat the crap of him and beat it into him. You know, if I would have older brother, I can only imagine how good I would be as well, you know, so it's just, it's absolutely insane. I'm so excited for the future of Nebraska wrestling and from our brothers. Talk about your brothers, because when you mention the accumulation part of it, that the lessons that learn now, your younger brothers all have your mastery to work from. Right.

They've seen you. They can lean on you. As a matter of fact, when friction happens, they come to you and they tell you, okay, I'm at a point where I've got more friction than I maybe I want or I know how to deal with. how much of the conversations you have with your brothers is about wrestling rather than life? I think a lot of that is about life, you know, a lot more than than the rest is about wrestling. You know, I think wrestling obviously takes a big form of it and it's a big place, but I think what's more important is your lifestyle, you know, is your relationship with the Lord,

is your relationship with the people around you, you know, are you getting, you know, a big thing for me is like bad company corrupts good characters. Like if you're a good person, if you're around bad company, you know, they're going to pull you down, man, and that's biblical. it says in the Bible. So like really just meditating on that and like really living that out, you know, making sure that the people where I surround myself with are people that genuinely care about me, you know, and they don't care about me.

Oh, AJ Ferrari, the cloud, the fame, the publicity, the flexing that comes with it. No, they care about me as an individual, as a person, as a person trying to strive to be like Christ and trying to accomplish things in our society that, to be honest, they used to be so hard. But nowadays, they're not that hard because most people don't have the mindset. They don't have the willingness. Everybody has the will to win, right? Everybody has the willingness. Oh, I want to win.

But it's like, do you have the will to actually do what it takes to prepare to win, right? Do you have the willingness to make that decision every day in the morning? Man, I got to drink this protein shake. I got to get another 2,000 calories in at 10 p.m. Right when I get out of here, man, I'm already stuffed for the day. I've already had five, six thousand calories. I've got to get another thousand calories in. I got to drink that shake.

You know, that's a battle. Every single thing, it's all those choices, you know? Like tonight, there's people like, oh, I want to hang out, this and that. Have some people. It's like, no, bro. I'm like, honestly, these last, it's been funny, actually, this week. Every day I've been watching the Rockies. I've seen them so many times, but I watched, yesterday I watched Rocky 3.

What's the best Rock? Personally, I don't think you can ever beat the first one in any series, but personally, my favorite is Rocky 4. That's my personal favorite. But I personally, my view when it comes to movies is that you can never beat the original number one, like the start to the movie because it sets the whole background. And Rocky 1 was amazing with the whole backstory of the American Dream. the guy, the one in a shot, a million shot, you know, so it's just, I love that one. And I just,

I love, you know, the power of the mind. I feel like a lot of people and like, if you have anybody right now, you know, I posted it promoting this show on my social media, any kids, any fans listening, you know, tap into the power of the mind. People don't understand just how powerful the mind is, you know, and you have to, every single day, I tell you with this, but you truly, you have to believe to achieve, right? If I put all this work in and I go out on Friday, we wrestle at 6 p.m. I probably be up 7.30 p.m. Right. I grow out there's 7 p.m. all. There's all these bright lights, you know, and I don't believe in myself, dude, I'm not going to perform. I'm not going to get all the results from the work, right? And I always talk about those two people in life, right?

Or actually, there's really three, the street, but there's two main ones and there's the third one, which is the one in the one that's the one in the people that are successful. So first, there's that guy that always puts the work in. He out works everybody. He's the first one there, last one to leave. You know, he has, you know, the desire. He has the want factor, but then he doesn't have the faith. You know, it doesn't have the belief. You know, and that guy puts all the work and he gets on the mat and then he's nervous doesn't perform right then you got the second guy you've got the guy that has the faith has the oh yeah i got the confidence but then doesn't put the work in you know and there's a lot of people like that and we call those people arrogant because they're acting like they're

confident but they didn't put the work in and then the third thing is whenever you balance the two together whenever you have the faith combined with the works right combined together all the sudden that's the big picture all of a sudden it's like man this guy's obsessed this guy's dominant because he's he's making sure that every single aspect of his life is geared towards improving him in the direction. And you know, and everything, you know, everything is either pulling you and pushing you towards your goal and pulling your way in the smallest margins, you know, it's anything, you know, and that's why even for me, it's like, I like to hang around people, even like people ask me all the times ago on huge talk shows. People want me on bar stool sports. I don't even go on it. I go and show with you because

