Joe Pyfer - UFC 17-Sec KO Secrets, Meeting Mike Tyson and Terrifying Childhood Stories | SRS #221

[Music]. Joe Piper, welcome to the show, man. >> Thank you so much. Like a kid in the. candy shop. >> Well, I'm pumped about this. I am pumped. about this. And uh you know, you know what I'm really excited about. for this is your your upbringing. >> And uh is you know, as we were. discussing downstairs, you know, I just. I didn't grow up like that. And um I.

mean I didn't have it easy, but I didn't. grow up like that. And uh and you know, just like through this show, man, I I. had no idea how many people how many. kids go through some type of abuse, whether it's physical abuse, sexual. abuse, or verbal abuse. And like it's. it's I picked up on that years ago when. I first started this. How many kids go. through [ __ ] like that? And then to see. people break generational curses and and.

and pull out of that. I mean, it's I'm. not going to say it's unheard of, but. the majority of people never make it. out, you know, and and so to bring. somebody like you on, you know, it just. with everything that you've been through. as a kid, I mean, it just brings so much. hope to other children that are going. through that and and it it it proves to. them that there's there's a way out of. that. So, that's that's the biggest. thing that I want to interview you about. and and that that it just I just commend.

you, you know, for pulling through it. and uh I I know this is going to this is. going to bring a lot of hope to a lot of. people, man. So, thank you for being. here and and uh and being giving us a. window into into your life. >> Of course, man. It's uh I'm an open book. with it and I think the best thing I can. do is share the story. Um so, it can. inspire kids that are voiceless. um and. don't have a way to express or don't. know how. You know, I can only speak on. my journey and what I've done with my I.

guess pain and struggle that I've turned. it into, you know, something that I can. be successful at and obviously go and. provide a way for myself uh to live. But. yeah, I mean it's um I think it's wildly. more popular than everybody thinks. and mine's kind of average compared to. the abuse cases, you know. So, uh, I'm. just fortunate that I had good people. around me and, you know, as we'll get. into it. Um, yeah, I still have those. same long life, uh, friendships and and.

the same people right next to me. So, I'm excited to tell it and share it and, um, you know, dive into it. >> Good deal. Good deal. Well, everybody. starts off with an introduction here. So, Oh, I know. I'm blessed. Joe Piper, a UFC middleweight contender. with a professional record of 14 and. three. UFC record of 5- one. Secured a. UFC contract after a knockout. performance on Dana White's Contender. Series after some significant setbacks. Known for your knockout power and.

relentless drive, earning you three. performance of the night bonuses. The. subject of the acclaimed documentary. Journey to the UFC, directed by your. longtime friend Chandler Henry, who won. best featurelength documentary at the. 2024 Garden State Film Festival. you. know, and um got a couple other things. to get through in the interview, but I. read I read somewhere that you reject. the title or the label role model. >> Yes. And you know, I just I wanted to.

ask you why why you reject that label. because and here's here's why I'm asking. because, you know, just in our. conversations downstairs and through the. research of, you know, um of your life. story for this interview, I mean, in my. opinion, that's what you are, man. You. are a phenomenal athlete and people look. up to that. And you know, we just talked. about your upbringing and I mean, you.

dude, you are a [ __ ] role model for. kids. You're a role model for everybody. whether you like it or not. But more. specifically, like what matters, you. know, is is. what matters to me is there's just not. that many athletes that people can look. up to these days that are decent human. beings, do the right thing, that have. been through hard times. And you're one. of them, man. And uh so I just wanted to. ask you, you know, why do you reject the. title role model? >> I think I reject the the title role.

model for uh a couple things. And I. think one of them is that I'm an. imperfect person. And I don't like to. view myself as a role model. I'm just a. guy that is passionate about what he. does and wants to reach the highest. level. And I want to find out what my. limits are. You know, I have no idea if. I'll be a world champion. I have the. belief I'll be a world champion, but I make mistakes, right? I say some. things that people don't like. Um, so I. don't think I'm fit to deserve, I guess, the title of a role model. Um, and I'm. not sure if any human is really fit to.

be a role model, but I definitely. believe I can be an inspiration. I hope. I could be a little ignite uh ignite. like a little fire in somebody's heart. to go and try and whether it's fighting. or whether it's soccer or something with. school where you can go and try to reach. the highest the highest level. So, uh, I. think it just bothers me being a role. model cuz I know I'm not the best person. in the world, right? But I don't steal. from people. I don't hurt people for no. reason. And I don't think that, um, I've.

ever gone out of my way to do so. So, I. think an inspiration is the the safest. way for me to be because I think this. world is very judgmental, obviously. And, um, yeah, I don't know. I just. don't think that I'm worthy of being a. role model. I think my story is. inspirational and um, I think my career. has been inspirational. you know, just a. little bit of stats that you read off as. someone who's only 28 years old, who's. only been in the UFC for two and a half. years. And um yeah, and I think my story is. inspirational, but I don't know if it's.

a role model type. >> I don't know. >> It is, you know, but being a role model, I mean, that is a that is a. responsibility that nobody asks for. Your fans are the ones that deem you the. role model, not you. And uh you carry. yourself very well. say some things that you know what I. mean that a lot of people what whatever. man it's your beliefs and in and you. know we see so many people in society in. politics in Hollywood in sports and [ __ ]. everywhere you know that that are scared.

to speak their mind and say what's. actually on their mind and and that is. that's becoming lost on the American. people. So, I mean, I I mean, I think, you know, from what I know about you and. and what I'm about to learn, I'm I I. from what I know right now, you are a. great person. And. >> the one the one thing I will say as far. as the role model too is I think the. reason I say that is. if there's going to be a role model. type, um,

yeah, it's very hard. I guess the role. model type would be like how I never. quit. like that could be a role model. type part but as far as just being the. person but you know there's there's. often when we talk about athletes as. being role models I don't think there is. a lot of role models as athletes as like. what we're saying but I think it's. because everybody wants all the glory. and then they forget who they are. >> and they fall in love with this identity. of I'm an athlete or I'm somebody famous. or I'm a singer and then they start.

treating people less than them. I I. treat everybody the same. If you give me. respect, I give you respect. And if you. treat me like [ __ ] I treat you like. [ __ ] Um, but I'm not going to go out of. my way to be spiteful or anything like. that. Um, so, but I do have I do have. that that other side of me. So, we all. do, don't we? >> I do have that other side of me. Yeah. So, yeah. You know, I'm not a perfect. person. And that's why I say about the. role models cuz I will [ __ ] up. And, um, you know, I will say things that people. don't like that can be controversial. I've had that recently in my career. Um,

I got some funny names. Poopy Pants. Piper, Salty Joe Piper, you know, all. kinds of stuff. So, yeah, Mexico did me. dirty, man. So, uh, but yeah, no, it's. it's, you know, but I do think that my. story is inspirational. And I think the. part if you were to take anything and. list that as a role model, you know, I. would say the friendships that I have is. the best thing to mimic, which is. putting good people around you that, you. know, aren't yes men, uh, that don't. kiss your ass just because of success or. just because of spotlight, um, and.

actually care about you as a human being. aside from your performances, especially. in this sport. Um, so yeah, >> man, kudos to you for figuring that out. at uh, age 28. Yeah, >> that's that is uh a hard lesson to. learn. >> It is. It is. And it doesn't come easy. It's it's you really got to search for. it. You really have to ask questions and. you really have to have good people. around you to find it. Um. otherwise, you get all this fame or. success. Not that I have fame or. success, but you know, I would say I'm.

successful in my journey for my goals. And you know, I still have goals that go. deeper than just a gold belt. Um they're. they're more on a a human level of, you. know, being a good person and having. good people in my life. and and. achieving, you know, uh success with. just a wealth of family around me um. that I didn't get to have growing up. So, super excited for that. And I think. the future holds uh a lot of cool things. for me. So, >> I'm sure it does. >> Hopefully, I find out soon. >> Well, hey, I don't know what the future. holds for it, but I do know in the near.

future. So, I got you a couple gifts. here. >> Oh, yeah. >> One. >> Oh, yeah. >> Probably the only reason you came out. here. >> Get this for a year. So, I got to know, are these like some. special gummy bears or are these just. Sean Ryan's gummy bears? >> They're just They're just gummy bears, man. There's nothing. >> There's They're legal in all 50 states. So, if that tells you anything, >> good. >> It's just candy. At least right now, they'll probably become illegal with the. red dye [ __ ] But. >> it's all right. I'll die for these just. once, >> right? And I got you another gift. You.

know, finding out that you're a gun guy. down there. I got a buddy over at Sig. Sour. His name's Jason. I told him you. were coming on. Uh, >> present you with a little a little. something there. >> All right, let's see. >> Let's go. Thank you. Oh, wow. >> Yeah. >> Oh, this is a big boy. >> Yeah. So, down there, you know, you were. talking about, I'm sure we'll dive into. it a little bit, but you had mentioned. that uh, you know, if things didn't work.

out in the in the fighting world that. you thought about joining the military. >> Yeah. And uh so that is a Sig Sauer. P226. >> I've never even heard of this, >> dude. >> But this thing is hefty. >> That is That is. >> Now this I'm going to shoot. >> That is the primo. So when I joined the. SEAL teams, the sidearm, the secondary. that we carried was a 6-hour P226. >> Wow. >> And so they revamped it. That's the.

Legion model. Go ahead, pull that. trigger, B. >> This is a 9 mil. >> That's a 9 mm. >> Oh, that's smooth. You got a racket. >> Still feels smooth, though. Yeah. I. mean, that's like nothing. Wow. Thank you so much. Yeah. You're. welcome, man. >> Thank you so much. I didn't expect this. >> Damn. >> Surprise. >> I love it. Thank you. Thank you. >> Fantastic. I love it. Thank you so much. You got it. You're going to have to help. me figure out how I'm getting it back.

>> Oh, we got you covered. We got you. covered. >> Awesome. That's That's amazing. Thank. you so much. You're welcome. >> That's a great piece, man. Another one. to the collection. >> There you go. 31. >> Special one. Special one. >> And then I have a Patreon account. Patreon account, subscription account. We've turned it into one hell of a. community. I think we have almost. 100,000 people in there now. And uh so. one of the things that I do is I offer. the community uh the opportunity to ask. each and every guest a question. So,

this is from Eric Alger. Joe, you've shared how Dana White not. only gave you a UFC contract, but also. covered your rent after a tough moment. What gave you the courage to be so open. about your situation back then? And how. did your life shift the moment you left. that meeting? >> Yeah, I would say um I think it it. starts way before me being open about, you know, my situation. Um I used to be. super shy. uh and uh super reserved and.

um you know then one time. Sam Orpiza who was probably one of the. most monumental people aside from Will. Harmon who you'll learn you know took me. in uh was a high school wrestling coach. but Sam Morpis I'd known since I was 10. years old and he told me when somebody. tells you to eat or offers you food you. take it you eat and uh it always stuck. with me it was just it it was something. really small but it was like if you. don't take the opport opportunities.

given to you um then you miss them and. just not being shy to ask for something. You know the worst that you can be told. the worst thing you can be told is no. and and you don't get what you want. So. uh you know I didn't tell him that story. uh or situation for the sake of pity. It. was just hey look I let him know I just. fought and I'm about to be homeless on. Friday. I have no idea where I'm going. to live because the house that I was. living in. um was sold. So, I had I'd fought on.

Tuesday. Uh, that's when Dana White's. Contender Series is and I would have. flown home Wednesday. Thursday would. have had to move out and Friday was that. was it. I had nowhere to go. Um, so he. had fronted me some money that got me a. condo. It worked out where my strength. conditioning coach um his landlord, he. lived in the same uh condo complex and. she had had one that just literally got. like vacated. She had just let uh let go. of tenants and it wasn't even up on the. market yet. And I told her I would pay. her cash from what he had given me and.

that paid for my whole year upfront. rent. >> Damn. >> Um, but how it changed it was just, you. know, like Dana White's gotten a lot of flack, you know, essentially. people think that he's a heartless guy, and I don't think that he is, and he's. been super generous with me and super. nice to me, and uh, it's been nothing. but good business. Um, so it was nice to. know that someone of his caliber, you. know, who's apparently, you know, a lot. of people talk about him in a way where. it's like they don't care about their. fighters and you're just a number. And.

to a certain extent, you know, if if. you're not bringing the company money, I. understand why it's like that. If it. don't make money, it don't make sense. It's a business at the end of the day. Um, but it was very nice to see his. heart and uh his genuine care for my. well-being and and made sure that he. took care of me and gave me I mean, essentially that allowed me to take the. next fight the month later. Yeah. >> So, u it was very special. And then on. top of the be Joe Piper moment and. everything, uh it was nice that I had. that kind of impact on the president of. the the UFC. So, from a guy that I've.

been watching since I was 5 years old. So, yeah, it was it was a huge moment, but it just brought back humanity to. my life at the highest level with like. somebody of that status. So, it was. probably the most famous guy I've ever. been in front of at that time. >> Man, that's cool. >> Yeah. So, it was really cool. Life-changing. It it literally was. life-changing. So, I don't know how my. career would have been, you know, sleeping on somebody's couch and trying. to train full-time and and yeah, it was. a rough situation, but, you know, he.

made it that much better and made it. that much easier. So, >> how long ago was that? >> Uh, two and a half years ago. Two and a. half years. I've been in the UFC 2 and a. half years. Uh, I had that fight in I. think 2022. >> So, beginning of middle of 2022, so it's. been about two and a half years. >> Right on. >> Yeah. >> What a guy. That's cool. Yeah, it was. pretty cool. And then a lot of people. were talking [ __ ] on him recently about. the the the Ben Asin thing with the lung. transplant. Uh he had a double lung. transplant that he needed to get and uh. people were like, "Oh, he didn't help.". But you know, then he came out and uh.

the post actually after this weekend, this Nashville card, um he said that he. had given money to Ben Ascrin to help. him with his transplant. So, it's super. cool. You know, those those are things. that go beyond fighting. >> Yeah. and business and uh you know it's. nice to see that he gives back and you. know actually cares about people. >> Is there is there like uh what's the. community like the UFC community? >> Uh as a whole. >> behind the scenes I mean does everybody. lift each other up or.

