MMA History Podcast #328: Rudy Silva Prison Interview – The Cocaine King of San Diego

In this raw and unfiltered prison interview, former fight promoter, City Boxing and Alliance MMA gym owner, and self-proclaimed Cocaine King of San Diego Rudy Silva opens up to Mike Davis like never before.

Rudy details his traumatic childhood, early days at City Boxing alongside Brandon Vera, Dean Lister, KJ Nunes, and Tyrone Glover, launching Alliance MMA with Vera, and his deep connections in the San Diego MMA scene. He speaks candidly about his relationships with Dominic Cruz, Jocko Willink, Dan Bilzerian, Justin Bieber, and the chaotic lifestyle that pulled him into the Tijuana Cartel world.

From gym politics and embezzlement drama to cartel dealings, robberies, a high-profile nightclub stabbing, bipolar struggles mixed with heavy cocaine use, family estrangement, and life in federal prison while appealing his sentence, Rudy holds nothing back.

This is a gripping, no-holds-barred look at the dark underbelly of early San Diego MMA — sex, drugs, violence, power, and regret from someone who lived it all at the highest levels of both the fight game and the streets.

A must-listen episode of The Other Side of the Cage prison interview series.

The MMA History Podcast is the only show dedicated 100% to preserving mixed martial arts history through interviews and stories from the men who lived it.

0:00 MMA history podcast intro

0:33 Joey Venti’s guest introduction

2:16 interview start

2:25 current life/

5:28 going through a break up

7:09 having a rough upbringing

10:16 becoming involved in drug distribution

12:01 selling memberships for City boxing

15:58 Urijah Faber and Mark Dion incident

19:07 kickboxer Alex Gong

19:53 Coach Oleg Larson

21:18 Boxing coach Manny Melchor

22:37 Coach Ernesto Martinez

25:51 kickboxer Danny Steele

26:04 leaving City boxing

28:54 opening up a gym

31:56 renting rooms out to fighters

34:29 introduction to the drug market

42:33 working for Total Combat

44:05 fight politics in Mexico

47:00 opening an Alliance Jiu jitsu gym

51:29 falling out with Brandon Vera

54:52

56:31 relationship with Jocko Willink

1:02:51 bible app with Michael Chandler

1:05:04 transitioning from coach to drug distribution

1:09:42 stabbing at a nightclub

1:16:48 argument with Chris Leben

1:21:18 Elias Gios

1:24:21 training Dan Bilzerian

1:26:30 robbed for $285,000

1:29:52 Kickboxer Rob Kaman

1:30:10 relationship with Dominick Cruz

1:33:44 falling out with Dominick Cruz

1:38:20 relationship with Dean Lister

1:40:38 Eric Nicksick

1:42:05 process of getting caught up

1:45:27 outro/ closing thoughts

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MMA Detective Mike Davis @mikedavis632

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Social Media Manager Andy Campbell @martial_mindset_

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Jared Shaw returns to the MMA History Podcast for his fourth and most revealing appearance yet, pulling back the curtain on the spectacular rise and sudden collapse of Elite XC. As the promotion’s Vice President during its groundbreaking CBS era, Shaw was at the center of the Kimbo Slice versus Seth Petruzelli fight that many still blame for sinking the company overnight.

In this unfiltered conversation with Mike Davis and Joey Venti, he sets the record straight on the real reasons behind the fall, the internal power struggles, the fight-fixing rumors, and the fighters who could have built an empire.From the Cyborg debut that stole the show to the Gina Carano era, the frantic final months, and the untold stories of what happened when the lights went out, Shaw delivers raw insight into one of MMA’s most controversial chapters and the golden opportunities the sport lost forever. This is the definitive inside account of how close Elite XC came to challenging the UFC—and why it all ended so abruptly.0:00 MMA history podcast intro 0:32 Joey Venti’s guest introduction0:52 interview start 0:54 boxing memorabilia 6:19 passion for scouting talent early 7:49 concerns going into “Unfinished business” event 16:16 issues with manger Mark Dion 17:55 negotiations with KJ Noons 20:28 treating fighters and teammates fair21:23 speaking to the press for EliteXC25:42 Cris Cyborg vs Shayna Baszler 31:30 early womens MMA compared to today’s 32:36 Shayna Baszler going to WWE33:17 Jake Shields vs Nick Thompson 36:03 Nick Diaz vs Thomas Denny 40:06 Robbie Lawler vs Scott smith 40:30 SEC filing needed $3.8M to keep doors open 43:13 boxing promoters going extinct 45:50 MMA and boxing pay scales 48:24 Chuck Champion announces $1M in funding 49:50 Announced a partnership with Affliction 51:32 experience with Todd Beard 52:38 EliteXC Heat event55:45 Ken Shamrock and Kimbo slice weigh ins 58:04 phone call about Ken Shamrock injury 1:00:37 realizing Ken Shamrock did not want to fight 1:03:14 offering Seth Petruzelli fight with Kimbo slice 1:05:23 Seth Petruzelli false claims of fight fixing 1:06:59 Ken shamrock upset at Jared Shaws reaction 1:09:15 offering extra money to Kimbo Slice 1:11:39 Benji Radach vs Ninja Rua 1:12:19 Gina Carano vs Kelly Kobold1:12:33 Andrei Arlovski vs Roy Nelson 1:13:00 Jake Shields vs Paul Daley1:13:55 Kimbo Slice vs Seth Petruzelli announcement 1:15:41 issues during Kimbo Slice walk out 1:17:53 viewership for EliteXC Heat 1:20:17 allegedly attacking Dan Freeman 1:21:18 Frank Shamrock asking for Kimbo Slice fight 1:25:13 reaction to Kimbo Slice loss 1:26:00 aftermath from EliteXC heat event 1:27:39 Seth Petruzelli infamous radio interview 1:28:22 thoughts on TJ Thompson1:31:18 being told not to acknowledge negative press 1:33:18 issues with manager Kim Couture1:38:44 Scouting EliteXC ring girls 1:40:19 Kim Courure vs Alexis Dufresne1:42:14 realizing EliteXC is finished 1:42:42 announcing the closing of EliteXC1:44:18 bids for buying StrikeForce 1:45:30 EliteXC being the last true competitor to UFC 1:49:03 MVP vs UFC 1:52:17 interview wrap up 1:54:19 outroFollow the MMA History Team on Instagram: MMA Detective Mike Davis @mikedavis632 Co Host Joey Venti @aj_ventitreRecords Keeper- Andrew Mendoza @ambidexstressSocial Media Manager Andy Campbell @martial_mindset_Thumbnails Julio Macedo @juliosemacentoInstagram https://www.instagram.com/mmahistorypodcast?igsh=aHVweHdncXQycHBy&utm_source=qrSpotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3q8KsfqrSQSjkdPLkdtNWb?si=aL3D5Y3aTDi-PQZdweWL8gApple Podcast MMA History PodcastYouTube https://youtube.com/@MMAHistoryPodcast?si=bj1RBXTZ2X82tv_JOutro song: Power - https://tunetank.com/t/2gji/1458-powerMike - The MMA Detective - @mikedavis632 Cash App - $mikedavis1231Venmo - Mike-Davis-63ZELLE: Cutthroatmma@gmail.com / ph#: 773-491-5052 Thank You for your support