Daniel Cormier TV - Cory Sandhagen on beating Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320, OnlyFans rumors

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Daniel Cormier TV – Cory Sandhagen on beating Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320, OnlyFans Rumors

Date: October 3, 2025
Host: Daniel Cormier (DC)
Guest: Cory Sandhagen

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1. Episode Overview

This episode centers on Cory Sandhagen, UFC bantamweight contender, as he prepares for his title challenge against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320. Host Daniel Cormier dives into Sandhagen’s training, mental evolution, tactics for the fight, and addresses viral rumors about Sandhagen’s personal life. The conversation blends fight analysis, candid banter, and insights into the psyche of a high-level fighter approaching a career-defining bout.

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2. Key Discussion Points and Insights

A. Roast Sparks Performance Playbook: Breaking Down the Co-Main Event

• DC’s Fight Keys (02:37):
  • For Merab Dvalishvili: Must pressure, score takedowns – his wins come from relentless pace.
  • For Cory Sandhagen: Key is takedown defense—remain in motion, avoid being a stationary target, and use “beautiful striking.”
  • Sandhagen’s footwork is emphasized as crucial to stay upright and outstrike Merab.

B. Viral ‘OnlyFans/Ball Pictures’ Rumor

• The conversation opens with DC ribbing Sandhagen about a rumor he made a million dollars “selling pictures of his balls” online.
• Key Clarifications:
  • It started as a joke by Sandhagen but was picked up by media as a serious story ([04:30]–[05:05]).
  • Sandhagen playfully admits, “I don't know. I just made a joke and then people thought it was real, but serious journalists, like, made articles about it.” ([04:45])
  • When asked if there’s any truth: “No, no, no.” ([04:56])

Notable Quote:

DC: “There was a story that came out that said you were a millionaire now because you're selling pictures of your balls. Come on, Corey, you’re not. You little ball showing son of a bitch.” ([03:16])

C. Sandhagen’s Growth and Camp Evolution

• Sandhagen opens up about changes in his training—giving full control to coaches Carrington Banks and Trevor Whitman—allowing them to “mold me into the fighter that I am.” ([06:50])
• Emphasizes the difficulty of learning wrestling nuances later in life and the benefit of dedicated work with Banks.

  “We just like wrestle three, four times a week, just me and him just going at it. Instead of like, some coaches would just show you a move and be like, go do the move. And that's not how wrestling works.” ([09:04]–[09:38])

• DC highlights the collaborative relationship between Sandhagen and his coaches—honoring Cory’s creativity and fight IQ ([07:30]–[08:43]).

D. Cardio Myth and Strategy Against Merab

• The discussion busts the myth around Merab’s legendary cardio.
• Sandhagen’s coach pointed out:

  “Just to be clear, this whole narrative around Murad being an absolute animal and having the best cardio on planet earth is not real. Like, that dude gets tired the same way other people get tired, but it's just body language.” ([10:15])

• Sandhagen respects Merab’s toughness and ambition but notes, “He's not invincible.” ([10:47])

E. Preparation, Adaptation, and Visualization

• Sandhagen’s mentality shift: previously, he was a purely technical fighter; now it’s about “breaking everyone” in sparring and visualizing fight success.
• Training includes high-intensity sparring rounds with fresh partners each round, sometimes up to eight rounds straight ([17:39]–[17:45]).

• “Now when I go spar with guys…it’s not like, let me do good stuff. Like now it's like, I'm gonna break this person and he maybe has two rounds in him if he's lucky, but after that, like, I'm gonna tear him apart.” ([16:56]–[17:34])

F. Mental Approach and What the Title Means

• Sandhagen visualizes winning but sees the championship more as a step than a destination.
• His plan for legacy: beat Merab at UFC 320, then face and beat Umar, Yan, and O’Malley in 2026.