>> I will say nah not really man. Not. really. So it it depends like the fans. are ruthless man. They either love you. or they they [ __ ] hate you. Uh, but. you know, as far as like the fighters. between each other, they're really. respectful for the most part. Like I've. never had an issue. Um, but then you know there's the guys. that just have bad blood beef like guys. like Kabib, Nate Diaz, Jones, DC, things. like that. They genuinely hate each. other. Uh, Cody Garbrandt, TJ Dillashaw, those rivalries. And um, so yeah, it's. it's a hit or miss, but I would say for.

the most part, fighters amongst each. other are very respectful. Um, ultimately this is our job and we're. competitors. So, I would say it's pretty respectful. But as far as the fan base, man, it is a. ruthless business. People will always be. a [ __ ] loser if they hate you and. they will let you know for years. I. mean, I have a fan that's been dedicated. to telling me that I'm a loser for like. the past year and a half and I save all. this [ __ ] I think it's hilarious, but. yeah. So, it's uh it's 50/50 for sure. >> How hyped up is it?

>> Uh, as far as what part. >> theatrics, >> none. >> None. There is no scripted. There is no. fake anything. Um, that's all all the. other organizations aside from UFC. UFC. is the most. >> Let me let me rephrase that. Let me. rephrase that. I don't mean like. theatrics in the ring. I don't mean any. of that stuff. >> No, I'm talking about press conferences. >> No [ __ ] That's all real. >> All real. All real. Yeah. We don't you. don't get any type of The only thing. we're told is don't touch each other. That's it. Everything else is real. So.

whether the fighters between each other. sometimes are cool and they'll say, "Hey, let's let's hype this up. Let's. talk some [ __ ] so that way we can get. people interested, you know, that's a. private conversation, but um yeah, no, none of it's fake.". >> Right on. >> Yeah. >> Right on. I thought for sure some of the. drama going on behind the scenes was. maybe. >> encouraged. Jon Jones and DC truly hated. each other. And they still, if you've. ever, you know, followed it, they still. hate each other, I think. So there's a. little bit of respect there. Like DC.

will give him his respect, but they. still don't like each other as people. >> Interesting. >> Yeah. And they've already competed twice. and so Yeah. No, none of it's fake. >> Who's your arch nemesis? >> [ __ ] Paul Craig. >> Really? >> Yeah. I don't like that dude. I don't. know. I just He didn't even do anything. to me. I just don't like him. I don't. like I just don't like the way. >> I don't like him, man. cuz you know I I. I had a fight last year and I fought uh. this guy Mark Andre Barrier who I did. like um after the fact but um I called.

him out. He said accepted. He was a 205. and I wanted to fight cuz he had beat. the the current champion Mamedon Kolive. Um you know he just got lucky I think. for sure. Um but you know he's a 205. I. don't like his theatrics of putting on. his face paint and getting in people's. face and doing the mean mug and. everything like that, but then fights. like a [ __ ] in my opinion. He lays on. his back. He's a back princess. So, I. don't Yeah, I don't know. I don't like. the guy. And then I went to Grandpa. against him in a jiu-jitsu tournament.

and he put his name there. Then when. they offered my name to him, he. disappeared. So, it's just, you know, I. tried to beg the matchmaker to give me. that fight, it wouldn't happen. And I'm. like, you know, any fight that I've. asked for, I really haven't gotten, which is kind of frustrating. So, it is. what it is. >> You ask for fights. Is that Is that. >> I'll give them Yeah, I'll give them. suggestions. Look, the UFC basically is. like they offer you a fight, you take. it. If you don't, they'll bench you. Um, so it is what it is. Um, you know, you're really not in the business of. picking your fights, which is fine. Um,

you got to fight who they tell you to. fight. So, >> what happens if two people want to fight. each other? Is it does it go farther? >> Not all the time. Not all the time. Like. like I said, me and Paul Craig, he said. he accepted after I called him out after. I won my fight and then, you know, it. never happened and it was kind of just. lost in the air. So, I was pretty. disappointed with that. When I first. made my debut and I had won my fight, I. wanted to fight the guy I broke my elbow. against. He was already in the UFC. He. got a contract off of me breaking my. arm. And uh I felt some type of way. about that cuz I didn't think he.

deserved it. It wasn't. It wasn't like he made me tap. It wasn't. like he was whooping my ass. It wasn't. like he submitted me or, you know, knocked me out. So, I was like, how does. this guy get a contract? And then he. went on, he was like one and three in. his first four or something like that or. two and four in his first five or six. And um yeah, they wouldn't give it to. me. I actually talked to Dana White. personally, was begging him for the. fight cuz I wanted to get him back um. just because, you know, I got some. pretty bad scarring from it and I wanted. to hurt that [ __ ] So,

>> damn. >> Unfortunately, I've had to put it in the. rearview mirror. I think I'm so far. ahead of him ahead of him that I'm never. going to get that fight back. Um, it is. what it is. But yeah, I [ __ ] hate. Paul Craig. I think he's a [ __ ]. >> Right on, man. >> Well, let's move into your life story. You ready? >> Yeah. >> Where'd you grow up? >> So, I was born in Violin, New Jersey. Um, small town. Um, I lived in. Pittsburgh from uh the time of four. years old until 15. And, um, one of five. kids. Uh, I got four sisters, two older,

two younger, and were all bloodrelated. And my parents were married for about 20. years before they got divorced. And, um, yeah, so grew up in grew up in. Pittsburgh. It was more of like a. farmland type deal. And, um, I loved. nature, things like that. Um, was pretty. quiet, timid kid. Um, my father started. learning jiu-jitsu and MMA with a guy. named Steven Heg at uh, probably around.

when I was about four years old. And. then about four and a half years old, my. dad started forcing, you know, and I. don't want to say it in a bad way, but. introducing me uh, into jiu-jitsu and. MMA. And then that's when I started. training. And I wind up having my first. jiu-jitsu tournament at 5 years old. >> You started at four years old. >> Four and a half. Yeah. >> Four and a half. And then I started. competing uh right before I was six at 5. years old. I my first competition I. think was August 3rd or August 4th of. 2003 and I was born in 1996. So I would.

have been turning six that year. >> Wow. >> Yeah. >> I started my kid at three. >> You started him at three? >> Yeah, man. >> Even better. >> I wrestled. I wasn't any good. But I. wrestled and I remember in high school. I'd be like they they would come around, oh this guy started at five and I'd be. like, "Oh, [ __ ] Here we go.". >> Yeah. I will I will say I think. wrestling is is the greatest foundation. even over jiu-jitsu. I think wrestling. if you're going to go in combative. sports obviously I think wrestling is is.

the greatest. >> I would also venture to say it's it's. better than jiu-jitsu uh even if you. aren't going to be in the UFC because. it's it's still a team sport but it's an. individual score. Um, so the performance is about you, but. you're obviously still working with your. teammates and you still have discipline, you know, weight class, you're still. trying to compete to be on the varsity. team, things like that. And um, it just. really teaches you to work as a unit, whereas jiu-jitsu is a little bit more. selfish. >> And I think for kids, it's good to work.

as a team versus working individually. and you constantly having all the. attention, you know? So, um, cuz then. you think it's always about you. So, I. know what wrestling did for me and I. started late and I think um I think I. would be even more dangerous had I. learned wrestling a little bit earlier. than I learned jiu-jitsu. So, I think. wrestling is great. Teaches kids. discipline, commitment, um diet, health, >> how to lose. >> How to lose. Yeah. You know, they don't. let you freak out. If you freak out, you. lose team points. So, and you can get.

sat out. >> Yeah. So, I would definitely say that. that's the greatest foundation. You know, I going through your all the. information that I've looked at on you. I mean, it's it's. I read that your first memories you. think are a one year old. >> No, my first memories are about 5 years. old. >> 5 years old. >> From what I was told, my first memories. that were bad is that, and I was told. this by my mother, who has pictures, that I started getting beat at a year. old. >> You started getting beat at a year old.

>> Yeah. So, the story behind that and. that's when the abuse starts was from my. father who. I guess beat me because I [ __ ] my diaper. and wiped it on the wall. Um, but that. was because I was left unattended in the. crib or I was going to say crate, but I. don't think that's the right word. So, I. think it was a crib and um my mom, you. know, I come home and there was bruises. all over me around the top of my head. >> Holy [ __ ]. >> Down my spine. Um, and it was very.

frequent that it would happen. So, she. was initially going to call um I'm. pretty sure she called the cops on him. for some reason. I don't know if it was. that, but then she had wind up calling. the cops on him um for some abuse at. some point, but yeah, I started getting. beat at a year old. So, yeah. And um we had had child. services in and out of her life all. throughout my childhood. But yeah, so my. earliest. my earliest remembrance of getting beat. was, you know, I I would say 5 years old.

pretty clearly. Um I don't really. remember anything before 5 years old. I. don't know if that's normal or not, but. um that's that's basically when I. remember it. And it was because of. jiu-jitsu. So that's my earliest. memories is getting beat over jiu-jitsu, whether I couldn't learn to move fast. enough or comprehend or something of. that matter. So yeah. How are the how are your siblings, your. sisters? >> So, I have a sister that was born in. '94, a sister was born 95, I'm 96. My. younger sister is 98 and then my other.

sister is in 2000. So, um Sarah being. the oldest, I don't she was February. 16th of 98 or I'm sorry, 94. So, I don't. know if she's 30 now. We don't talk. >> You don't talk? >> No, we don't talk. Um just because you. know there's there's. >> that's later on. But yeah, we don't. talk. Um, we don't see eye to eye. um. she's still going through I think a. dovest a domestic violent relationship. and I don't want to be a part of that. and she has kids and you know they kind.

of cut me off because I whooped one of. my sister's boyfriend's asses at one. point and um you know when they stopped. talking to me over that and then they. were upset that I wasn't able to be in. their children's lives as much as they'd. liked or they said I didn't have an. interest. and it's just kind of like you know do I. want to have people in my life that. don't want to move past the past or do I. want to have people in my life that are. trying to you know hit new goals and. actually achieve. um.

you know greatness and I just I don't. want to live in the past all the time. So they're kind of still stuck on the. past and I'm I'm not with that. >> Why did you whoop your sister's. boyfriend's ass? >> Cuz I found out he was a methhead and um. he told me I wasn't a man and on top of. it he called me a [ __ ] so had to show. him what was up. Didn't like him anyway. guy was a pathological liar. Cheated on my sister. Um, now he's. dragging her through a really ugly uh. court case, which, you know, I'm not.

involved in or anything, but you know, that's just my outsiders view on him. Um, and uh, you know, he's trying to. take her kids away from her type deal. And I think she's a great mother and um, so yeah, uh, it doesn't take much to. piss me off, especially if you're a. scumbag like he is. So, um, yeah, I. don't respect men that get women. pregnant, especially my sister, and then. are out there doing drugs. Um, I don't. care what low point I'm at in my life. Um, I would never do drugs. I've never.

done drugs. And, um, I sure I sure as. [ __ ] wouldn't do it if I was about to. have the greatest responsibility in the. world, which was fathering a child. So, >> yeah, I had no respect for him for it. So, >> Damn. >> Yeah. >> How long ago was that? M. this was two weeks before I broke my. elbow in the contender my first. contender fight. So um yeah but. unfortunately my my family has been so. damaged. by the way that we were brought up and. um you know that there's really no.

loyalty between our family or there was. none. You know I still I talk to my. mother now and I talked to that sister. um that I didn't talk to um whose. boyfriend I beat up. Me and her still. talk now. Um, I talked to my youngest. sister. I've seen my second oldest. sister, but I haven't seen my oldest. sister in probably six, seven years. >> [ __ ] man. >> Six years, maybe. Something like that. So, um, >> does that bother you? Oh, >> of course it bothers me. Um, you know, but I think the Of course it's going to. bother me. You know, I don't think that. they're bad people. It's just it's.

really tough. to go around a family that you, you. know, is is just all broken up and. they're all they're all [ __ ] up. They've all had issues. Um, and I think. a part of it is my father never taking. accountability and just kind of damaging. their life and then going and living his. own life, you know. So, um, avoidant of. all abuse, of all accusations and um, so. yeah. Yeah, it definitely bothers me. I. want to see them do well. Even if we. didn't talk, I want to see them do well.

And I think that's what bothers me the. most is my family's always split. They're never You'll never go to a. holiday and everybody's getting along. It's, uh, well, you're talking to this. sister. Well, you're a traitor. Oh, I. tried and you're a traitor. They all. they look they all look at each other as. enemies because they don't understand. the value of family. Um, >> damn. >> And I think that's the part that's the. most damaging about it all is that he. really disrupted, you know, he really, I. think, damaged their insight as to. family having their back. You know, it. was boys versus girls. It was me and him.

versus my mom and my sisters. And that. was just a dynamic that we grew up in. and you ratten each other out or if you. ever heard something that was super, you. know, bothered somebody and you had been. told like, "Hey, yeah, you know, I feel. this way or I'm depressed about this.". The second you had an argument, you. throw it in their face. So, uh, you. never had trust between your siblings. and you never had trust in your parents. So, yeah, man. We were all victims of uh. this guy's abuse and um it was like we. were little slaves to him.

>> Damn. Let's dive in a little bit more. deep. M what what kind of stuff? Let's. talk about some positive stuff. What. what were if there is any what were you. into as a kid? >> Yeah. No, there's some positive things. I will say one of my favorite singers, first memory I ever had that I actually. remember from 5 years old is Selene. Deion. Yeah. And I'm freezing by the way. >> Are you? >> I'm chattering. >> Here we go. >> Um. >> here a little bit. She um but yeah,

first first uh song I ever remember. hearing was I'm Alive by Selen Deion. It. was one of my favorites and um. uh. yeah, there were some good things. You. know, I'd gone fishing with my. grandfather a couple times um who I only. met a couple times and that was a really. good memory for me. I used to love it. He would always play Selen Deion. So, it. was like a monumental point in my life. and I thought a lot of her music got me. through some really lonely times in. life, especially being young. It was. always uplifting. Always liked it. You.

know, it sounds funny, but uh I loved. it. Um so, that was a good memory. Um. and even, you know, I had some really. good memories with my pops, um with some. of the jiu-jitsu, especially when I won. You know, he seemed to be very proud. early on. And um but that was very shortlived. It. was probably for about two tournaments. that I can remember. It was the first. one and um. first one and then probably uh in 2007. one of the grapplers quests that I had. won. He was very happy. Um so my first.

and then that was probably the last time. that I ever felt like he was happy or. proud of me. Um what are some good. times? We went to the beach a few times. Me and him would go play video games at. the arcade. I was always into video. games. I was homeschooled. So, I grew up. homeschooled from, you know, the time I. started school until about 8th grade. Then that's when I was in school all the. way up until I graduated. I had a short. stint where I was in public school from. about 5 years old. Started getting. bullied, got pulled out, and uh and then.