you have that confidence, that belief, you know, that that sense, you know, of just work, you know, and it shows in who you are, you know, the fact that you have this, nine through seven, everybody loves everybody talks about it's huge right you know and it's just like for me that's important to strive to be around people that are like that you know so like i always try to tell people man especially young generation kids teens you know what i mean bad company corrupts good character iron sharpens iron be around the right individuals you know and it's important for you to have friends not that you want friends that are telling you what you want hey man you want to hear this you got to have those friends that you need you know and that's why i love going the show it's

why I love Nebraska wrestling because you guys are just, everybody here is like that. That's part of the Nebraska gang. We are with a national champion. Nebraska Husker heavyweight. And I got to use to saying that. You know, you had to change that 197 to heavyweight. AJ Ferrari, a couple of things you just mentioned on. Harrison sits with me on a nightly basis, daily basis,

and he hears me talk about these codes for life that I live by and all the good people that I bring in the circle are those people. what you said about the person that that has faith but not the will. We call it it's a love print in that love without action makes you good-hearted, but you don't accomplish anything. Action without love keeps you busy, but you may not accomplish anything good. But every great moment,

every great moment for every great person, every great community, every great family, every great country is when love and action work together, when they're fully committed and tied to it. And then the other thing you said, about the margins. You have a finite GPS.

You have a mission, and you have a direction. You get, every day you get up. You know how many calories you need to consume, how much rest you need to get, you know where it's going to come from. And if you stray from it, your inner GPS tells you,

AJ, it appears your detoured. It appears you're not on track. Should we recalculate? And that is finite for you. And it's a beautiful thing. is that the Ferrari family? Is that, is that dad? Or is that now the current version of you because you've just,

iron has sharpened you to the point where your GPS is set. It's locked in. Well, I think really for me, you know, it's looking in the mirror, right? I mean, I love the quote that I always use from Michael Jordan is like, Michael Jordan was just like everybody else. But he, every single day, he says he demanded more from himself than anyone. He demanded more from himself than anyone. That's what I try to do every day.

I'm doing deadlift. I demand more for myself than anyone. They lift in 610 pounds for 11 reps, lifetime PR in the season. You know, I mean, even the fact, like, I'm just grateful from I have the gift of God, the fact that I can do that and wrestle the next day and not get injured, you know. So it's just like I try to demand more for myself every day. And then obviously have coaches like Coach Mark Manning, Coach DeVlda Lagniv, Coach Snyder, Coach Grunin, obviously my dad, AJ Faris, senior to check me and make sure

that I'm staying on that trajectory. Right. And at the time, it's not always fun, you know, whenever you feel like you're doing the work, you know, because a lot of people don't know what real work ethic is. They think, oh, I work out here. I work out two hours. I work out here. But it's like, they don't understand the obsession.

Like, whenever I say this, it's like, I really want to succeed as bad as I want to breathe. Like, Lily, I'm breathing an auction right now. Like, that's how bad I want to succeed. You know, it's like, whatever it takes, you know, it's like there's no excuses. And it's like, there's always a will. There's a way to find a way. And there's a way to find a way to lose, you know?

And for me, every time, it's like, you have to do it. do it in the day to day, man. You have to test yourself. Your mind, just like your physical body is a muscle. So if you're not testing your mind in the day to day, it will weaken. So like today, for instance, we're doing a cold plunge. You're like a 12-minute cold plunge. You know, max it out.

Can't go past 12 minutes. Otherwise, you can risk hypothermia. So I just like, today just tapped out my mind in the coal punch because I obviously hate the cold. I like saunas. I like natural stuff. You know, I like stretching and stuff like that. But like the coal plunge is miserable and I just embraced it, you know.

It's funny you say that, right? because you build your strength on eliminating flaws, weaknesses. Those things that you don't like, you have to embrace them. Matter of fact, you have to stalk them. Right. Right. Because if you don't, the people that are going to challenge you for the thing that matters most for you, we'll find it. Right.

And so what are you working on now that is different? I heard you talk about that you had a personal best. And Harrison, I need you to pay attention to this. This man ate 14, 8 ounce stakes and a 10. In one day. Yes, sir. Talk, what? Yeah, I mean, I was a little obsessive before because I was going to have it.