• “I know for in order for me to be viewed the way that I want to in my career, I got to go out in 2026 and, and beat Umar, beat Yan and beat O'Malley. So that's my plan after this one and Merab and winning a belt is important to me, but so is everything else that comes afterwards too, and I'm pumped for it." ([18:27]–[18:44])

• Stress on staying grounded: “I don't think the belt is gonna give me a little bit of a bigger head, but I really see it as, like, the work isn't gonna get any easier until I hang up the gloves and I'm all done.” ([19:40])

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3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:16 | DC | “You little ball showing son of a bitch.” | | 04:45 | Sandhagen | “I just made a joke and then people thought it was real, but serious journalists, like, made articles about it.” | | 06:30 | Sandhagen | “Merab's definitely the toughest guy that I fought, but it's the most confident that I've been.” | | 09:04 | Sandhagen | “If you don't have, like, the already built in, just nuance things…it's really, really hard to learn that later. And Banks is one of the hardest workers I've ever met.” | | 10:15 | Sandhagen | “This whole narrative around Murad being an absolute animal and having the best cardio on planet earth is not real. Like, that dude gets tired the same way other people get tired, but it's just body language.” | | 16:56 | Sandhagen | “Now it's like, I'm gonna break this person and he maybe has two rounds in him if he's lucky, but after that, like, I'm gonna tear him apart.” | | 18:27 | Sandhagen | “I've thought about it every day for the last since I got the phone call...but more than that, man, I see this just as one step on the ladder.” | | 19:40 | Sandhagen | “I don't think the belt is gonna give me a little bit of a bigger head, but I really see it as, like, the work isn't gonna get any easier until I hang up the gloves and I'm all done.” |

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4. Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:37 – Cormier’s “Performance Playbook” for Sandhagen vs. Merab
• 04:30–05:05 – OnlyFans/Ball-Pictures Rumor and Media Reaction
• 06:30–08:43 – Sandhagen’s evolution under his coaches and the art of collaboration
• 09:04–09:38 – Learning wrestling with Carrington Banks
• 10:15–10:54 – Debunking the Merab cardio myth and strategizing
• 15:33–16:10 – How Sandhagen’s movement is a unique challenge for Merab
• 16:56–17:34 – Sandhagen’s mental shift: from technique to breaking opponents
• 17:39–17:45 – Sandhagen’s brutal sparring regimen
• 18:27–19:00 – Title as a step, not a finish line; legacy ambitions

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5. Tone and Vibe

The podcast blends playful teasing (the viral ball-pic rumor), deep technical fight analysis, and psychological introspection. DC’s tone is warm, slightly irreverent, and curious; Sandhagen is calm, introspective, and dryly witty. Sandhagen’s reserved nature is a running joke, contrasted with the lively and engaging DC.

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6. Conclusion

This episode offers an in-depth look at Cory Sandhagen’s mindset and preparation as he faces a career-defining title shot. Listeners gain thoughtful commentary on his evolution as a fighter, the importance of coaching and collaboration, and how he navigates both media scrutiny and the mental challenges of fighting. For fans of MMA and sports psychology—or anyone curious about the human side behind elite performance—this is an engaging listen.

Transcript

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

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[Corey Sandhagen]

Apply the volume.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

All right guys, it's time for my Roast Sparks performance playbook for the co main event Merab Dwallish Willey vs Corey Sandhagen, former Rob, he has got to score takedowns. You guys know that when Merab is winning, he is scoring takedowns, he's pressuring, he is putting it on guys. If he can do that, guys can't keep up with him. We have seen it time and time again, and Sandhagen will struggle in that same way. And for Sandhagen, it's about defending takedowns. But to do that, he needs to be constantly in motion. He cannot be a stationary target. For me, Rob Merab goes forward so much that if you're standing there, you will struggle. Sandhagen has great footwork. He needs to use that to stay upright and use that beautiful striking, guys. That is my Ro Sparks performance playbook. If you want RO Sparks, no waiting room, get it virtually. It is about as easy as you can get to boost your performance in the bedroom. So go to Ro Co SL DCTV to start today. Rose Sparks be winning, baby. And we're going to get a winner this weekend at UFC 320. Guys, Corey Sanhagen, challengers for the bantamweight championship this weekend. Thanks for checking in with me. We haven't done this since Florida, but, you know, like, back in the day, you and I, like, you texted me and like, we were talking to you, like, hey, man, I could tell, like, you're, you're like a nice guy. And we started talking, became friends a little bit. We went through all this darkness, but you're like, young, young guy, right? Making his way and about to be a champion. And you're very appreciative of everything, and you might have had some money, but you, you weren't a millionaire. But there was a story that came out that said you were a millionaire now because you're selling pictures of your balls. Come on, Corey, you're not. You ain't. You ain't selling pictures of your balls and making a million dollars. You little ball showing son of a bitch.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Which part don't you believe?