8th grade obviously till graduation I. was in public school. But um so getting. bullied at 5 years old. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, just cuz we had. hand-me-down clothes. We were the. poorest probably one of the poorest. families that were going there. Um, so. they'd make fun of my clothes or make. fun of my hair or. yeah, I don't remember kids. I just. remember getting into it with a kid in. the locker room where they were going to. jump me and you know, kid was like. telling me some vulgar things like, "Oh, you can suck on these balls, all this. shit." Like, and you're talking about.

kids that are in fifth grade, you know, and I wasn't used to that. I wasn't a. fighter. I trained, but I didn't have a. mean bone in my body. It wasn't I was. kind of a [ __ ] honestly. So, um, it. just wasn't how I was raised. Uh my mom. tried to stop me from doing jiu-jitsu. Didn't want me to have a mean demeanor. and things like that. Um she didn't want. my growth to get stunned because like. when we trained we trained hard. It. wasn't it wasn't like a little like kid. like hey yeah you know good job type. thing. It was what are you [ __ ]. [ __ ] You can't get it. Getting.

slapped hit um getting screamed at the. entire time you know crying and still. trying to learn. >> You can't put a kid in a stressful. situation like that. And uh. >> yeah you always felt like that. I always. I grew up thinking that there was. something wrong with me. So just because. I always thought I had like a learning. disability or maybe I was [ __ ]. [ __ ] Like I don't I didn't I had no. idea what it was. So. >> who would slap you around? >> My father. My father. So you know if you. could learn something and he was trying. to teach you, he would get very. frustrated and scream at you. Including.

my sisters. You know it wasn't just me. My sisters all learned jiu-jitsu too. U. my older sister used to be a pretty she. was a young Ronda Razie. She probably. would have whipped her ass if she stuck. with it. But. >> Wow. um you know then you start hitting. puberty, you become a woman and it's. just not what they're into. So it's uh. becomes uncomfortable for them and they. didn't want to do it and he basically. disowned him over it. >> and hated their guts. So. >> but yeah, some back to the the good. memories, you know, we gone to the beach. a couple times and we always cherished.

those moments, you know, we're kids so. it wasn't really hard to to win us over. with with good times. Um, my mom did her. absolute best and um, you know, even. though I feel like she was an absent. mother as far as love with me because of. my father and just the dynamic of our. family, I will always respect her work. ethic withholding two and three jobs uh, with a husband that refused to work. Um, >> he didn't work. >> So, he was a loyal truck driver and he. got hit in an accident. He got t-boned. and um, apparently blew his back out or, you.

know, had a herniation. I'm not sure. what the details were of that, but. basically had a back injury and then. went and got surgery in 2004 and. collected SSD ever since and never. worked a job. He would try some odd and. end jobs like he did really cool. woodwork uh like scroll saw work like. portraits um but they never really made. any money. Um and then he had an outdoor repair. business uh with outboard motors. So I. would help him with that as basically. his tool boy. And um which I loved, you.

know, I used to love I love cars. I. always love cars. I always loved loud. [ __ ] And um I always enjoyed being by. the beach. I always loved boats. I. always loved fishing. So that was a cool. outlet even though it was miserable. because you're getting screamed at the. whole time. You know, getting the wrong. tool, [ __ ] like that. But uh you know, it was good for me. It was really good. for me. So you know, he tried to do an. income as far as that, but never used it. to help the family, never used it to buy. the family [ __ ] It was just always for. himself. And uh it was never enough.

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or call 972 patatriot. >> All right. So, we were talking about we. were talking about good things. >> Good things. Yeah. Another good memory. was obviously, you know, winning a. couple of tournaments like I had said, but th those were good memories. Um, video games were good memories to a. certain extent, but everything that was. good wind up becoming super abusive. So, >> really, >> yeah, everything started out good. And. my dad had great qualities. He really. did. >> But.

he let whatever demons that he has take. over. And um things really really really. went I mean he always had a temper. always but things really went bad after. the surgery. I think he uh I think he. started to lose his mind a little bit. because of narcotics. and uh I never really realized that. until a couple years ago though. But you. know he was always on gabapentin Xanax. perks oxies. um. uh what's the other one? I don't.

remember, but you know, and he would. always drink a ying yingling or two. yinglings with it, you know, and um that. [ __ ] makes you very fine-tempered. >> What do you mean started out good? I. mean, we just talked about at age one. >> Yeah. I think when I say started out. good is like. first tournament, super proud, super. happy. I won. I submitted everybody 5. years old. Great memory, you know, one. of my greatest memories in competition. It's what started everything. love. I remember that. Yeah. Very well.

>> Um I'm pretty sure I leg locked a kid. and I armbarred a kid and I think I leg. locked another kid or maybe I I think I. uh armbar guillotine and leg lock. So um. it was a very good memory for me. I got. to see Ken Shamrock down there which was. one of my favorite fighters as I was. young. was one of the first people I. remember watching him and his brother. Frank Shamrock who was pancration. and uh you know he was proud. Um and. same thing with like video games. It.

used to be fun and then it got really. bad. I got one of the worst beatings of. my life over a video game in the end. Um. >> why. >> for a [ __ ] video game? >> Cuz I was [ __ ] good at video games. and I was co-op playing with him and I. was stealing his kills. Sounds so. [ __ ] stupid. Serious. >> Sounds so stupid, brother. But sorry I'm. [ __ ] nice at video games. >> Do you remember that? >> Yeah, of course. Well, that that last. beating was I was 15, 16. I was 15 going.

on 16 and it was right before it was one. of the last beatings I got before I ran. away. So, started out good, ended bad. competition started out good and then if. my dad's the kind of guy where if he's. not in absolute control and he's not in. the spotlight and I don't give all glory. to him you're you're dead to him. So. that's how it changed. You know the. first competition he was just happy and. I think he had good intentions and uh I. will always be grateful for his. introduction into the sport. It's how I. know what it is. It's how I've gone to.

you know do what I've done because of. his introduction. But I will I will say. this. He gave me tools he never thought. I would go and build a house with. So, um, he gave me the tools and that's it. And then other people gave me the. blueprint and I've gone and built the. house. So, that's the best way to look. at this story. And, um, yeah, you know, like I said, competition used to be. good, turned bad. Um, >> what. >> Yeah. >> Would you say your first memory is.

getting your ass kicked by your dad? I. mean, could you be descriptive? What. What was that about? I remember we were. wrestling in the we were wrestling in. the living room. It's also the memory of. when I first remember hearing Selen. Deion and he had a stereo and we were. wrestling and uh I guess I choked him a. little too hard at 5 years old. >> 5 years old. >> At 5 years old. Um he basically let me. take his back and I put a choke on him. and I remember squeezing it too hard. Uh. I guess for his liking at 5 years old. and he wound up flipping me over and. slamming me right on my head. Um.

basically like a DDT. the way I landed. straight up on my head and then he. kicked me and that was the first beating. into uh into jiu-jitsu that I remember. So, uh I had been slapped a ton of. times, numerous times, brother, more. than I could count. Um overarning or. overarning something slow. I used to get beat if I took too long. with our homeschool curriculum just to. do a phonics page, which was English uh. for homeschool curriculum. Um I mean, he. would beat you with he would beat your.

ass bad, you know. split your skin bad. So, uh, sister's got the same type of. abuse, but I've been hit with a jump. rope by him, uh, which was probably the. worst. I've been hit with the metal end. of a fly swatter, uh, been hit with. spoons. Yeah, I've been hit with a lot. So, yeah. And it was almost like he took. pleasure. That's the one thing that. bothers me about that dude is he took. pleasure in it. Um, the louder you. screamed, it was almost like it fed the. rage that he had. like almost if you. like which kind of like what I have with.

fighting. If I hit somebody and I'll. knock them out, I'm going to keep. hitting them. It's like that. It's like. that like fuel to the fire. I I don't. know. It's a very weird. >> very weird thing. I think he thought. like he was the man by doing it. And um. yeah, it was a little bit disturbing. because it's almost like he wanted an. excuse to hit us or punish us. Um we. used to get put in the corner and I'm. talking about all of us, not just me. I. got it double time because I was the. boy. But yeah, I mean, our punishments. would be standing in the corner, too. But we'd be standing in the [ __ ].

corner for three plus hours. So, yeah. >> Damn. >> So, that was my first memory of getting. beat. Um, that I remember. >> Let's walk through like a a daily. routine in your life as a kid. >> Uh, wake up, make myself eggs. Uh, he. would wake me up at like 7 a.m., which, you know, isn't crazy. sometimes 6 am. and I would go outside and we'd had like. a a cinder block and he make me push it, sprint to it, throw it, sprint to it.

Um, we had like uh tops to outboard. motors. There were the caps on outboard. motors and we'd have like three or four. of them cuz he had a couple boats there. uh that he was working on and we we'd. set them up like hurdles. So I'd run, jump over, jump over, jump over. Um, then we would do sprints. Um, we just. did a lot of like natural body weight. workouts. Um, and then we would play. video games or I would have to do some. type of home school. At that time, my. mom wasn't working three jobs, so she. was the one teaching us in the early. half um before he became disabled. And.

um yeah, so we we would do that, but. then we would play video games. We had a. PlayStation one. I've always been a. PlayStation kid, and you know, I loved. video games. Always love video games. It. was like a little escape from reality. for me and just like constant. seriousness. So, um, and yeah, that was. it. It was probably video games and. training. That was most of my that was. most of my life. And sometimes we go to. the shore, um, with like 20 bucks and. just like that's all we had. And we. would [ __ ] play arcade games. So, it.

used to those were the good memories, you know, and um, they didn't last very. long. >> When would he start beating? Did you. notice any routine? Was it drinking? Was. it drugs? Was it the same time every. day? Was it. >> No, it wasn't the same time. It it was. it was very frequent. I probably got. beat a minimum of five times a week. Um but you know, it usually was over. jiu-jitsu. Um so I started to resent. jiu-jitsu and hate it. Uh and I just. wanted to play with toys and I wasn't.

really allowed. Um and if I did play. with toys, he would come in my room and. like kick all I would spend like hours. building Lincoln logs and he would just. come in and took pleasure in making me. cry and would like [ __ ] smash all. like kick it all over my room. Just. literally I'd be sitting there peaceful. playing and he would come up the stairs. and walk in and just kick all my [ __ ]. over. And then I would cry and he'd uh. call me a [ __ ] and walk out and um stop. crying like a [ __ ] or [ __ ] toys and. then just leave. That's like 5 years. old. You know, it hurts your feelings. You don't understand it. You don't know.

how to process it. And it's not that. bad, right? But I mean, it's still like. why? >> Mhm. >> So, he would do a lot of things that. were just didn't make sense. Um, countless beatings over over the. jiu-jitsu, uh, you know, including my sisters, screaming at them, smacking them, pulling them by the hair, um, throwing. them like if if he got so frustrated, he. would grab you by your hair and [ __ ]. throw you face down and then tell you to. go to your room and leave you in your. room for days, hours, and I mean hours, like 8 to 10.

hours was a minimum as punishment by. him. So, I used to be so afraid to leave. my room after getting punished, I would. piss out the window because if I even. tried to go to the bathroom to go get a. sip. Yeah. I got beat the [ __ ] out of. for it. So, I would piss out my window. So, [ __ ] terrified. And I pissed. myself till I was about 12 years old. Wake up from nightmares and [ __ ] like. that. So, I think I think all the. beatings and the.

No, I don't know if it's. I don't know how the mind works, but I. just think from all the like trauma of. like shock of how bad you would get. beat, I think just like led to like. really bad nightmares like devils. chasing me and [ __ ] like that. So, I had. a lot of a lot of bad nightmares seeing. like like like I don't know if they were. demons on the wall or whatever the [ __ ]. it was that I was thinking I was seeing. Obviously, it was not real, but yeah, I. used to be in a really scared, dark. place as a kid. So, >> damn, man.

>> Yeah. Um, >> what was the I mean, what would the. conversation be between you and your. siblings? >> We were We wouldn't really like have a. conversation other than that we would. say we [ __ ] hated him and that we. were afraid of him. You know, we we all. used to say the same story so we. wouldn't get in trouble. There's one. instance, I think. So, I lied about. turning on an electric heater. We always. we were so poor. We got government. assistance almost all my life. And um you know after my dad had became. disabled like it was even harder you.

know and um and then my mom was never. there to protect us from him because she. was working. So that was when [ __ ]. became scary because it's like what are. we going to do? Like how are we going to. [ __ ] avoid this guy? We couldn't even. take a [ __ ] spelling bee. So you. would have 20 words. This is part of. homeschool curriculum. You would write. the 20 words on a, you know, live piece. of paper and then you had in your. homeschool book, you would, you know, spell the word. You would write the. word. He'll read you the word and then.

you have to write the word. It was part. of spelling. I mean, asking this guy. just to take a [ __ ] spelling bee was. one of the scariest [ __ ] build up the. moment of courage parts of your life. because the guy was so [ __ ]. aggressive. What the [ __ ] you bothering. me for? Get the [ __ ] out of you. Don't. you see I'm [ __ ] doing something like. get the [ __ ] out of my face. So, like we. were afraid to learn, but our mom's at work, so how the [ __ ]. are we supposed to learn? And uh, you. know, he would just sit there on his. computer and [ __ ] watch fight videos. all day and.

talk to his friends and play video games. or [ __ ] Yeah. So, it it was a little. bit scary. Um, >> did you guys stand up for each other at. all? >> So, unfortunately, uh, no, but uh, yeah. So, no, it was really like the. girls really tag team me a lot. So, I. used to hate their guts because anytime. there was a beating that was about to. get served, they would all rat me out uh. or all blame me just because it was. easy. And they didn't know any better.