I was like, I'm going to get as big as possible. But now, honestly, it's been a lot, honestly, a lot less of the crazy eating. It's more, you know, making sure I'm the best conditioned athlete in the country because I was kind of worried about the size, just making sure I'm big enough, not necessarily for winning, but more for staying healthy, right? Because whenever you're with someone, whether it's 30 pounds of fat or 30 pounds of muscle, which most of the guys, it's fat and nobody who has the same amount of muscles, me unless it's like six four six five and then it's a lot easier to get under and have leverage um that's

the biggest thing is like making sure i'm the best conditioned athlete in the country you know so right now i'm only about by at two 30 23 i was at 240 24 to 45 but i was feeling good strong and explosive but i didn't have that last bit of cardio that i really wanted to have right that that seventh gear Ferrari downshift when you pull it in and you got to take them out that extra bit you know so i'm now a lean mean fighting machine you know i was like 240 24000 i was huge but i was out about maybe 11, 12% body fat. The fatest, honestly, the thickest I've ever been, which for me, 12%, I can't get above that. Like, me eating fast food and not working out, that's about 12% when I've ready to that for eight months. Right now, I'm probably at about 9% and I'm about

230, 235. So I'm really, really feeling in a good spot where my conditioning is just so good. And then obviously, most importantly, my mental conditioning, you know, the mind, like I'm where I need to be mentally when it comes to competition. You know, I'm in that zone. You know, it's like you got to have that and that's just like for me it's like it's an it's an it's an it's a presence right it's it's a sense of like man like I've put a lot of work in it's like dude like this guy's not going to steal for me the amount of work I put in the sacrifices I've made he's stealing that when he stops on the line and he says I'm going to beat you you're saying you put more to work in to be stronger than me you put more working to be quicker than me

you put more working to me than me you put more working technically than me you watch more film than me it's like no you didn't don't lie man you know take what you want you know that's for me it's like you got to take it and some people in the society like give me this give me that help me out here help me out always looking for a hand but it's like you got to take it man and that's why i love wrestling more than any sport when you're on that mat nobody can help you or hurt you except for that man and except for the lord that's it you said you said you just said like harrison and i again we have these conversations the athlete in me i have to calm down the coached me i can never shut up right right so just say often when you put as a

a football player when you put your hand in dirt in front of me, it's disrespectful. I have to take it as disrespectful. Right. How dare you? Like, and then to watch elite wrestlers, combat warriors, that when somebody puts their toe on the line and offers a hand and looks you in the eye, it has to be disrespectful to the sacrifice, to the meals, to the extra training, to the pain, to the threshold of all the things. And I'm glad you said it because some people would take that.

that is, well, that's a bit much. No, no, that's it. That's, for me, that's the signal. Right. Well, that is a bit much, but you've got to be a bit much. You got to be a little bit crazy to be a national champion and be the best of the best, right? I mean, you got to think about these things, you know, people don't understand in a sport like wrestling, where it's one of the hardest sports, let alone.

And you get guys that, you know, you're in a weight class where there's a lot of guys that are just hungry, especially now with, with NAL and with wrestling and with national championships. It's like, this is my life, man. This isn't, this is like my job, right? My job is to compete one national championships and give glory to God and get my grades done, get good score. And I mean, get my major as well. But for me, it's like, this is all that I think about. The only thing that I prioritize more than this is my faith, you know, in my family.

Everything else is secondary, you know, like, especially this time of year. Where does that come from? Where does that bond to faith, that core of faith? Because it has to be deep. Right. In order for it to run at the levels that you're allowing your body, soul, you talked about the brain. and the body. I think that the spirit, your spirit is the thing that is different than anybody that you're going to put toe to toe with. Where does that come from? That comes from my parents,

the upbringing, and that comes from me just having the life I've had. I've seen a lot of things. Whenever you see the things I've seen and you have the things you go through, you know, you really see that everything's a test. You know, everything's a magnitude of whether or not you're going to, you know, give in and fail these tests or you're going to learn from them, you know, and that's the thing is like, no matter what mistake you make, God will always forgive you for that mistake, but that doesn't mean there's not going to be consequences for it. You know, a lot of people do not understand that, you know, no matter what you do, God will always forgive you, you know, for anything you do where you're on earth.

The thing is doesn't mean there's not going to be consequences. So like every day, it's like you can take steps forwards in the right direction towards the place that the Lord wants you to be, you know, or you can take steps backwards, you know, And I was even talking about that in my interview because I almost came here back in 2018, you know, before I went to Oklahoma State and it was like, I look at my life. It's like, man, imagine if what I came here back then. But it's like, God allowed everything to happen for a reason, you know, to make me into the man I am today, you know. And that's the thing, too, is like all these things that we grow through.