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

I don't believe that. First off, I don Think you're showing your balls, and I don't think that anybody's paying a million dollars for it.

[Corey Sandhagen]

You're probably. I don't think that they would, but I ran this idea by my wife when that went viral.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Why did that go viral?

[Corey Sandhagen]

I don't know. I just made a joke and I just. And then people thought it was real, but serious journalists, like, made articles about it.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

It was unbelievable.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, it was crazy.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

So this is not true?

[Corey Sandhagen]

No, no, no.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Of course. I asked my Rob this dude I know. So I was like, rob, you think he's really showing his balls for a million dollars?

[Corey Sandhagen]

But this is why I don't joke. This is why I don't talk.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

You want to know why? You know. You want to know why? Because you say. I can say, like, corey. Like, we could be like, corey, the worst happened in history. And you're like, yeah, man, that sucks really bad. Yeah. And then, like, Corey, like, man, I had the greatest practice. I tell a joke, and your face will still be like this. There's no difference. Like, you don't laugh. You're not laughing. Like, your face stays like that. I kind of stare at you. I'm like, what's he thinking? But that's why. So it's like, it felt real.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Oh, yeah.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Well, your wife would kill you.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, but. Oh, this is what we were gonna do, though, is I was gonna. I asked her if I could do it, but behind a paywall of, like, a hundred thousand dollars, and I was like, if.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Once it caught fire.

[Corey Sandhagen]

But if, like, imagine no one would pay that much. I'm not that delusional. I know that that's true, but if someone did a hundred thousand dollars.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

A hundred thousand dollars just for a.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Picture, and it would be, like, flattering. No, you just be my nuts.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

If you were to get a hundred thousand dollars, you have to grab your balls from the back and lean over. You'll be like, showing that ass $100,000. He's showing the whole dicker. No, Corey. Corey, you fight for the UFC bantamweight championship this weekend?

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

All jokes aside, man, it's been a long road. How good does it feel to finally be here?

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, it feels good. I'm really focused for this one. I feel really good about it. Merab's definitely the toughest guy that I fought, but it's the most confident that I've been. And I feel like this camp, in the last couple, or definitely in the last year, I think I've made strides, man, and. And I'm excited to show that to people.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

But why? What have you done differently to make those strides?

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, I mean, I think a piece of. It's just me and me being mature. A big piece of it, though, is, like, really handing off the reins to my two coaches, Carrington Banks and Trevor Whitman, and just letting them mold me into the fighter that I am. I think that when you're, like, a creative guy and you're a fighter or just in general, I think it's really hard to, like. You get too close to your work and you can't really see what you need. And that's why you need other really good people for. And those guys, I've kind of handed off the reins and they've molded me into something really, really good. And I'm. And I'm really pumped to show it because I feel like it's also a style that. Or just a way of fighting that I. I feel like is just much different than how I usually do it. And. And yeah, I'm done talking.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

That was one of those. You just did it again. You see. Did you catch yourself, though?

[Corey Sandhagen]

I did, yeah.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Do you understand what I mean?

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, I'm not very good at ending. Yeah, you're right.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

You get it. Like, it. It's okay, though, right? You're. We're still building into this media career that you and I watch Carrington and Trevor and those guys, and they're. They. They seem like proud, but they're listening because I feel you just said you're a very creative guy. Your style, you got coaches, but obviously you developed that style. It feels like those coaches, though, while they are coaching and guiding, you still can appreciate what you bring in terms of a mind to fighting. Because I watched him and I watch how they interact with you. They're. Well, that's me. That's. I do. But I'm watching Trevor and them, and they're kind of going, yep. And they're smiling and they're like, yep. Because they know that you're smart and that in. In order. And if they cut you off. Right. They take away what makes Cory Sandhagen so unique, then you're not really going to be as good as you can be. It seems from the outside looking in it, it's a collaboration, more than, you know. Obviously, you hand over the reigns, but they're collaborating with you to bring this product to the world.

[Corey Sandhagen]

I think so, but kind of a little bit, but not really. Like, those guys are good, man.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

They're very good.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Like, Trevor has, like, made a lot of champions. He's like, I can trust that dude to be like, he's not going to take away any of what I got. He's just going to add on to it. Banks is the same Banks, like, you know, wrestling. Like, wrestling, most of you guys start when you guys are five.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Yep.