You know, it was just kind of what they. were taught. It's what we were taught. And um you know, I was the boy so I. could handle it. But uh yeah, I mean my. sisters used to be little little mean. people at at one time. you know, I would. get my ass beat and they'd walk by and. smile at me and think it was funny. And. I'm sitting there crying and, you know, screaming or whatever. And uh he used to. do the most humiliating [ __ ] where you'd. have to pull your pants down. They're. all sitting in the living room and you. make them all sit in the living room and. then [ __ ] beat your ass bare naked in.

front of all of them, which is very. humiliating. You know, you got four. [ __ ] sisters. I'm pulling my ass out. in front of them just so you can beat. me. And he would beat you till you cried. until you screamed. And that's how you. would get split skin and [ __ ] like that. I'd hit you bare ass. over the dumbest [ __ ] man. Over the. dumbest [ __ ] I couldn't even tell you. like necessarily. too many specific ones of like why he. would do it, but you know, it's not like. we cursed. We were a Christian family. We went to church every Sunday, so we. didn't curse. We didn't use foul. language. Um.

but yeah, so it was it was a little bit. uh you definitely hold some resentment. and anger for a guy after that. But as a. child, you have unconditional love for. your parents. You know, that was he I. thought he was some great fighter. You. know, he came from Kensington, Philadelphia. He had an abusive life. He. had [ __ ] up parents. I can't speak on. his life other than that. I don't know. what's true, what's not true, but um. but yeah, it was it was a very. disappointing thing to have. As I got.

older, the beatings get worse and the. betrayal get worse and uh. >> he grew up like that. >> He grew up like that. He definitely had. a harder life than me. I don't know. what's true and what's not though. because of all the lies. I don't I He's. I think he's the type of guy who tells. himself. Well, he's definitely the type. of guy that tells him something until he. believes it and then claims it is truth. And that's just a little bit uh I don't. know if that's a little bit narcissist. or psychopath or whatever it is. I'm not. a psychologist, but um yeah, man. He's.

he's told some wild stories that. literally are not true that that I'll. give you an example with. But the one. the one example I wanted to give you is. that we had no heat. So, we lived in a. farmhouse that you had to use oil for. heat and we couldn't afford it. It was a. couple hundred bucks. I think it was. like 450 bucks every time you would fill. it. It would last like a month and a. half, two months. And we couldn't afford. it. And it was winter and I went down. the uh the morning. I think I'm like 6. years old. and uh I turned on the heater and I was.

sitting by the heater and the electric. heater takes a long time to heat up and. I was sitting by the heater, forgot to. turn it off. So, I had it on low, you. know, but regardless, you know, he he. tried to pull, "Oh, you could have burnt. the house down, blah blah blah blah.". So, he lied us all up and he was like, "I'm going to beat every one of you. until one of you tells me the truth.". And I did a [ __ ] up thing. I blamed my. sister. I was scared. I knew he would. beat me the worst. I knew he wouldn't. beat them as bad as he beat me. So, I. blamed my sister and um she got beat and.

I felt like a piece of [ __ ] And so. after I felt guilty, um, I told him that. I did it and he beat me anyway. So it. was kind of like what's the point in. telling the truth if I'm going to get. [ __ ] up anyway. But I understand, you know, at the same. time I understand you can't lie. Um, or. I shouldn't have lied. And I let my. sister get beat for something that I. did. And that was one thing he always. held on to to try to say that I was a. piece of [ __ ] kid at six years old and. never let me live it down. and my sister.

hated me for it and um so that caused. like a little bit of tension between me. and my second older sister and it is. what it is but you know it was cold and. uh it sucked but I mean he beat the [ __ ]. out of her pretty bad and it was yeah. still feel some type of way about it. felt terrible so that was one situation. um with the girls but there's many um. he's grabbed my older sister by her neck. literally off her feet and slammed her. head into we had horsehair drywall I.

Um cuz it was a farmhouse and he's. literally put her whole head through the. [ __ ] the wall. Um he strangled them, ripped their hair, stomped them. Same. thing as me. Strangle my mother, hit my. mother in front of us numerous times. I'm surprised he never went to jail. He. did get locked up once. Um. but I don't remember. He was too young. to remember what the charge was for, whether it was domestic violence or. whatnot. So. >> why would he be your mom? arguments.

Couldn't win an argument or the argument. went on too long. Um, one instance was. um my mom comes in, wasn't even. confrontational, and she has a sherial. Um, and she sits on the couch and she. goes, "So, since when do you watch. hockey?" He gave her the death stare. Made no sense. Gets up, walks over and. literally grabs her by her throat and. she's holding her bowl of cereal out so. she doesn't spill it on the couch. She's. she doesn't like making a mess. So he. grabs her by her neck and she's just. waiting there and you see her turning. purple. She's turning purple, turning.

purple. And he's like [ __ ] holding. her still. And then all of us kids start. screaming and freaking out until she. finally has to drop her bowl of cereal. and start fighting him. She starts to. fight him and he [ __ ] drops her with. a body shot. We thought he killed her. I. mean, Florida and all us kids start like. trying to pull him off and she's laying. there like like you know like winded. winded and um yeah, we all hated him for. it. So that was one instance. Um he. picked up a hammer. Um he had punched. her a bunch of times in front of us,

slapped her a bunch of times in front of. us. Um. yeah, he was just a violent dude, man. And I don't think. he he there was a huge m mood change. like you know I feel like he was a. little bit resentful. or remorseful before 2004, but after. that I mean once he was on narcotics. every day I mean he was dependent on. these things like he couldn't go. without. But the crazy thing is when he. got the surgery, they finished his. surgery. He had he had a fusion. So they. put like a titanium cage in his back.

And. it it's just the wildest thing because. they finished his surgery in double the. time that it takes to do that surgery. I. think it was like four hours and they. finished in two because he was an. inshaped guy. So. I learned this from my mom because I was. still a little bit too young to. comprehend all of it. But, you know, he. has a successful surgery and then he. starts claiming that he has all this. pain and all this [ __ ] and he goes in, he's trying to sue the guy and saying.

that the guy ruined his life and all. this crap, but when they did MRIs and. they did X-rays and they were doing it, there was no inflammation. There was no. fluid and they they were telling him. like, "Dude, we don't understand. We. understand what you're saying, but we. don't see any source for your pain that. you're describing. Like, it doesn't. exist. So, we don't know what you're. trying to do.". and he didn't become successful with the. lawsuit or anything, but he did get SSD. off of that. And I think that's just. what he wanted. I don't think he wanted. to work. Um, and he claimed to be. disabled, right, in all this pain, but. anytime he wanted to hop up and [ __ ] you. up because you pissed him off, it was.

like he couldn't he wasn't hurt at all, but he could still do jiu-jitsu. He. could still box. And um, yeah, it didn't make any sense, man. So, I it just I Yeah, I mean, I've. I've had surgery and I've tried to take. uh I think they gave me Oxy or Perk and. I've tried one uh I think it was Oxy or. Perk, don't remember. And I [ __ ]. vomited. I threw up, couldn't take it. And uh but I will say I felt very. agitated after taking it. So, I can't. imagine if that's what you're on all the.

time and suppresses emotions or agitates. you and that's what you're on and you're. dependent on for I think I think he was. an addict. There's only this the only. way he could say it. You're an addict. >> and you would drink with it. And he used. to [ __ ] brag about how he could take. Viking in like four Viking in and drink. two beers and still drive home and you. with us in the car. So. >> damn. >> Um. >> what would snap him out of it? >> Out of what? >> Out of his rage. >> Nothing. You couldn't stop that dude.

When he wanted to be that way, that's. how he was. Nothing would snap I think I. think fear of going to jail would be the. only thing that would snap him out of. it. My mom would threaten to call the. cops and put him in jail. And then. that's when he would like get even more. violent verbally, but you could tell he. was afraid to go to jail. He's a real. big tough guy against people that. couldn't fight back. That's always been. him. He he somehow always seemed to pick. the right people to [ __ ] with that he. knew couldn't whoop his ass. But he his. biggest claim to fame is that he was 115. and four.

And the crazy thing about that is, you. know, I'm Joseph Oliver Piper the fifth. He's Joseph Oliver Pif for the fourth. You look my name up, I'm sanctioned. I. fought for commissions. I've done. medicals. You can find my name anywhere. Obviously, I'm in the UFC. I'm legit. This dude's been telling people for 20. plus [ __ ] years, probably 35 plus. years now. He's 54 or 53. That he's 115. and four. How do we have Sugar Ray. Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, [ __ ].

Jersey Joe Walcart, Walcott, uh Floyd. Mayweather, you know, Rocky Marciano, we. have all these guys, amateur records. My dad's telling everybody he's 115 to. four. Where? Look his name up. Try to. find it. He's a [ __ ] liar. He But he. said it so many times and he's a. convincing guy. is easily a master. manipulator. They can say it to you. straight to your face without blinking. without switching up like yeah I'm 115. to four where bro even in his he's even.

made a documentary recently to try and. say that I stole his story. He's the. real homeless kid and people been trying. to put his name down in the MMA world. talking about me. Um but you know. there's no proof behind anything he. says. >> He made a documentary. >> Yeah. So he's made a whole documentary. He was even trying to make another one. He made a documentary basically saying. that uh his son stole his story being me. and I did it to get clout and attention. and sympathy from people. >> Where is this documentary?

>> YouTube. And he's got 50,000 views off. my name. So, um but if you look at the. documentary and you watch the. documentary, there's nothing that. addresses the allegations of me saying. that he abused my mother. There's. nothing that addresses the abuse of his. daughters. And one thing that stands. true, what he doesn't realize is there's. six [ __ ] people that say the same. thing and he completely acts like they. don't exist. The same way that, you. know, it's been 12 or 14 years since I. don't remember exact years, but you.

know, it's been 12 to 14 years that he. left my mother and moved in with another. [ __ ] reject that now divorced him. Um, but I think she's a piece of [ __ ] too, because she stood there and watched me. get beat worse than I ever got beat in. my life and didn't do a [ __ ] thing. about it. So, I don't like that [ __ ]. lady. But, uh, I still have like anger. for that woman. But, yeah. Um, >> why do you think so? He left your mom. Your mom didn't leave him. >> Yeah. So, the whole story is, you know,

obviously all the things between me and. him. When I was 15, he was already. cheating on my mother with a girl that. liked me in high school's mom. And my. mom and my four sisters left me and my. father. Um because she couldn't take it. anymore and the abuse of the daughters. and she just needed to get away from. him. And I hated my mom. >> Hold on. Why didn't Why did you stay. with him? >> Because all I had was jiu-jitsu. >> That's why I was jiu-jitsu. Yeah. And I. was brainwashed by him to believe that. my mother was out to get us and ruin my. life and his life. and I loved him.

unconditionally despite all the abuse. Um, >> whoa, hold on. >> How does he mind [ __ ] you into thinking. that your mother is the one after you. when he's the one that's kicking your. ass every day? >> Yeah. I mean, I got beat by my mom, too. Nowhere near the same extent by him. But, uh, the reason being is because, like I said, my mom was kind of absent. with me because. I was like a little clone from my dad. Everything he told me to say, I would. say it. And I think a part of the reason. that became true is because um we're.

homeschooled. So, not to say that we developed slower, but. we definitely didn't realize what was. normal and what was we had no idea we. were in an abusive home. We just thought. that that's the way it was because we. were homeschooled until [ __ ] 8th. grade. >> You didn't have any friends? >> Nope. None. I didn't have my first. friend over till I was 14. >> Are you serious? >> Yeah. Yeah. No friends, no phone. I. didn't have a phone until I had a job. and I would [ __ ] bail hay and do odds. on end jobs here, you know, mow lawns.

and do things like that to be able to. pay for my phone bill. So, I had no. friends. How the [ __ ] are we supposed to. know when we're sheltered from. everything? And we always were told and I think my. mom my mom always had the best. intentions. U but my dad, you know, it. was like we were little slaves for him. He would bang on the [ __ ] upstairs if. he wanted one of the kids to come and. [ __ ] make him something to eat. I'd. never seen that dude [ __ ] cook a meal. for himself ever. Um. uh he didn't treat us like kids that he. loved. He treated us like servants that.

he had. So um yeah. So yeah, you know, uh I was in jiu-jitsu and that was my. identity. That was the only thing that I. could excel in regardless of what he. felt. Um but after that first. competition, if I had ever beat anyone, it was, oh, you beat tomato cans, you. beat crumbs, you're sandbagging, all. this [ __ ] And I was, mind you, I. was 13, you know, 12. I was always going. against older kids. and uh if I lost it was I was a disgrace. to his [ __ ] name and I was pathetic.

and he can't believe it. Waste of his. [ __ ] time and his money and I was a. piece of [ __ ] and I would get beat over. that. You know if I lost I would get my. ass [ __ ] whooped because I. embarrassed him and his name. and that was the craziest thing is. embarrass his name. What the [ __ ] is. your name? What have you done? I couldn't tell you. The guy right now. lives in a one-bedroom apartment. He's. been divorced twice. The chick that he left my mother for. divorced him. Don't know why, but I'm. sure it's something abusive. There's. plenty of cases that I could say that,

you know, prove that he [ __ ] views. people as his slave um and his servant. more than he does a companion or someone. that he loves. Um but you know, he's. been divorced twice. He lives in a. one-bedroom apartment. He has no money. Um, and he has one recent friend that. all of a sudden came out of the woodwork. as his best friend to be in the. documentary Against Me, who's never met. my mother or my sisters. And now he goes back to a black Baptist. church when he was one of the most.

racist people I've ever met. So maybe. not now, but I mean. that's kind of the dynamic of this guy's. snake skin. And um. >> yeah, nobody knew what was going on. Like what about your jiu-jitsu coach? >> Yeah. So. >> team and so my jiu-jitsu coach was my. father when I was young. >> He's the one that taught me everything. when I was young. >> So you wouldn't even interact with other. kids unless you're in a tournament. >> Yep. And I wouldn't even interact with.

them. It would just compete against. them. the only people I interacted with. So, Steve Hag owned Fight Factory and. I'm not sure if you're familiar with. Eddie Alvarez. >> He was a former UFC champion. He fought. Conor McGregor. He was a 155 champion. Fought in Bellator, fought Michael. Chandler. Um, really big name in MMA. And he knew me since I was 5 years old. There was numerous times that Steve Heg, Eddie Alvarez, Sam Orpeza, you know, had. mentioned like, "Yo, you're going too. hard on this kid." He would make me fist. bite [ __ ] 16 years old at 16 year. olds at 13.

>> just to [ __ ] do it and I'd be getting. my head caved in, but I was no [ __ ] I. would still fight him at the gym. >> And then they would stop it. I remember. Steve Hagg stopped it and he was like, "Dude, what are you doing? Like you're. making this kid fight a 16-year-old. who's like way bigger than way like big. kid's been in [ __ ] 50 street fights. and what are you doing trying like. you're getting his [ __ ] head kicked. in and he's crying and I'm bleeding and. like you're just you're the whole time. he's telling me I'm a [ __ ] loser. I'm. not [ __ ] listening. See, this kid's. [ __ ] [ __ ] So, they wind up. pulling him aside and were like, "Yo,

you can't treat this kid like this." And. just numerous times they had heard how. he talked to me. And they would try to. tell him. And he would tell him to [ __ ]. off. Stay out of his business. Don't. tell me how to parent. You don't have. [ __ ] kids. Who are you to talk to me? And um so eventually all their. friendships ended because of it. And uh yeah, so uh many people saw it. Um, they didn't know the extent of it. because nobody was ever over at our. house for the most part. >> So, you legitimately had.