That is what makes you a person. That's what makes you a man. Those difficult, hard moments, right? When you don't feel like doing it, you know, that's what builds your character. And so many people in our society run from that. They're like, oh, that's bullying. Everything's about bullying. Give me a hand, this and that.

But it's like, man, like, sometimes, you know, being bullied and having society throw the things out. Like, I've had people say stuff to me all the time. It's like, but that's grown me into the man I am today. It's calloused my mind, you know, and that's the biggest thing, too, is like, you have to be willing to not care what anybody out there says, right? All the hate, the love, everything. You got to all push it away and just focus on one thing. You know, what is that? Execute.

Execute. execute simple man it's not easy but it's simple right so like every single day i'm like execute on this and don't get sidetracked man like we're in here right now i'm laser focused on this you know when i'm eating i'm focused on eating when i'm training i'm focused on training you know so it's just those little bits right if i can give 0.1% more in every aspect of those areas all of a sudden that's the big picture your point one is a whole lot different than everybody else's i'm just going to we're just going to say we're going to take our first break uh we are with a jay Ferrari and again in this whole thing Friday night Devaney center 6 p.m. against army the first of it

first exposure first night in divany in a packed house and they're coming to see this man do his thing I'm going to ask him why he's in Lincoln, Nebraska. I'm going to ask him why he chose Mark Manning. I ask him why he chose to be a Husker and what it means to him what this whole what this whole thing's going to look like because he's writing his own story. The story's already written. I'm really interested on how he sees it ending. We'll get that from him. A.J. Ferrari, D.P., one-on-one. You're listening to One-on-One with D-P.

Brought to you by Canopy Street Market. On 93-7, The Ticket, and The Ticketfm.com. Welcome back, one-on-one. A.J. Ferrari. National champion. Did you, do you have a signature? Do you have a national championship signature? Like, when you autograph something, you guys are a first?

Hey man I mean this is a new weight class new year you know it's back to ground zero for me it's like I'm nothing you know I take the national championship and I throw that out the window for me it's like I just want to conquer people I want to conquer their souls and take them out it's that simple you know it's like it's it's war for me it's not a wrestling match that is some conan the barbarian AJ what is best in life I love the movie a lot of times when I go to the arena I listen to the I listen to the little motivational video and it's it's It's the movie 300, you know, and I always picture myself, you know, going out there. And as he says, you know, go out on your shield, you know, come back victorious or come back on your shield. But I see you as gladi maximum. It's fully maximum. Just standing in the line in the space, man. It is there.

What does success this season look like for you? If I ask you to define the only acceptable result. I think for me, success for me is not based on a result of just a national championship. I think for me, it's like, am I going in the direction I need to in life? Like I've said, you know, it's just like, am I making it a war? Because I could go through this year and win, I mean, and just win a three-two match or three-one match. But it's like, that's not what I want to do. I want to dominate, you know, and I want to instill my will on these guys, you know.

And that's what it's about, you know? And like right now, you know, it's Wednesday, you know, 8.30 p.m. right now. And it's just like right now, just like you said, the movie Glider, it's like right now I'm here and I'm picking up the dirt, you know, and I'm smelling it. And I'm like, it's right here, you know, it's right here. So it's like, oh, man, especially my first match being against, you know, a tough opponent. This guy's ranked like 10 to 13th in the country, undefeated on the year, you know, and this guy wants it. He's like he's excited. But it's like, I mean, these guys are pretty excited until I shoot a couple double legs through their face.

He's talked a little bit. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Right? And all the, like it goes back last year, it was Nick Stemitt, the guy from Stanford. He was talking all this game. And then the whole match, he did nothing, the whole match, you know? So it's like, and all of a sudden, I see these dudes like, Nick Stemitt last year.

It's like, he talked to all those on social media. And this guy didn't talk crap. He just said he was going to beat me or anything. He just said he was interested in wrestling me, which a lot of guys obviously aren't because they're afraid of me. But Nick Stemitt last year was like, oh, yeah, I'm going to whip for all. I'm going to show him what's up. He's at this new school, whatever. He doesn't have the work ethic I have.

And I was like, oh, the work either you have. Okay. So I, I seem in person. We were about to weigh in last year at the Stanford duel. And I'm there. I was like, yo, I said, you can have to eat every word you said. And like, I'm there. And I got that by language.

I put my hand in his face, right? And he instantly said like, oh, man, he's like this. I'm going to be him. Oh, man. It's just for promotion, man. It's just for social media. It's just for promotion. I was like, no, you're not going to disrespect me like that.