[Corey Sandhagen]

If you're. If you don't have, like the already built in, just nuance things like where to put your weight in certain spots, how to do certain things, certain ways, it's really, really hard to learn that later. And Banks is one of the hardest workers I've ever met. And we just like wrestle three, four times a week, just me and him just going at it. And it's like, I get to learn all of those things. Instead of like, some coaches would just show you a move and be like, go do the move. And that's not how wrestling works. You know that. Yeah. So just working with him has just skyrocketed.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Me. Especially when you're trying to add in those little feels.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Cuz.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Right. If you haven't wrestled your whole life, you don't have that feel in certain situations. Corey. So when I think about Marab Dualish Willie, he's a guy that goes really hard. Right. He's a guy that's known for his cardio. But there's no way to fight 25 minutes and not be fatigued. Maraba's mastered being fatigued, but not showing it when you're preparing. Are you watching in some of those fights where he looks like he can fight for an hour and go, he's tired there. I can tell he's tired there. Is anybody picking up on that?

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, for sure. I mean, my coach Carrington brought that up. He was like, hey, man, like, just to be clear, this whole narrative around Murad being an absolute animal and having the best cardio on planet earth is. Is not real. Like, that dude gets tired the same way other people get tired, but it's just body language.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Yeah.

[Corey Sandhagen]

And he's. Marav's a tough dude and he's super dedicated to the sport and. And he's just about it, you know? Like, you can tell when some fighters are like, I don't really know why you're here and why you're not. Merab's here, I think, to be the best in the world and to at least strive for that.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Yeah.

[Corey Sandhagen]

And those types of guys, they. They hide their body language. They're tough, they're. They're real good. But he's not invincible.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

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[Corey Sandhagen]

Hey, what's up? It's Mario Lopez.

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[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Surprised at how easily he got through Sean o' Malley in that last fight?

[Corey Sandhagen]

Not really, to be honest. I think that, I mean o' Malley sat for the first three months because he had to get surgery after that fight. You know, he didn't really get to train for that entire three months. And Merab's a workhorse. Like I guarantee you when he loses on Saturday, on Monday he's going to be in the gym still working out, you know. And so no, I think that Merab will always incrementally get better. And I don't know that I can say, say the same for when you're hurt.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

You know, is, is your style because of the movement going to make it harder for him to track you? Because that's one thing that you present that not many of his opponents have is that ability to be in, out, left, right, moving, pivoting, turning, rotating and moving him. Most guys can't do that.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, I mean I'm, I built a style around that for sure. I also have a lot of other things that I'm going to show in this fight that people haven't seen. And yeah, I mean it's really hard to take down someone that moves that much.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Yeah.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, it's super hard. It's really annoying. But yeah, it's gonna be tough. I don't want, I just don't want to say too much.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Yeah.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Like what it is that I'm doing or whatever because this is a big fight. If it.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

And I'm definitely putting this out. This is not good. The stuff we talk about upstairs stays till we get you get in the octagon. This is going right on the Internet. So that's my disclaimer. So you go and slip up.

[Corey Sandhagen]

That's on you about that.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

But you have to worry about you. You can't worry about what MARAB does, but in worrying about you. Right. How are you judging Your preparation, how are you judging? Like, how, how are you taking note? How are you taking. How are you tracking your improvements? Like when you go home at night and you lay next to your wife and you go to bed and you close your eyes, do you sit and you visualize and go, man, I have done every single thing necessary to win this fight.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, absolutely. I also like to where I am mentally, like before, it was like I just viewed the sport really technical. Like, if I do, if I have better than this other guy, then I'll win as long as I do it at the right time. But for this one and the last couple camps, it's been about breaking everyone. And I really like that mentality and I think that it's really going to carry over and help in this one. But it's just like a different level that I've hit where I feel like now when I go spar with guys, it's not like, let me do good stuff. Like now it's like, I'm gonna break this person and he maybe has two rounds in him if he's lucky, but after that, like, I'm gonna tear him apart.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

How many guys are going through sparrings with you if you're doing five rounds? There's no way one guy's doing five rounds with you.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Oh, no, no, no. I get, I get a new partner every time I go rounds all the way up to eight rounds.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

You do eight rounds of sparring?