>> no idea that that wasn't normal. >> No idea. Not until I went to public. school. And then I went to public school. and I was starting to get smart. I was. hearing about the things that kids would. do with their parents and going on. vacations and [ __ ] like that. And I'm. like, "What the fuck?" And then they're. like, "Oh yeah, we're all going." Like. some kids would be like, "Oh, if you. want to go hang out here, if you want to. go do this or do that." And I'm like, "I. can't. My dad wouldn't even [ __ ] drop. me off. My dad wouldn't drop me. anywhere. So, >> how quick did you pick up on that stuff? >> I don't think very fast. I I mean, I.

would say not very not slow either, but. I would say by the end of my eighth. grade year, my first year in public. school, my first full year in public. school, I was like, "This [ __ ] is not. [ __ ] normal." And then into like my. sophomore year, I really realized like. how sheltered we were and how good, you. know, some parents were involved they. were. like he wouldn't take me to. wrestling and it was wild. It was like. he didn't want the whole reason he. didn't want me to wrestle is cuz he. didn't want somebody else to coach me. and how he always talked about me was. like um property like somebody's going.

to take what I built. That's how he. would talk. I built you. You owe me your. [ __ ] life. Like those were the things. he would tell me every [ __ ] day. So. you feel [ __ ] worthless. You don't. feel like you have any value. You just. feel like a [ __ ] servant all the. time. And it's like dude what about me? What about what I want to do? I don't. give a [ __ ] about your feelings. Kill. yourself. All this [ __ ] Like. >> he would tell you to kill yourself. >> Yeah. The last one of the last beatings. I got before I ran away, I remember. telling him I started having like. depression um to a severe level. That's.

what I think it was. I always felt like. I never had I always felt like this. empty hole in my stomach and I could. never identify what it was or understand. what it was. But after my father and I. had left my mom and we moved in with. this new [ __ ] woman that he was with, um he uh he didn't do anything with me, like nothing. And uh it was almost like he paraded me.

It was almost like he took pride in. beating me up in front of her to show. her what a tough guy he was, like how. bad he was. And like it was just [ __ ]. corny, man. It was corny, you know. He. knew I would never swing on him because. he had told me a story and because I was. a Christian and I he had told me a story. about how he hit his father and knocked. him out, which I don't know is true. I. have no idea if it's true, but that's. what he had told me when I was really. young. And he was like, "You got to promise. that you'll never you'll never put your. hands on your parents." And I remember. promising and like I always held that.

close. Like I never wanted to have that. kind of relationship where I'd hit my. father or fall back against him, but he. would [ __ ] tee off on me. And I. wasn't getting slapped, bro. I wasn't. getting, you know, like a spanking. I. was getting [ __ ] up. And uh I would. have to cover like a real man and. [ __ ] shield and hide. So I I wasn't I. mean, he broke two of my teeth. He. fractured my orbital bone. Um yeah. So. um the dude was he actually broke my. teeth in front of my friend. What the. first friend I'd had over, his name is.

Billy Cruz, and great kid. Still friends. with him today. He had a [ __ ] up life, too. And we were over playing video. games, playing Call of Duty. Think I was. whooping his ass as usual on there. And. uh [ __ ]. he was trying to like pick on me the. whole time. Pick on me the whole time. Pick on me the whole time. And I finally. got sick of it. And I was like, "Dude, why do you always got to do this when my. friends over?" It's all I said, man. This dude jumped up and [ __ ] punched. me like he was fighting for a world.

title all the way into the kitchen and I. was covering up and he [ __ ] uppercut. me and broke my teeth out of my mouth. 13, 14 years old. And my friend's. standing there like, "What the fuck?". Like, he got sent home after that. Um, his wife, his second wife, watched me. get beat to death basically and did. nothing about it. Did nothing about it. And then he brainwashed her to the point. that she was like, "Oh, you were a bad. kid. You were always mouththing off. Mouthing off." And I was like, "Questioning isn't mouththing off. Questioning why I'm getting beat isn't.

mouththing off.". But his thing was like when I say jump, you say how high. >> You would ask him why you're getting. beat. >> all the time. >> How would you ask him? >> Uh after I got [ __ ] up, I would say. why do you hate me so much? And he would. tell me he hopes I [ __ ] die and I. kill myself and my feelings don't. matter. And um. yeah, that was pretty much the premise. of it. So um he would never give me an. explanation. It was just a rage. You could tell he. had like the crazy eyes, man. He's one.

of them guys that has the crazy eyes. And uh I really started to [ __ ] hate. him. So then I really started. contemplating killing the [ __ ]. in his sleep or killing myself. And uh. that's when I had to get the [ __ ] out of. there. So but he left my mom to lead up. to that part. He left my mom. um and was already cheating on her. He. had cheated on her already, but then he. was talking to this uh this lady and he. moved in with her and she had already.

had two of her own kids and basically. there was like [ __ ] four or five of. us in a two-bedroom apartment and the. whole situation was [ __ ] up and. yeah, I mean. he did nothing with me. He told me if I. join the wrestling team I can [ __ ]. walk to school. So that's where Will. Harmon came into play, who was my. wrestling coach, who had would pick me. up in the morning and drop me off. Sometimes I'd walk to school um if I. ever missed the bus. You know, when I.

was living with him, I had to walk to. school a couple miles in the winter. So. it is what it is. Um I'm appreciative of. Will Harmon. I think he saved my life in. a dark place. He was the only person who. looked at me and actually gave a [ __ ]. about me and said, "Yeah, I think you. can do it. I think you can be a great. wrestler. I think you can be an MMA. fighter. I think you can do I think Joe. Piper can do whatever the [ __ ] he puts. his mind to. And he was the first person. in my life that ever really made me feel. like that. Like, man, somebody actually.

believes in me and cares about me. because I'm just me, not because of him. Um, Sam Orpisa, he tried to cut me off. from jiu-jitsu at 15 years old. I. started submitting that [ __ ]. when I was 16. And so I think it started. [ __ ] with his head like this kid's. starting to get strong. This kid's. starting to like I could manhandle him a. little bit on the ground. And so I think that's why the beatings. got worse. I think he was literally. trying to beat me into submission and. like being a coward and just always. being under his thumb and never leaving. him. I think that was his biggest fear.

was once he realized I started excelling. and getting in shape and really started. loving it for myself from the time of 13. years old on, it was my way of like. rebelling against him, you know. I was like, "Fuck you. I'll start doing. this for me." And I remember telling him. that one time, "I'm not competing for. you anymore. I'm competing for me." And. I remember seeing like grudg teeth like. pissed off like if he could have killed. me, he would have. And the amount of. times that this man has threatened to. shoot me is [ __ ] crazy. Crazy. >> He would threaten to shoot you. >> all the time. All the time. All the.

time. And thank God when I lived with. him, he didn't have a gun, but then his. his [ __ ] wife had a gun, a couple. guns, and he made sure to tell me he had. them. He threatened to kill my coach, uh, my high school coach and a Wawa or. threatened to beat his ass. I don't. remember which one. Either threatening. to kill him or threaten to beat his ass. But he was like, "You're the one helping. my kid." And he was like, "Yeah." He's. like, "Yeah, I should [ __ ] you up or. something like that or I should [ __ ]. kill you.". And it was like, "For what?" Because. he's being the father role that you.

wouldn't be, you know, because he gives. a [ __ ] and you don't. And um. you know, but I think my biggest gripe. with that guy is the amount of the lack. of remorse. and the lack of accountability. He's not. a man. Men take accountability. Men. face, you know, they face the choir and. and they say, "Hey, I [ __ ] up." Never. has he ever done that. And anytime the. the worst part after I had left was that. he made fun of the fact that I was. sleeping in a park. Mind you, I I slept.

in a park for less than two weeks and I. joined the wrestling team. So, I would. shower there. I got one free meal from. school. >> Hold on, hold on, hold on. Whoa. Let's. go back. So, one thing that is on my mind is is you. know, you had you had just said that you. had thought about either killing. yourself or your father. So, I mean, what were those thoughts like? >> Yeah, man. Uh, so. >> which one were you leaning were you. leaning towards the most? killing. myself. Yeah.

>> How were you gonna do it? >> Um, the only thing that ever came to mind. because it was the only thing I had. access to was cough my throat. >> Jeez. >> Um, >> how old? >> I was 15. >> 15 years old. >> Yeah. So, >> thinking about slitting your own [ __ ]. throat. >> Yeah. Or his. >> Or or his. >> I got tired of it, man. You know, I got. tired of expressing myself and I got. tired of feeling that feeling of like. worthlessness. I felt like I had no. value in life. I felt like I was just. breathing air. And um then when he's.

trying to cut me off from jiu-jitsu, I'm. literally going to school and coming. home to an abusive home and there's. nothing positive in my life. And he made it clear to know, let him. know how much he [ __ ] hated me and I. should have stayed with your [ __ ]. mom. If you were with my mom, if I was. with my mom, I probably would have been. put in juvie, which was probably true at. that point with our relationship. She. she had threatened to put me away in a. home. Um, but I also hated my mom's guts. because it's what I was convinced to do. Um, and I started cursing at my mom, you.

know, before we had left, you know, tell. her to [ __ ] off. And one of the worst. things for me that I I still feel bad. about uh what my mom is lying about. where my dad was when he was cheating on. her because I was given that. responsibility to not tell. >> I knew. Yeah. >> You knew. So when she left, um there was. one instance he he took advantage that I. love video games and it was the only. thing I had. I didn't have friends come. over all the time, you know what I mean? It's not like I had a cell phone, uh.

unless I had like a little phone, but I. didn't I had like two people's numbers, his and like one friend. Um and uh one. time he [ __ ] it was like 2 a.m. and. he [ __ ] leaves. This is actually a. great great part to tell. So my mom's. living with one of her friends on a farm. with my four sisters and they're living. in like it it basically was a [ __ ] hole. and they were all sleeping in her living. room on [ __ ] couches and like blow up. mattresses and stuff. So it's not like. they had the comfort of like living in a. nice house. They were living in a shitty. situation but they were just happy to be.

away from him. And I wasn't I was stuck with him. And. we lived off she was gone for about six. months. And me and my father lived on. instant oatmeal uh for breakfast, lunch, and dinner besides the free lunch that I. would get sometimes from the school. And. electric got shut off at one point. And. one of my uh black friends named Scott. Rosear um his grandmother had fronted us. money so we could stay there because we. were going to get evicted. And then our. electric got shut off and she paid that. Um all for him in the end, you know. a.

short story all for him in the end to. call him uh a racial slur which you know. what that means and never pay her back. So he ruined my friendship with her. Um. I was still close with you know my. friend Scott but you know we lost. connection over the years just cuz I. think things just got awkward. Um. but uh yeah so at like 2 a.m. he goes. and leaves to go bang this woman who was. cheating on her husband as well. Um and. and they they [ __ ] in a car and only.

time he let me play [ __ ] video games. is when he was going out to do something. [ __ ] up. And um and then when he was. with this woman that he wound up moving. But wait, before I jump onto that, so he. goes and he does that thing. The lady's. husband winds up finding out. Uh I don't. know if it was days later or weeks later. or whatever cuz they were [ __ ] around. for a little while. And I wasn't talking to my mom at all. when she had left. So, um, the guy finds. out and comes to the house, says he's. going to kill me and him. And he's an.

older dude. He he couldn't fight. Dude. was a [ __ ] But show shows up, banging. on the door. And my dad, the coward that. he is, [ __ ] hides in the other room, and tells me if he walks in, hit him. with this. And I had a he had a wooden. bat, like a wooden staff, and it had. like [ __ ] I don't know if it was. electrical tape or something, but. basically he had a wooden bat. So, I. stood behind the door and if he was. going to walk in, I was going to crack. that [ __ ] right in his head. And. um thank God he didn't come in the. house. But my dad was in the [ __ ]. dining room hiding like a little [ __ ]. and was ready to let me take the.

downfall for something he did. >> Holy [ __ ]. >> But it shows the type of coward he is. >> How old were you when that happened? >> Uh. 15. >> Jeez. >> 15. Just turned 15. So, and um you know. what's [ __ ] up about that situation is. the girl had spent her sweet 16 money on. me and brought us Thanksgiving dinner. And so it was a really it just a really. dark time. It was a very that was the. first part where I remember feeling like. I was always like sad and felt alone. I.

always felt like a a voiceless kid. Um. where I didn't know how to express. myself cuz I couldn't talk to anybody. I. couldn't confide in my sisters because. they didn't know any better. We're all. taught the same thing, which is [ __ ]. telling each other. And the second you. get in a fight, throw something that's. hurtful in their face. And we would cut. deep. So, I wouldn't tell anybody anything. But that was the first time where I just. really started feeling like depressed. and I'm like, "What the [ __ ] is wrong. with me?" I didn't know it was. depression. I didn't know what it was. I. just I had never learned what emotions. were and didn't know how to process it.

And it was just like, "What the [ __ ] is. going on in my life?" And um so that was. that situation. Then my mother moves back and they try. to figure things out. and he's [ __ ]. >> How do you feel about your mom coming. back? >> I missed her. >> You did? >> Regardless of how I hated her or thought. I hated her, I missed her. Um, it felt. Yeah. It felt like a part of me died.

when she left and just felt very empty. I mean, we would blanket off when she. was gone. We were so broke cuz he would. only make like 800 bucks a month. We'd. blanket off the living room and get a. propane torch and a propane tank and. that's how we'd heat the living room and. [ __ ] eat instant oatmeal for about 6. months. We would boil water just to have. hot water because we didn't have. propane. I couldn't afford to do it. Didn't have oil to heat the house. So I. would boil it would take [ __ ] two. hours to boil water just to have a warm. bath. And by the time you [ __ ] did. all that, the water's warm and it's.

