In this episode of The Heart of the Bad Wolf, host Nicholas James Muscarella sits down with UFC fighter Billy Goff for a raw and deeply honest conversation about fear, resilience, wrestling, and the psychological cost of chasing greatness.

Recorded several years ago, this episode captures Billy early in his UFC journey after earning his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, where he absorbed a brutal head kick, got dropped, got back up, and fought his way to victory. Billy reflects on what drives him forward when things go wrong — inside the cage and in life.

The conversation traces Billy’s story from being born in Mississippi and raised in Connecticut to discovering wrestling at a young age, struggling early, and slowly developing the grit that would shape his identity. He explains how  ...