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's like my really hell week. And then the two before that are seven round weeks. So, yeah, it's a, it's a lot of sparring. I get really tired. I feel like crying after.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Yeah, it's exhausting.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

When you, Corey, if you become the world champion, what will that mean to Corey Sandhagen? Like, have you allowed for yourself to live that right? To visualize that, to put yourself in the T Mobile arena, Dana White wrapping the belt around you and new bantamweight world champion. Have you allowed for yourself to experience that? So that when you experience it on Saturday night, you get that warm feeling of, man, I've been here before. I. I deserve this.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, definitely. I mean, I've thought about it every day for the last since I got the phone call, you know, but more than that, man, I see this just as one step on the ladder. Like, I know for in order for me to be viewed the way that I want to in my career, I got to go out in 2026 and, and beat Umar, beat Yan and beat O'.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Malley.

[Corey Sandhagen]

So that's my plan after this one and Merab and winning a belt is important to me, but so is everything else that comes afterwards, too, and I'm pumped for it, man. What really excited me about fighting Merab is, one, he has so much, like, attention around him.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Yeah. People love him.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Two, I was like, oh, so it's not too late for me to still create this legacy because Merab's beaten guys that I haven't beaten. So I go out and beat Merab, and my stock can just jump through the roof, and that's what I plan on having it.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

It's the most important fight in the bantamweight division. To beat him at this stage because of the domination he's had over the division for a long time and the momentum that he has right now. Your ability to look at that, though, like, with a clear mind, it speaks to what I talk about. When you and I are word we speak, and I tell you how you're a smart person that can be an analyst is, like, you can step outside of yourself and recognize how much more important it is than just that championship.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think a lot in the future anyways, but, yeah, man. I mean, I don't think the belt is gonna give me a little bit of a bigger head, but I really see it as, like, the work isn't gonna. Like, this shit is not gonna get any easier until I hang up the gloves and I'm all done.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Yeah.

[Corey Sandhagen]

So I don't. I don't. I'm not, like, getting ahead of myself is like, oh, this is the end. This is when I do it, you know?

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Yeah.

[Corey Sandhagen]

This is. The work is really going to start when I win this thing.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Yeah. It's a big time moment for you.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yep.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Saturday night, you have an opportunity to come. A UFC champion. I hope that you and your family have taken account of what you're in store for, and it feels like you haven't. You've added no pressure on yourself to go in and try to chase down an outcome or have an outcome in a certain way, and that's to be commended.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Yep. Thanks.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Congratulations on everything, guys. Corey Sandhagen challenges for the UFC Bantamweight Championship this weekend, fighting Rob dewalish. Wheelie, make sure you hit the pay per view button, ESPN plus pay per View, and go tap into everything Sandhagen's doing. Sorry, guys, there are no ball shots, but you can still look at that little pretty face, huh? Still no smile. He just doesn't do it. He doesn't give anything what you you and Dominick Cruz. Do you talk to Cruz?

[Corey Sandhagen]

No.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Yeah, I'd love to. I'd love to sit and have a conversation with you two.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Oh yeah.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Oh my God. It'll be crazy.

[Corey Sandhagen]

You would just stare.

[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

You would. The fact that you both are think are so smart and think that you're right, it would make for the most intense conversation of all time. Guys, until next time. Like subscribe and tell your friends about DC's YouTube channel. I'm checking in with people like Corey Sanhagen. Until next time. Peace. This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of ufc. When you're streaming the fight or sharing those takedown highlights, you need a wireless provider that keeps you close to the action. With Total Wireless, you're covered by the Verizon 5G network, so you don't have to worry about your connection being knocked out at the biggest moments. It's not something you can usually say about a wireless provider, but Total Wireless really does have your back. They're in your corner every second of the day, so you never miss a thing. Visit totalwireless.com or visit your local Total Wireless store to learn more about how Total Wireless can be in your corner. 5G access requires a 5G capable device and a 5G service area. Additional terms apply. See website for details.

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[DC (Daniel Cormier)]

Warning.

[Zyn Nicotine Pouches Announcer (Alternate)]

This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

[Corey Sandhagen]

Hey, what's up? It's Mario Lopez. Back to school is an exciting time.

[Mario Lopez]

But it can also be overwhelming, and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in, ask questions, stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to [e-mail].

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This is an iHeart podcast.