[ __ ] like 39 degrees in your [ __ ]. house where you can't even sleep in your. room. You have to sleep on the couch. So. yeah, and I'm still going to school and. things like that. Came home, the. electric was off. It was just [ __ ]. dark. It sucked. I had my first. Thanksgiving without my mom. And that's. where like music was such a big help in. my life. And this guy seemed to be [ __ ]. thriving cuz he was getting [ __ ] So, um, then my mom came back and he was. still cheating on her and, um, I.

remember my mom crying because they were. supposed to be working things out and. she was crying and begging and asking me. to tell her the truth and I was like, "Hey, he's at the gym training." And she. knew that wasn't true, but I just. remember her crying and I just kept a a. straight face and kept playing video. games and refused to like answer her. question because I thought if I had said. something, I was [ __ ] putting me and. him in a jeopardizing situation. And that's one thing that still bothers. me because I know how hurtful that is. Um, having gone through my own. relationships and failures.

and um, so yeah, that sucked. So then we. [ __ ] move. He leaves her, we move, we move into an. apartment. And after the divorce and everything. with my mom and stuff, I testified that. I never wanted to see her again, which. would stick until I was about 18. um. because I thought she [ __ ] hated our. guts and was going to take money from us. and we were broke and all this [ __ ] but. I was really just brainwashed, man. So, it sucked. I didn't have any contact. with her. And um you know, then this.

lady kind of tried to like force this. role of like a mom and he tried to say. that, you know, your mom doesn't even. give a [ __ ] about you. That's why she. doesn't want to [ __ ] see you and all. this and she's the one that got you into. school. He he acted like because they. put me in public school, which you're. supposed to [ __ ] do, that this was. like my new mom and I had to treat her. that way. And I was like, "Fuck out of. here. I got a mom." So, I never adopted. her as my mom. Never [ __ ] liked the. woman. Um, always thought she was. [ __ ] on the spectrum in my opinion. So, and um, yeah, I hated her guts. And.

every time she had an autistic daughter. and she would basically go in and touch. my family photos that I had taken and I. would get really upset and be like, "Get. the [ __ ] off my shit." And he would come. back and beat me the [ __ ] up over that. So the fact that he beat me up over. another woman's daughter who was. touching my [ __ ] belongings that. weren't hers, regardless of your special. needs, stay the [ __ ] off my [ __ ] And uh.

you know one time she was like yeah. I I don't mean to like the daughter she. was like I don't mean to you know talk. about your family or nothing but your. mom sounds like a complete [ __ ]. [ __ ] I was like bro you can't even. [ __ ] feed yourself. Shut the [ __ ] up. I remember like snapping out. And he. beat the [ __ ] out of me for that. Oh. man. He couldn't wait to do it. I mean. this dude rushed home to beat me up. Whatever he was doing he rushed home to. stop my [ __ ] head. Beat the [ __ ] out. of me for it. and he goes in there and. next thing you know I hear him [ __ ].

this [ __ ] girl. So, uh, he's a lucky man, bro. He's a lucky. man and and he's still out there till. this day trying to [ __ ] with me. Whether you're juggling tasks or trying. to stay clearheaded throughout the day, Ketone IQ delivers clean brain fuel that. can help you think sharper, longer, and. smoother. No caffeine, no crash, no. overstimulation. Thanks to the folks at. HVMN for sending me their Ketone IQ.

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treat, cure, or prevent any disease or. condition. >> But so you left at 15, correct? >> Yeah. >> And so I mean, >> right before I turned 16. >> I literally was turning like 16 that. week. >> When are you in eighth grade? Like 13, 14 years old. >> Yeah. >> So it took you two years to figure it. out. >> Yeah. two and a half years. Yeah. I. realized at 15 he was a liar and that's. when it really broke my heart. I. realized all the lies he was telling and. I was like, "Damn, my father's a [ __ ]. liar." And then that's when I started.

turning on him and I started having. resentment for him and then I was. starting to challenge him by asking. questions which he hated. And uh. >> what kind of questions would you ask. him? >> Like why'd you tell this person this. when you just did this? And he would be. like, "Mind your [ __ ] business." And. um, you know, I'd be like, "Well, you. told me when we left we were going to do. this and play g and play games and you. were going to live the bachelor life,

but we were going to do everything. together like build this business with. the outboard motors or we were going to. rebuild a truck together and it wouldn't. happen." And I was like, "Bro, you do. nothing with me anymore." And just the. stories he would tell people. Like the. guy has this god complex. like he has. something that everybody else [ __ ]. wants at 15 years old. Like I said, he. tried to cut me off from jiu-jitsu. He. goes, "Man, I'm [ __ ] done with the. game. All these [ __ ] want what. I got. What the [ __ ] do you got? What did you. go do that everybody wants, bro?" Like,

I'm not even insulting. I'm just asking. the question. So, I remember telling. him, "Why do you tell everybody that you. were 115 and four, but I've looked you. up on the internet and I can't find it.". Who the [ __ ] are you to question me? Got. beat up over that. [ __ ] jumped up, [ __ ] punched me in my face. Um si. simple things the mind you this happened. almost all the time like I would play. basketball across the street we used to. live on it's called Sandy Bank [ __ ]. road in media PA we lived at one Sandy. Bank road nobody lives there anymore so. I don't give a [ __ ] to say the address. but.

Walden Walden Elementary was right. across the street and they had a little. basketball court so I would go play. [ __ ] basketball with the kids that I. just became friends with as the new kid. which was already uncomfortable you know. I went from a school of 340 [ __ ] kids. in the middle of nowhere where to a. school that had 1,600 kids and I'm the. new guy again. So I would go [ __ ] play basketball. I. was supposed to be home at 8:00. I. walked in the door at 8:03. Second I. that the guy was malicious. So that. means you would have had to watch out. the window to watch me [ __ ] walk home. and he would wait behind the door and.

second I walked in and [ __ ] punched. me in the face as hard as he could and. drop me just because I was 3 minutes. late. from across the street where you. can visually [ __ ] see me playing. basketball with kids. Not stealing, not. doing drugs, not never did it, not lying. about where I'm at. And um. yeah, so it was just the kind of guy. that he [ __ ] was, man. And um but I. would I would question him all the time. And so after the beatings, I would go on. like these hour long [ __ ] runs, like. like twohour runs or I would just go.

walk for like six hours straight. In the documentary, there's a good part. where, you know, my coach is driving by. He's used to live in Delo. Uh it's the. area, you know, it's like a couple towns. in one. Like it's it's a couple towns. and and all, but they could just call. the area Delko. And and he my coach Sam. Morpisa uh lived in that area. And um I. just got [ __ ] up, got beat up, and I'm. walking down the street and I have like. [ __ ] Walgreens headphones and and I'm.

like crying and I'm angry and I'm. squeezing my [ __ ] hands cuz I wanted. to kill him. So I just would go on walks. for an hour and he would see me crying. down the street walking and he was like, "I just wanted to pull over and help. you, but I wasn't in the position to, you know, you're still living at home. with your father, but I you like I would. just walk for hours and then he would. threaten to call the cops if I didn't. come back. So it's like you beat the. [ __ ] out of me and then I go to leave. and just walk clear my head and then he. would say get the [ __ ] back now. It was. always it was just a control thing, man.

And uh. one of the last beatings I got I'll give. you the last beating that I got. It was. a three-part beating. So it starts over. this game called I think it was. Uncharted 3 or Uncharted 4. And we were. playing co-op. and I was getting all the kills. I've. always been good at video games. Whatever. Dude starts freaking the [ __ ]. out, bugging out over me getting more. kills than him. You stealing my [ __ ]. kills and he's always trying to outdo me. and all this [ __ ] You [ __ ] scumbag. piece of [ __ ] All and I'm just sitting. there and I'm like smiling at first.

Then he takes the controller and that's. why he [ __ ] freaks out. He takes me. smiling like what the [ __ ] do you want. me to respond? Like I'm just going to. keep doing my thing. Like I'm playing a. [ __ ] video game. We're on the same. team you dick. Like so he takes the. controller and [ __ ] chucks it at me. He splits my [ __ ] head. I still have. a scar in the middle of my head from it. And uh so I have start blood coming down. my face and I looked at him like I. wanted to kill him and he was like, "Yeah, you want to [ __ ] try me?" So. he jumps up. He's, "You want to [ __ ]. try me?" Starts hyping himself up and. then just starts letting off on me in. the living room. So I just curl up and.

uh eventually have like a blood full. mouth. I start laughing at him because I. I was like, "I don't give a [ __ ] You. can't break me, bitch." Like, so I. started laughing. He's like, "Go pack. your shit." So I start packing my bag. comes in the room, takes all my [ __ ]. throws it on the floor, starts [ __ ]. swinging on me again. He was like, "Yeah, this all the [ __ ] I've done for. you." Starts swinging on me again. We. fight in the [ __ ] And I never swung. back. And when I say fight, I'm just. curling up. I'm just trying to defend as. best as I can.

And he's like like grunting. Like you. could tell he loved it. He would grunt. every time he would hit me like like. every single time trying to put. everything he had into it. But little. [ __ ] couldn't knock me out. So, uh. there's that. And then I wind up walking. out of the room. I put my bag on the. couch and he corners me in the kitchen. and he starts [ __ ] swinging on me. again and he's like, "I'm gonna kill. you, [ __ ] I'm going to [ __ ]. kill you." Comes back, [ __ ] like. leaves for like 5 seconds, comes back. I. should have just ran out of the door,

but you know, a little fear locked up, I. guess, at that point. Uh or a little. hope that he was going to like [ __ ]. calm down before I [ __ ] left. And he. [ __ ] pulls out a pocketk knife and he. starts walking towards me. think he's. going to [ __ ] stab me with it. He's. like, "I'll [ __ ] kill you. I'm going. to [ __ ] gut you and all this shit.". So, I [ __ ] shoved him right over the. [ __ ] table. It was like a little. plastic table. Shoved him over the. table, grabbed my [ __ ] bag, ran out. of the house, and never went back. >> Damn, man. >> Slept in the park for almost two weeks,

wind up meeting a kid that was getting. racially bullied that I stood up for. Um, >> hold on. You slept in a park for two. weeks? >> Almost two weeks. Yeah. >> How old? 15. >> Nine days. Yeah. 15. I was turning 16. like the week after. So no birthday for. me but joined the wrestling team. Wasn't. school had started. >> Did that Did the school have any idea. that you were sleeping? >> Eventually. Eventually. No, because this. was before school season. School started. like um.

I was in the park for maybe 3 days. before school started. So then I was in. the park for about a week after that and. then you know we had pre-practice and. things like that. So, I would just use. the locker rooms to go shower. But, um, yeah, it was, uh, it was unfortunate. But, we had the pre-practice for the. summertime already for wrestling season. So, we would do lifts and we'd do runs. So, that's how it was already being able. to shower and go to school already. And, uh, I w up meeting this kid who was.

getting racially bullied uh, in the. lifting room and they were calling him. fat and all this [ __ ] And listen, he. was definitely he definitely has a. disability of some sort, a special. something. Even if it's on the spectrum, something like it was very socially. awkward child. Um and it was very. evident. But um. yeah, I I wind up asking him if he had. anywhere or knew anyone of a place that. I could live or room that I could rent. And he happened to have his brother that. was in juvie for arson. He tried to.

light somebody's house on fire with a. trash can in the garage. Um and he was. away at Juvie. Um, there were two. African kids adopted by a white Welsh. man who was the middle school teacher at. Springton Lake to Penrest High School, which is where I went in the same town. which was Media PA. And um, man, talk. about living conditions. There was. [ __ ] maggots, black mold, asbestous, um, what's what was once like white. carpets or cream colored carpets were. [ __ ] the color of this couch from cat.

piss infested house. Um, they never. cleaned anything. It was disgusting. Um, it probably took. a couple years off my health to be. honest. Um, I lived off microwave food. for the next two years of my rest of my. high school life and, um, the father was. a really bad alcoholic, wind up losing. his job. Um, was suffering with liver. failure. Um, started having eyesight. problems and all these things. So, when. I had gotten my license, I was the one.

taking him to the doctor's appointments. I was the one buying groceries. I was. the one trying to make the house clean. Um I bought like the the glue tiles. where you would buy glue and then. [ __ ] put it on the floor and [ __ ]. like, you know, I tried to make it nice. and um you know, I'd wind up doing the. whole upstairs and things like that. His. father funded it. My dad spends it now. that I stole from him by doing that. Um. or. >> so. >> uh by saying that because the guy would. give me his card to go buy his groceries. that he wanted because he was physically. unable and I was the only one that was.

trusted as a driver and had a driver's. license to go do it. My dad tells people. that I stole from him and has now been. friends with the kid that I used to live. with and says that I was a racist to. him. Says that I stole from his father. and the kid believes it. So um but. that's what my dad does. He finds weak. people to pray on um and brainwash and. um. unfortunately for them they're not smart. enough to look past the the type of true. person that he is. So we aren't friends.

and we haven't been friends and you know. also my gripe with him was that he was. friend with friends. See the thing is man it's like I'm. trying to be a little bit reserved. because I don't want to put people's. [ __ ] out there but basically I mean I. mean this kid's trying to [ __ ] text. my family who he met one time. um things. that are very unfair. But the kid's best. friend was a [ __ ] child molester. And. my dad says I beat him up because I'm a. racist, but I beat him up because he. brought a [ __ ] child molester over to. the house. And the kid was 19 and [ __ ]. a 12-year-old. So I told him clear as.

day, I don't give a [ __ ] if this is your. house or not. I take care. I take care. of the house. I take care of your dad. that you don't give a [ __ ] about. If you. [ __ ] bring that kid over here, I'm. going to [ __ ] you up. brought the kid. over here, kicked the kid the [ __ ] out, threw him out, and then [ __ ] him up. >> Yeah. >> And that was that was the end of us. And. then one time I told him that he didn't. give a [ __ ] about his father, and you. know, but mind you, mind you, the things. that my dad is trying to stick on me are. things as a teenager. I'm still not a. man. I'm still an adolescent child. I'm.

still a teenager trying to figure out. his way. You know, I got to make. decisions now as a man. And that's one. thing I always owned up to. I've [ __ ]. up. I have [ __ ] up. I've said some. things that I probably shouldn't have. said. I've done some things that I. probably shouldn't have done, but I. didn't hurt anybody in that process. I. didn't take anything from everybody. I. was never malicious. I never tried to. ruin anybody's life. And. >> you are a product of. >> my environment to a certain extent. >> But is that an excuse after you leave.

home? No. I don't take that as. >> I'm not trying to give you I'm not. trying to give you an excuse, but I. mean, you don't [ __ ] know any better. That's how you raised for. >> I had no guidance. >> Exactly. I had no I I met my grandfather. a few times. I met my grandmother a few. times on my dad's side. I don't remember. my mom's mom. I didn't we weren't I. didn't have aunts, uncles, cousins, [ __ ] grandparents that we saw or. watched us or ever came to visit us. I. think my grandfather came to visit us. maybe two or three times ever. Um but I. don't blame the guy because my dad's a. [ __ ] douchebag to work with, you.

know? I I I looking back it was like we. used to be really upset about that. like. he never comes and sees us. But that's. how he would say it to be like, "Look, your grandfather's a [ __ ] scumbag.". But it's not. It's he's the scumbag. He's the one who's always [ __ ]. causing division. So yeah. Um. you know, this kid [ __ ] brought him. over and we wind up parting ways and uh. now my dad has latched on to him and. tried to coach him in boxing to not get. bullied by people like me and has.