No, it's like, not now. You can back on your words. So it's like, a lot of you said. Exactly. You said what you said, be who you are. And there's all these textbook, you know, Instagram,

X, Twitter, tough guys, and all of a sudden they see them person and they're not about it, you know, because the work ethic doesn't lie. And that's where the confidence comes from. Obviously the confidence comes from my creator,

right, God sees everything. But the confidence comes from the work ethic, man. You got to believe, and the only way you can believe is if you truly did every single thing, every aspect of your life,

to put yourself in the best position to win, right? As we talked about the underwear, where to the, I'm drinking to time I'm going to bed, to my training regimen, like every aspect of my life is geared towards putting me in best position to win. You know, and I don't think people are as obsessive as me. I mean, I only think it.

I know my opponents aren't wearing 100% organic cotton, organic water, or I know they're not only using bamboo paper. I have it in my backpack. I only travel with it wherever I go. It's an obsessiveness. And like for me, it's like the smallest of margins. If I can have a 0.1% advantage in everything, because then that's the thing is I go on the mat tomorrow and I close my eyes.

I'm in the back by myself, right? I'm about to compete 30 minutes to say I look myself in the mirror it's like you did everything in your God-given power to put you in the best position to win and whether I win or lose right let's say I lose I get to go out there and I'm like man guess what I have no regrets you did everything I did everything I did I did everything I don't have to look back and regret this or so many people live their life with what regret and that's what I talk about all the time you know when I motivate kids I talk about two things there's two pains in life right there's two real deep pains that there's number one the pain that of discipline, the pain of the hard path, right? And then number two, there's the pain that doesn't

show right now, but the pain of self-agre. And that's an deep pain, man. When you got to live with that? That I had opportunity, talent, skill, and I missed. I missed. I said, but if you're, if you're staying in the process and you talk about it, listen, if you do everything from a dietary, from a cardio, from a rest, from a thoughtfulness, a spirituality, you've done all those things, that even if a result is not the ideal result. It's just a lesson. It's just the lesson for the greater thing anyway. Right.

And we tell people, listen, if I come to work, I haven't worked today in 30 years. You know why? All the prep, all of the consumption, all the data, all of the things, all the people, all of the decisions, if they're good, if they're based in good,

and they work from good, it will always take me through. It will always take me through. So you are working from a full and complete spiritual, GPS. You know what it looks like. Then you have the physical GPS. It tells you this is right. This is right. Then it becomes, I need to pick the place in the GPS. Location matters. You chose Lincoln, Nebraska, to be a Husker, Mark Manning, Terrell Delagnav, Snyder, Greeney,

right? You chose all of that. Why? I think the biggest thing was the culture and just the gang, right? The Nebraska gang, as they would say, just there's no culture like there is one here, you know, and I'm not just saying that because I'm here. I really believe that, you know, and I know that because I've been all over. I've been in Oklahoma State, one national championship there.

I was recruited to go to Penn State before I went to Oklahoma State, you know, and I was supposed to go to Rutgers. I was all those programs. I was at Iowa. I lived there for six months. It's like the only program I've ever been to where I could take my 14-carat gold, diamond rings and leave them out, not even in my locker room, leave them out.

I forgot my jewelry. Sometimes I'm tired. I'm so focused. I left my jewelry out on a chair in our locker room for like two or three days. I went back. I was like, oh, my gosh, it's hope it's still there.

It's been two or three days. Still there. You know what I mean? It's like there's no locker room like that. I wasn't like that. Oklahoma State wasn't like that. My high school wasn't like that, you know, just because there's always usually in a 40-man roster and then you got the RTC guys.

There's always usually one or two guys that are a little bit snaky that, you know, you just don't like that much. But it's like there's not a single guy at, you know, in Nebraska on the wrestling team that I feel that way for, you know, and it's just like, there's such good guys and like, I'm just so grateful to have guys around me that really care about me. Even Ridge Lovett, you know, Ridge Lovett's helped me a lot with top bottom, showing me stuff and just, you know, his belief and his warrior mindset, you know, if you look at that weight class, that was a weight last year, that was a stacked weight man.