convinced him that I did him wrong and I. stole from his father and all these. things. And it's just wild, man. It's. It's really wild. He latched on to an. ex-girlfriend of mine um that I had an. abusive relationship with where she was. physically abusive to me and um you. know, and I don't give a [ __ ] to say it. because I can own it as a man, but you. know, this this girl had cheated on me. so many times. So, I would put holes in. the wall, you know, not knowing how to. channel that rage or wanting to fight. guys over it and things like that. But I.

was one of these guys who was like, "Oh, you're broken. I'm broken, me and you. against the world. But, you know, that's. not that's not healthy and it didn't. work out that way. So, yeah, man. Um, my. dad has been there. I'll tell you this, he's never been there to one single. fight that I've left him tickets for, which was my first three or four amateur. fights. Um, and he took pleasure in it. because one time I shadowed him out uh. thinking he was there cuz he told me he. was there and he was never there and uh. he never showed up. Um, but in his.

documentary he tells me my hands people, a guy who doesn't even [ __ ] know me. is saying that my hands were the best. they ever were when I was working with. my father and that's why I'm the fighter. I am and all this. I'm like, brother, we. stopped training together in 15. He said. he was done with the game. All these. guys want what he's got. He said, "You. ain't [ __ ] training with these people. no more. [ __ ] this guy. [ __ ] that guy.". And he calls my one coach Sam Orpiza. Sammy the snake because he was so. threatened to have somebody else come. and coach his kid because like he said.

all he cared about was they're going to. come and take what I built. That's how. exactly how he would say it in front of. me. They're going to tell they're going. to come try to [ __ ] take what I. built. I built you [ __ ] You owe. me my you owe me your life. You ain't. [ __ ] without me. You've never been [ __ ]. without me. You would be a [ __ ] bum. You'd be [ __ ] sweeping floors. Like. but that was the normal talk. That's how. I was talked to every day in my [ __ ]. life. every day of my life, including my. sisters. You know, I think yoga pants. started coming out when, which I agree. I don't think [ __ ] little girls.

should be wearing [ __ ] yoga pants. That's my own opinion. I'm a traditional. guy. But they would have little. pocketbooks and that my mom would get. them very inexpensive. Um, you know, and they'd want to walk. around or they started getting into. makeup, girly things, and they would. call them [ __ ] [ __ ] and skanks. And. um a great example of how you treat my. one of my sisters with their own abuses. My second oldest sister was in her. junior year of high school, I believe. I. may be wrong, but I think it was junior. year. And she told somebody in school or her.

counselor that she wanted to kill. herself because she felt like her father. didn't love her. So the confir the. concerned Joe Piper that my the fourth. that my father is goes to the school. with I think my mom my mom I asked my. mom about it. She don't remember it. Um, she remembers the situation, but she. doesn't remember if she was there or. not. But anyway, I'm pretty sure all of. us kids went to pick her up with my dad. And he's like, "Oh man, I don't know why. she would say that." Super concerned, like, you know, looking at her like he's.

upset about it. Like, you know, I don't. I don't know why she'd be like that. So, we go home. He gives her the keys to. open the door. As she's opening the door. and all of us kids are there, he grabs. her by her [ __ ] hair in the back of. her jeans and [ __ ] chucks her on her. [ __ ] face, face first on the floor. Second, we get home. Then he picks her. up by her [ __ ] neck and slams her in. between the couch and starts strangling. her and in between the couch. And then. we all start trying to pull him off and. he [ __ ] beats the [ __ ] out of me for. it. And uh that's how you treated your.

daughter who was suicidal. So, um, there was an instance where one. of my friends were over and my sister. was like trying to convince him to cut. her wrists and he [ __ ] beat the [ __ ]. out of the kid. Um, but you know, it was some dark [ __ ]. dude. It was some weird [ __ ] just. just weird [ __ ] [ __ ] Just, you know, but the guy. has never taken accountability for one. single [ __ ] thing. I've watched this. guy literally tell me to my face that my. grandmother on my mom's side had a.

miscarriage. um and buried the kid in. the backyard. And he was crying to me. one time after I had already moved away. for about a year uh after I ran away. And I'm trying to reconcile reconcile. with them or have some type of. relationship because at the time. everybody that didn't know details is. saying you only have one father. You. only have one father. And that used to. that used to guilt me because I had a. good heart man. And uh I I I was a. Christian and I always believed in. trying to forgive trying to forgive. Get. past it. Trying to forgive. But. >> you were a Christian or you are a.

Christian? >> I am a Christian. Yeah. And um I I lost. my faith a little bit from the probably. about 18 to like 23, maybe 24. >> See that? >> Um I was pretty bitter um because there. was a lot of things that I prayed for. that never came true the way I wanted. But you know, looking back, I've lived a. beautiful life um of pain and success. And uh everything that has happened has. happened for a reason. Um and it's all. been I think God's timing. So,

uh, >> saw that you carry a picture of yourself. at age 10 years old. >> You saw I carry a picture. >> Yeah. Is that true? >> I don't carry a picture of myself. No. What picture is this? >> I must have read it somewhere that said. that you to remind you. >> I have a uh I don't carry it with me, but I do have a picture. I don't carry. any I don't carry a picture of myself, but I do have a picture that I hold on. to, and it's it's me. um at probably, you know, under two years old with.

boxing gloves and a headgear on. And I. hold on to that because um. like I was really convinced I was going. to be a [ __ ] nobody. But I will say. the thing that kept me going was I had. this gut feeling that I was I don't want. to say better than other people, but I. always believed I was above the. competition. I always believed like I. had this feeling like I'm meant to be. more than the average. I just had this. feeling. just had this feeling. Just had. this feeling. So, I had all the other.

depression and all the other feelings, too. But this I know I'm not this isn't. this isn't it for me. And that's what. kept me going, you know, from not. hurting myself. Um, and then. high school was the hardest time uh for. me because I was [ __ ] angry at that. point. And uh I really didn't have any. filter anymore. And I didn't give a [ __ ]. how people viewed me, whether they. thought I was crazy or angry or. whatever. But I had been saying since I. was in middle school, I was going to. fight. And I wanted to hurt people. I.

wanted to fight. I wanted to fight. I. wanted to fight. And that's exactly what. I would say. I want to [ __ ] people up. I. want to hurt people. and I want to make. them feel the same [ __ ] pain that I. felt. And uh it was the greatest. motivation I could. It like rage has its. time and its place. And it got me. through the early years until I became. more mature and understood emotions and. was able to control. and just digest why I'm angry or what's. what are you holding on to that you. haven't let go or what what are you. holding on to that you haven't forgiven?

Um and uh. yeah. So yeah. >> What was it that made you understand. emotions? >> My coaches. My coaches, you know, seeing. the way that they lived, how they loved. their wives, how they loved their kids, um how they treated their friends, and. uh you know, Sam Orpeza and Will Harmon. combined have been a savior for me. Will. Harmon, if I didn't have that guy, regardless of everything that I went. through, if that man didn't take me in, I. wouldn't be here. Um I would have never.

made the UFC. Um, he gave me four years. of free housing and a home, a stable. life, good food, and um, unconditional. love and support, which I've never had. >> Was that your wrestling coach? >> That was my wrestling coach. And. >> how did that relationship develop? >> So, I was wrestling. I joined the. wrestling team and we had red versus. gold, which was, you know, for varsity. matches. But I had already won my. position. Another kid had already won. his position. He was a weight class. above me. I was a weight class below. him. I was 170. He was 182.

and they wanted to find out who the best. kid in the school was. And I actually. hated my head coach for it, Gregory. Jacobs, who I love now. Um, you know, dumb child to me hated him. But they. wanted to see who the best wrestler was. on our team. And I w up beating them. Uh, but I remember being so angry about. it cuz I felt like who they're trying, they just want to see me [ __ ] lose. cuz I've said I was an MMA kid. Like all. these people are against me. And I. remember everybody's parents being there. and I was the only one on the other side.

of the gym by myself and the only other. person. So we had we had the wrestling. mat, the gym floor, the basketball. court, and then we had an upstairs. indoor track and Will Harmon was up on. the indoor track on my side, only guy. And um I got my headphones and I'm. pacing back and forth and I'm like. [ __ ] mad like I'm going to try to. kill this kid and blah blah blah. That. was just my attitude for competition. And um you know, I look up at him and. I'm like, "Look at this." I was like, "Look at all these [ __ ] and. their parents." And I said, "I ain't got.

shit." He goes, "Who cares about that?". He's like, "Just go out there and give. it your best, man." He was like, "I. believe you. I believe you can do it.". And those words, man, um cuz I just remember his face. I just. remember his face looking down and he. was like, "I believe you can do it." And. that's all I needed, bro. So that was. that was like a [ __ ] fire to the the. most it it lit a fire that was crazy. And uh I went out there and I beat him. You know, it's not nothing to brag. about. It was, you know, he was a good. teammate and a friend till this day. But. at that time, you know, everybody was.

talking [ __ ] that I was going to get. beat. He's the kid that's been the. states or been to regions already. I've. never wrestled because that was my first. real year of wrestling and I beat him. And uh now now I was you know known as. the best wrestler in that high school on. our team at that time as far as like. heavy heavier weights and um yeah you. know it was good. That was the start of. our relationship and you know he was the. first person to tell me he loved me uh. in a long time and I remember I would I. would be there at 6:00 a.m. train go to. school be there I was the first one.

there and the last one to go. And uh. often a lot of times I would just sit in. the wrestling room and just [ __ ] sobb. after practice at the end of the day cuz. I hated my life and I wanted to be. something and I didn't know how to do it. and but I was just putting all my energy. into wrestling and I [ __ ] loved. wrestling. I loved it. I loved working. hard. I loved [ __ ] suffering. And uh yeah, I remember just [ __ ]. sobbing many times after practice and. Harmon happened to walk in and he comes.

over and just gives me a hug and didn't. say anything. I love you, kid. And uh. yeah. >> Damn. >> That was the start of that. And um I you. know, every lunch period I would sit and. not sit with kids. I hated people my. age. And I would sit every single day. with that man. And he would split one of. the one of his sandwiches that his wife. made him. And uh we would just sit there. and play chess and talk about life. And. um yeah, that's how I spent my [ __ ].

lunch periods with him. So, those are. sentimental and I get choke choked up. over those because, you know, I'm so. appreciative of what he did that he. didn't have to do and he put his name on. the line and his reputation on the line. to support a kid like me that could have. gone off the deep end. And, uh, you. know, I never wanted to let him down. And, um, you know, obviously, uh, he's. been one of the most important people. But, you know, to answer your question. too, circling back uh about did the. school ever know, um I don't know if. it's called a truency officer for if you. miss a bunch of school or if you have.

troubled home or something, but somebody. did come to the house and I don't know. how I got away with it, but basically. they were like saying I was going to. have to come with them. And they came to. the place where I was living. because I was 17. And um. uh by that time they had come there. I. was 17. And they were like, "Oh yeah, you know, you're going to have to come. with us or saying something about like. if I my parents lived here or was I. emancipated or anything like that.". Something. It's very vague. I'm vague on. the details of what they were there for,

but it was something about, you know, possibly taking me away. And I remember. looking at the chick and I was a little. arrogant prick and I was like, "Do I. look like I'm [ __ ] unhealthy? Do I. look like I need your [ __ ] help?" And. I was like, "Trust me, if you take me. away from here, you ruin my [ __ ]. life." And I slammed the door in her. face and I never heard [ __ ] But then. they, the psychologist started reaching. out to schools, child services, things. like that. And I remember snapping on. Will Harmon cuz I was like, "Who the. [ __ ] did you tell?" Like I wind up. almost turning on him because I thought. he ratted me out and I was going to get. put in a home. And um, luckily I didn't.

And I don't know how that's possible or. how that happened, but um I'm sure it. helped that I was living with somebody. who was a school teacher at the. Springton Middle Lake School. Um but I. don't know the details behind as to why, you know, regardless of how I felt, I'm. sure they could have taken me, but they. didn't. And I'm just grateful that they. didn't. So um but yeah, they they wind. up finding. Harmon knew. Harmon knew. everything. He was the only person I. would tell everything to. I would come. into school with a [ __ ] up face back.

when I was living with him. Um, so yeah. >> Damn. >> Yeah. >> Why do you think you hated everybody. your age? >> Because all they cared about was being. cool and I didn't give a [ __ ] about. being cool. I wanted to be somebody. And. uh I didn't care about telling [ __ ]. high school stories about what girl you. [ __ ] or you know what cordy [ __ ]. sport. I also didn't like all the. [ __ ] football kids. I didn't like any. of the track kids. Like they all thought. they were hot [ __ ] cuz they were wearing. jerseys. And I don't know. I don't like.

kids. I don't like. >> Do you think it was because you felt. resentment that. >> I think. >> or living like the the way that you were. brought up? >> I always wanted to play football and I. didn't get to. Um but I don't know if it. was resentment. I just. I think I was much more mature than I. thought I was by that time and I saw. like the real ugly part of life in one. way. You know, obviously, you know, like. I said, mine's very average compared to. some of the stories out there, but um.

yeah, I just think I didn't connect with. kids that did dumb [ __ ] talking about. smoking weed and drinking and [ __ ]. girls and going to parties. That wasn't. me. I had no desire to drink, party, smoke. Um you know, I definitely did my. fair share of whoring around, but that. was to fill a void. And um you know it. was the only love or acceptance or. validation that I got when I was. frustrated and felt alone. So.

um yeah, I just didn't see the value in. what they did. I wanted to be an. athlete. I wanted to be in the UFC. And. I was saying that since I was in middle. school, so I didn't I didn't relate to. these kids when they would talk about. these stories. And then they would. always [ __ ] try to tell you like, "You weren't allowed to say the R word. You can't say retard." And I'm like, "Bro, shut the [ __ ] up." like I'll say. what the [ __ ] I want. And so I didn't. like being around those [ __ ] nerdy. kids. Um then you had the guys that. thought they were [ __ ] tough and I. was almost in a fist fight every [ __ ]. day, but none of them would fist fight.