He came out on top because he had that want factor. He had that why. He had that never say die attitude. Find a way, you know, that was Ridge Lovett last year, you know, and that's going to be me this year, you know, the mindset, the why, the want factor, the take it, the mono, a mono, and like for me, it's like, I just enjoy what I do. A lot of guys don't enjoy it, you know, I feel like they all, I got a big match. Let me hide in the corner. Let me, let me, let me, all everybody's looking at me. But it's like, that's what I live for, you know, because that's

what I personally believe. That's what life is about is those hard times, those tests, right? When the pressure's on you, as a man, that's what makes you into who you are. You know, You have to be tested. You know, if you're not tested, why are we here? You're not here to be tested, you know, what do you just here? Just for your own gratification to live constantly in easiness, you know, that's no growth from that. You know, every single thing that I've gone through that was miserable, that was hard.

I've always gotten some others. Man, I grew from that. I grew as a person. I have a new sense of, wow, I accomplished something. You know, that was hard. You know, for me, the harder it is, the better that feeling is after, you know, and that's why the thing for me, like the heavyweight, hey, you know, doing some fans waving.

Yes, sir. 937 the ticket, baby, tune in. But that's the biggest thing for me is like, I love the challenge. That's why for 97 it would have probably been way easier this year to go to 97, just beat the guys I've been beating. The only guy would have that way that'd be tough for me. It'd probably be Josh Barr.

It was like a new challenge, you know, a new trajectory, you know, and just going to heavyweight. I was like, man, I love the challenge. I love new opponents, new food, you know, let's go after them. That's funny that, you know, the new food. Let him cook. Let him cook. A.J. Ferraris, with us.

It is, you talk about movies. Rocky, Gladiator, 300. But when it comes to wrestling, there's only one. There's only one goat, wrestling movie. Vision Quest. Vision Quest. I love it. It's funny.

You said I just watched that movie last week. Vision Quest. There's nothing, like, listen. Have you ever seen that movie before or no? D.P. had me watch it. What was this a few months ago? I think you brought that out. Shoot.

So you were shoot. and now you're loud and swing. Exactly. Exactly. Like you were the target, you are allowed to swing. I just see, and the iconic moment

is him before the big match. He's in the ox gym by himself. And he's going through all the things. And he's got his song playing, lunatic friends just play. He's got a moving.

What's AJ's song? What's the music? What's the soundtrack to this, national championship. What's going to take you there? I think for me, it's Mr. Fast Tooish by T. P. P. Inesco, my song, right? Just going out there, visualizing myself on the mat and just going out there and executing, you know, remember, and I think, too, is I speak things into existence and I believe them. You know, that you read the first page of the Bible. What did God say, right? Let there be light,

and there was light. He spoke light into existence. You know, God gives us, not obviously to his degree that power, but he gives us a power in a sense. When we speak things and we believe, we believe, leave them, it becomes a power. So like whenever you see me walk on the mat, like as I'm walking back forth, it's like quickest, like as fast as Ferrari ever built. And I believe it. I believe literally in that moment when I am standing, I am the quickest, fastest man built. You know, I believe it and I execute because I believe in that, you know, and it's just that sense of like, man, think about all the footwork you've done whenever you didn't feel like when you kicked it in gear and you didn't feel like kicking it in gear. You know what I mean? Remember who you are.

You're a Ferrari. Remember the way you were raised. You know what I mean? Remember that you were designed for this, you know, every single part of me in my upbringing was designed for me to accomplish this things. And that's why I came back to wrestling was like, I'm going to fight in a May later when the Olympics chased that, you know, 2028. But it was like, I had to finish this NCA wrestling journey because my dad raised me to accomplish and finish the journey, you know, no matter what it is. And that's why I came here was to finish a journey around the right people, you know, and that's the biggest thing for this year. It's just like continue the trajectory and just remember, you know, everything. And I,

I mean everything matters. You know, some people don't understand that. They don't understand, you know, oh, I'll go out one time, I'll party one time. It's like, oh, one night's off is not going to take me. It's like, no, dude. It's like there's no off days for me. Even the days off that I consider off day are like three recovery sessions. You know what I'm doing?

Three ice bath. Then I'm doing a red light bed. Then I'm doing a hyperch chamber. I'm doing this. It's like, even in my recovery, I'm out working you. You know, even in every aspect of my life, it's got to be that way, you know? And at least for me, like, I could probably get away with being like other people. people eating candy, whatever.

But like for me, it's not just about this year. It's about the long-term stuff. Like, I don't want to wrestle for a couple years. And by the time I'm 40, by the time I'm 50, I'm barely able to walk because my body's beat up, I want to do this for a long time. You know, I'd like to be wrestling and then fighting and coaching for years and being able to fulfill my passion, right? And a sport like wrestling that really takes a toll on the body.

You got to train smart. You know, and I think that's another thing that you asked me was separated than Nebraska wrestling staff from other programs is like, the coaches here, you know, they understand that I have the mindset and the work. I'm not a guy that's going to ever cut corners. I never cut corners. But they understand that we work together to train smart, to train accordingly, not to be a guy that's just a mental midget running 20 miles,

beating up your joints, you know what I mean? Do I still do sprints? Yes, but am I going to run 10 miles? No, it takes a toll on the knees and ankles. We're already beating our bodies up on the mat going live wrestling. So you've got to train smart. You know, I train harder, but I also train smarter, you know? It is going to be an incredible journey.

And I think the more people know you. the more people are going to be on a bandwagon to go, you know what? Here's somebody that I can show my son. And I don't think that's missed on you. I don't think that there are folks at this level who missed that. You know what? There are people who are looking for the North Star. They're looking for somebody to go,

it is worth it to work in faith. It is worth it to work harder than everybody else. It is worth it to try to be best and to be disciplined in doing it. And it doesn't mean your life's going to be easier. You know, that's the thing is like a lot of people think that just because we believeers, we believe in Jesus Christ,

we walk by faith, not by sight, Second Corinthians 5-7. It doesn't mean your life's going to be any easier. All that it means is that there's hope. That's it. There is hope, you know,

and that's great for me. You know, it's like, man, there's good news. There's good things coming. You know, whether it's tomorrow or the next day,

it's like, man, whenever you're living in your flesh and you're, you're constantly chasing that next instant gratification, that's that's a deep deep feeling of regret that you're going to live with you know and I've we've always lived in our flesh and made mistakes everyone you know whether it's the smallest thing whether it's that candy bar you know what I mean right so it's like it can be the smallest of things but it's like man it's like it's like it grows you know because it's it's it always starts out small it always

starts out as oh it's just just one little thing and then it grows to this and then all of a sudden it's this big picture of man my whole life is warped you know what I mean and it's like you got it and like I said from the beginning today when you brought me in here. It starts with your circle. And it starts with you keeping a clean circle. And it's not that I don't talk to people, like these people I talk to on a daily basis that are fans of mine that I try to help out. I try to mentor them. But it's not that as much as I love them, I can't tell them my personal information about them because I don't know their motives. A lot of people try to say, I'm trying to help you, man, I'm trying to help you,

bro, but they're wolves dressed in sheep's clothing. And you got to put on the full armor of God to be protected, right? What is the former God? The breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the helmet of salvation. And then obviously, most importantly, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, right? Memorizing verses and applying them, right? So that's the biggest thing. Like in my song, the first thing, my song, I listened to my song, I put it on, right?

Because I got to make my song with TPNS, Go, the number one wrestling rapper in the world, Travis Pickard. The first line of the song, I say it. And it's 1st Samuel 17, verse 46. This day, the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. And that's the same line that David said to Goliath. So whenever I hear that song, I think about that.

It's like, I'm prepared for that. I'm prepared to kill or be killed, right? And that's the same thing David had. You know, he had faith in the Lord. You know, and that's for me. I got to have faith. You know, walk by faith, not by Second Corinthians 5, 7. And that's a song that I get to walk out to.

I'm the only rest of my knowledge that walks out to his own song. So there's, you know, you got to ask Brock Hardy. His dad makes his walk out. Oh, he has his own song too. His dad made it. His dad, I didn't know that. His dad was the Christian rapper. Oh, wow.

And made a song. Yeah, I didn't know that. It's one to check out. And that's cool. I got to check that out. I know you said 845. Can you stay till? We'll take a break.

And then can you stay to right? Yeah, we can stay for a long. Yeah, we can stay for a long. Hey, J. Farre, D.P. Harrison, Arns, one on one. You're listening to one-on-one with DP. Brought to by Canopy Street Market on 937, the ticket and the ticket at them.com. It is a fan. Fantastic.

With the one and only AJ Ferrari. And it's pulling back the curtain so Husker fans can get to know this young man. And there's lots to know. And I think as it evolves and unfolds and, you know, he's an onion. He's not, what you see is not what you're going to get. So you've got to delve into this thing. And I'm appreciate. And that can run people the wrong way, man, you know.

But I'm grateful that you're willing to do that. Not everybody's willing to share themselves. I mean, that's because they're sellouts. They're just trying to chase a dollar sign or chase being someone that they want to be, right? And it's like, I'm never going to sell myself out. Even my sponsors, right? Like, we've talked about all my sponsors and your sponsors. Like, you're the same way as me.

Like, everybody that we have as sponsors, everyone that we do business with, they're people with integrity, right? I'm not going to listen to you and have you have me do this, this and this and sell out for what you want me to promote. You know, I'm going to be me. And I tell all my sponsors that. I'm pro freedom, pro America, pro gun, you know. And number one, listen this. pro freedom of thought there's an agenda to control the way we think to control your thought process and starts from a young age right and that's the biggest thing i'm big on kids is like i don't

tell kids technically in wrestling like technique what to do i tell them why to do it right and that's what we talk about everything we're not just saying go run hard go work out hard we're saying there's a purpose behind it there is a reason in the GPS you have something in the GPS that allows you finish and i tell people i don't have to agree with you i should love like this If anybody that tells me that God is the core and the North Star, then love has to be the overriding, constant, consistent thing. The matter where we are on the GPS, love is where we are. Love is where we're going.

Right. And love is how we get there. Love has to be the way. And you can try it another way. It ain't going to work. If you don't love yourself and your mission, this wrestling thing, this body thing, this life of Christ. If you don't love it, you're not going to be active in it the way it needs to be for it to be the version you're looking for. And I think that's why you're going to be who you are.

And the things going forward, people will follow you because you're true to it. Right. It's spectacular to watch. A couple of things before we get out of here. One, stakes. What is the cut? What is the cut? Because I need to get these sponsors to line up for you. So, cut of state what what is the a j ferrari cut of choice what is there it does it have to be organic does grass fed what what what is your your cut of meat i mean i obviously prefer grass fed um just because it's healthier but um for me i like the porter house like new york strip and the filet that that's a really good caracotta or we're setting you up with the mercado certified pmontese be we're going to do that canopy street market right down the street we're going to talk dan swanson hooked you up

sounds good it's the hookup what what does the hook up what does making me hungry right now. I'm always hungry. What are the vegetables of choice? Veggies. I like sauteed onions and then mushrooms. And also I like my good quality, you know, asparagus or spinach. That's my go-to. The Italian version of you,

there has to be that meal, the Italian meal that gets you through when you cross-off. What is it? Okay, meatballs. Homemade from my mom. We own a pizzeria, actually. Ferrari's pizzeria in Texas. Stop it! Stop it, you say. Okay.

You got to check it out. If you guys were ever in the Allen, Dallas, Texas area, Plano, Texas, that area. You should have told them. Oh, yeah. I forgot about it. I should have told them. You should send, tell them, you're going to send them some pizza. They're in Fort Worth.

They're in Fort Worth. Oh, it's to die for me. Yep. We're putting that on. We're going there for baseball. Uncle Vinnie. Of course it's Uncle Vinny. Of course it's Uncle Vinny Ferrari.

And then you drink, you even have water of choice. What is the, what is? Why drink eternal water? So this is my personal. favorite water brand just because they have bottles that are um so this this coloring in in the plastic that they use is is a bpa-free so like there's no macro plastics it's a much much lower amount i think there are some but it's much lower and it's clear so doesn't melt as much um and then it's also high alkalinity naturally spring alkaline water so it's not like a lot of alkaline water you buy as a scam because

they just add stuff that increases the pH like they're add a little baking soda to it this is naturally spring alkaline water so it's spring water so it's purified by the earth we wanted to make sure you could shout them out. Get the pub in. We got to get the plug in. They hook me up. They send me all the water I want. That's why. I love the taste of their water. I love their stuff. So, you know, shout out you turn away. That's why we're doing it, man. We're going to appreciate it. Let the folks know how they can find you and follow you. Yep. Social media X, YouTube at Mr. Fast Twitch and just, man, stay tuned. You know, I'm just, I'm hungry. I'm starving for success, not just in wrestling,

but in life. And I think that, you know, all you guys that stay tuned are going to see just that that consistency, you know, consistency is the mark of a champion. It's not about, oh, some days I'm hot, some days I'm cool. It's about that consistent work ethic, that consistent mindset, that consistent devotion to Christ in every aspect of your life, you know. And that's one thing that I'm grateful for is just that upbringing in for me now, being an adult, me making the decision, you know, and every day it's about the decisions we make. But yeah, tune in.

In case you didn't catch that, every Wednesday night, 8 o'clock, 8 o'clock. Let's go. Let's go. Let's do it. Let's go. The ticket, Nebraska gang, we out. Nebraska gang!