When I went to this school, where the. school I came from, everybody would fist. fight. Then I go to this school and it's like. preppy kids and they all talk [ __ ] but. then you would run up in their face and. they'd be like kind of shocked that. you're about to fight them. And I'm. like, well, what the [ __ ] did you talk. [ __ ] for if you weren't ready to fight? It was like mindboggling to me and. everybody thought I was crazy because I. was actually wanting to fight people. over talking [ __ ] So, a lot of kids. thought I was [ __ ] nuts and uh what. wasn't it just was about it. And um I. had a couple funny instances. So, um.

never like a a full blown out fight in. high school, but um. yeah, I had some funny things. So, >> how did you how did you reconnect with. your mom? >> So, it's very recent. Um, >> it's recent. >> It's Yeah, it's very recent. It's been. almost a year. Um, I despised my mom for a little bit um. when I was a little less mature, but how.

can I really fault a woman who was. getting abused the same way as I was? Um, and just for that reason, because she's. a woman, is why I give her forgiveness. and an excuse because. she was traditional. She was a Christian. woman. Uh, was a Christian woman. She. doesn't really identify with. Christianity anymore, but um. nonetheless, you know, she lives her. life how she wants, but. she was a 24 year old woman who had.

never been with another man and grew up. in the church and met my father at the. church cuz he was going to commit. suicide apparently by jumping off the. bridge. They wind up sending him to a. church after they got him off the bridge. and then that's how he met my mother. That's how they got connected. Um, so. she thought he was her forever after, you know, and she was willing to go. through thick and thin and and you know, and do anything possible to make it. work. Um, and obviously failed and she. has never been with another man since. So, um, he ruined the rest of her happy.

ending. So, uh, >> how did you reconnect? >> My sister, it's a [ __ ] up situation. My youngest sister was basically. homeless because. my like I said they're very backbiting. towards each other and they've been much. better since I've been in the picture. Um because I won't tolerate it. Uh. because the way I see it just to to.

under so that you so you understand why. I think they respect it is because the. perspective in which I've given it to. them. If I can [ __ ] come out and be a. better person, so can you. And you have. no [ __ ] excuse because I kept. enduring the abuse while you guys were. free from it. Free from it. And I had to. run away. You guys got the privilege of. not having to deal with him again. And. um and you guys are have one life. And I. tried to put it in the perspective of we. have one life to know each other. I have. one life to know you and everybody else.

that I meet. And if you're genuinely okay with. treating each other like this when we're. supposed to be the deepest love bonded. people in our lives, like then you're a. true piece of [ __ ] And um that's. exactly what I told him. If you guys. don't learn to love each other, then. you're all pieces of [ __ ] So um I think. they've kind of been trying their best. and it's been pretty good. Um but. they've done some malicious things to. each other. So I'm not proud of it. Uh, and I don't support it and I don't. condone it and I want them to be better.

because that's what I want to be around. I don't want to be around shitty people. Whether you call yourself my mother or. my sister or my father, if you're a. shitty person, I'm not going to be. around you. Um, I don't have time for. that [ __ ] My life's too short as it is. I can't believe I'm 28 already. I can't. believe I'm here. You know, like who. would have thought [ __ ] little Joey. Piper sitting on a Shawn Ryan show or. has been on Joe Roer is about to break. in the top 15 in the UFC. But because I. believed and put it out there and put.

the work in and put the right people. around me, all this has come true, right? You know, so I reconnected with. them cuz my sister Rachel, so I have two. younger sisters. The older of the two. youngest is Rachel and then there's Amy. And basically they were feuding and Amy. had basically told my sister's. um I guess you can say baby daddy some. problems that she was having and. basically ratted on her and it kind of. like was a really scumbag [ __ ] thing. to do knowing that she's going through a.

custody battle. So my sister refused to. let her come back to the house after she. had lost her job. So my sister was. sleeping in the car in the park. I don't. think it was that long. I think it was a. day or two or a week or something like. that. But, you know, nonetheless, it's. your [ __ ] baby sister. And I hadn't. talked to these people in six years. almost after I punched my sister's. boyfriend in the [ __ ] mouth. And um. this is two weeks before my last fight. uh last year uh international fight.

week. I knocked out a guy named Mark. Andre Burial. And I just had this guilty. conscience cuz they had all reached out. before trying to ask for help, but it. was all monetary. And I was like, "No, [ __ ] off." Like, if you can't [ __ ]. have a relationship with me and give a. [ __ ] about me as a person, but I'm only. good enough for you guys to need. something, then go [ __ ] yourself. Get. away from me. And that's how my attitude. was. But, you know, I'm not a It. bothered me when I heard she was really. struggling. And then that's when I was. like, "Okay, now I need to step in. because this is just [ __ ] ridiculous.

Like, what is going on with these. people?" And my sister had kind of taken. over in a sense. You know, I don't think. she meant to, but she was kind of stuck. in this fog where she thought she was. running [ __ ] at the house. And I had to. remind her, this is my mom's house since. I was four years old. You don't run. [ __ ] And I don't give a [ __ ] what bill. you pay. If you don't pay the rent and. you're not on the lease, you don't run. [ __ ] And don't be a [ __ ] scumbag. You know, shoe if the shoe was on the. other foot. You would always want somebody to give. you a little bit of grace and give you.

that chance. It's not like somebody got. killed. It's not like somebody got, you. know, raped or [ __ ] stolen or. something, you know, crazy. This is a. family fight. Get the [ __ ] over it. And. I tried to give them that perspective. And uh so I showed up. I went down. there. I met her at the park and then I. drove there and my sister started. running her mouth and she was heated. obviously because she felt like my. younger sister had a role in her having. a really bad case with her children. custody wise, which I understand. I. don't think you should [ __ ] with. somebody's kids. Um, but yeah, I end up.

paying the rent for a few months for. them. Um, so they could get on their. feet and she could handle some of the. lawyer bills and things like that. And. then I also paid a couple thousand. dollars to fix my mom's truck that they. that blew up on her. It's all they had. It was the only thing they had to drive. hours to exchange their kids for my. sister. So between, you know, my mom working full-time, she's a truck driver. Um, and my sister. needing to drive [ __ ] six, seven. hours every other week to exchange her.

daughter at that time, you know, that's. the only car they have. So, um, I did it. for the kids, I did it for her, I did it. for my mom. And so, I gave back and I. helped them. And I told them like, I'm. not here to reconcile, but I'm here to. hopefully inspire you guys to [ __ ]. give a [ __ ] about each other again. because it breaks my heart. And that's. why I don't want to be around you. I. want to see my sisters [ __ ] thriving. in life. But this is the thing that I. hate about my father, though. This. [ __ ] did so much damage. Women. take damage differently than men. 100%.

>> They're just different creatures. And. you, I'm sure you would agree. They all. have been in domestic violent abusive. relationships. Except for my second. older sister. I think he's a pretty even. killed guy. He's had his problems. I'm. not going to put them out there, but I'm. pretty sure he's pretty good to her or. at least works. I have my feelings about. him. It is what it is. But, you know, they have four kids together. My oldest. sister has two kids together. Apparently, you know, he hits her and. has threatened to kill her and things. like that. And my sister hit me up um to.

help her get the kids out of the house. And I said no because it's been 6 years. and I can't afford to jeopardize. everything that I've built for someone I. don't even think gives a [ __ ] about me. unless they need something. And it's. always been funny to me. You know, they. cut me, they've done this thing where. they've cut me out or I've cut them off. Um, it's really them that cuts me off. And then when [ __ ] really gets when they. when [ __ ] really gets tough and there's. some deep [ __ ] going down, then the. brother's good enough. I'm the only one.

that understands. That's what they've. all hit me with the same punch line. >> And I It took me a while to forgive. them, you know, but I forgive them. I. love them all. I forgive them all. I. love them all. Um I've said some [ __ ]. that's mean too to them, you know, so. hopefully they forgive me. And um but. you know, I was like, why would I go and. get involved in helping you take kids. from a man that I have no idea. All I. know is what I'm being told. I don't. know the other side of that. And I don't. believe in [ __ ] with another man's. family. So. maybe if you were active in my life and.

I knew things that were going on, but. she had said he had threatened to shoot. me. So I don't know what's true or. what's not, you know? It it it's I. wouldn't doubt if he would threaten to. shoot me. You can't beat me, you know? So, but I don't want to [ __ ] put. myself in this situation. I haven't. talked to you in years. I don't know. what's going on. And now you ask me to. put myself in that situation. Um. uh but I don't remember where I was. going with that to be honest. CTE kicked. in. >> Reconnecting with your mom. >> Reconnected with my mom. So yeah, I went. and paid their their rent and everything. and then you know naturally I talked to.

my mom and she thanked me. She reached. out to me and thanked me. and uh yeah we just kind of started slow. from there man and it's been really. good. Um you know this is a year ago. Yeah, almost a year. Almost. Hasn't been. a year yet, but it's almost a year. And. this has probably been the longest. connection that I've had with them since. I was a child. Since about 15. >> So, man, but it's been the most. rewarding, too. >> Is it hard? >> Is it hard? I think what's hard? I think I No, it's.

not hard right now. It's not hard right. now. I think what what does get to me. though is that my mom's older and uh. I lost a lot of time with her. So that kind of gets to me a little bit. So I think she has a beautiful heart. I. think she's got a beautiful soul and um. she's a respectable woman is how she. likes to call herself. And I agree with. that. And uh I used to hate her guts at. one point and it it irks my soul that I. ever did. And it's because of that.

[ __ ] So, uh, but luckily I'm a. grown man now and I can I can, you know, defer from right and wrong, good and. bad. And, uh, but yeah, he he damaged. all of them, I think, for life. So, that's the only thing that I really. think that is hard is just that I lost a. lot of time with her. But it is what it. is. You know, I have I have now and the. present moment. And that's where I think. the maturity has really helped my. career, right? Is being in the present. moment and now. Living in the now versus. looking in the past, looking in the.

past, looking in the past. That [ __ ]. eats you up. >> Do you guys have any tough. conversations? >> All the time. Yeah, all the time. We. agree. We agree to disagree all the. time, but that's okay. I think we. developed a relationship now where it's. um. >> you can have those without. >> We can have those tough talks and know. that we aren't going to disappear from. each other. You know, I I'm I'm not I'm. also not talking to her every single day. because she understands that I have a. busy life. Um, I also have people that I. love and care about that I'm taking care. of or, you know, trying to provide for.

and things like that. So, uh, yeah. Um, but yeah, it's good. It's good now. >> Damn, that's tough, man. >> Yeah. Yeah. This this [ __ ] guy is uh. interesting. Interesting. I think he. should be studied. Think I really do. think he should be studied. I mean, he. hides in the church now. Claims that. he's a Christian. does nothing Christian. You know, a. great example is I did uh a little.

podcast for a little bit with me and my. coach Sam Morpisa and um. his best friend was Steve Hagg who owned. the Fight Factory which was like the. pinnacle of MMA in Philadelphia. Like we. had all the killers. We had my coach. Sam, we had this guy, Zach Makovsky, Eddie Alvarez, um, a lot of really good. killers that came out of there. And um, the guy got cancer and he had it right. right behind his nose, like basically in. the middle of his head. And uh, because.

the guy came on my podcast, mind you, this was my dad's best friend for like. 10 years. And then, you know, he. basically disrespected his wife and my. mom and him separated one time. He was. sleeping over there and disrespected his. wife and he, you know, Steve kicked him. out and that's how they stopped being. friends. My dad called him a traitor and. all this and started talking [ __ ] on his. wife and all that crap. Claims to be a. Christian. And this this is really funny. because if you watch the documentary, tries to play talks real soft, talks. like he's just like, "Yeah, yeah, you. know, if I didn't use God as my compass,

I wouldn't be here today." And it's the. fakest [ __ ] I've ever [ __ ] heard. Especially if you know the real dude. that he is. And um. >> you watch the documentary? >> Yeah. Yeah. I want to know the lies. He. says because everybody's tagging me yet, you know. He's he hasn't talked to Let. me put it this way. So he has five kids. This is the most crazy. This is the. craziest [ __ ] He has five [ __ ] kids. Me and four daughters. Three of those. daughters have never reached out to this. [ __ ] since he left. Why?

Is it because you were such a great guy? Is it because you didn't abuse them like. you say? Is it because you they were. brainwashed by their mom? Is that your. best excuse? Is that for over 12 years? I know for sure plus it might even be 14. years. I don't remember what it is. I. think it's 12 years plus. None of them. give a [ __ ] to talk to their father. Why? What could you have done that they. don't give a [ __ ] about you that much or. they hate you that much? Dude can't answer that question. But. nobody's asking him that question. You.

go watch the documentary, all it is is a. [ __ ] victim card. my mom this and my dad this. He hated. his [ __ ] dad. Wants to kill his dad. Hated his [ __ ] mom apparently. And. then now he's like call [ __ ] sad that. his mom passed away. And it's like dude, like you tell so many [ __ ] lies you. can't even keep track. And uh but that's. my biggest question to him. How come. none of your daughters give a [ __ ] to. talk to you? Why? And how come how come six people.

can say you did the same [ __ ] that I. said? Can you explain that? Like and he just. doesn't address it. But he's going to. make a documentary saying I stole a. story. I used to beat up the kid I used. to live with. I stole from his dad and. I'm a piece of [ __ ] and I I had an. abusive relationship as a kid and all. It's like, bro, you're talking about a. teenager. His claim to fame is that I. was a terrible [ __ ] kid. Even though. I didn't steal, I didn't smoke, I didn't. [ __ ] hide things. It's like his. biggest thing is like that I lied about. my sister turning on the heater and she.

got her ass beat. So I was a piece of. [ __ ]. >> Six years old. >> Yeah. He said it showed the character. that I was I was a scumbag wanting to. throw somebody else under the bus at 6. years old. And I'm like, "Yeah, you're. right. Was a scumbag [ __ ] thing." But. I've learned from it unlike you. So um. yeah, it's just wild. you know, he's. trying to make another documentary now. and people are trying to get me to go on. shows and things like that to go talk to. this guy and confront him face to face, but. >> I don't want to give him that platform.

>> Yeah. >> I don't want to give him that relevancy. and that's all he cares about. This man. has never been there for any of my. success, but he has been there more than. anybody for every [ __ ] failure. Not. realizing it's a lesson that I just keep. growing from, but he's been there for. every single failure. When I broke my. elbow, he sent a picture face down, ass. up, told you this would happen. Soon as. you fight anybody real, you get your. [ __ ] ass beat. You're a [ __ ] bum. You'll never make it in the UFC. I bet. he [ __ ] is rolling over in his bed. now. Like even recently, you know, I I I. heard something, you know, like he.

[ __ ] tells people, first of all, brother, he's never coached me for one. of my fights ever. He's never been to. one of my fights, but he tells everybody. he was I was the best boxer because we. trained for two weeks for my fourth. amateur fight. And then our last stint. was he shows up in my house. I I just it. is what it is. I just slept with a. chick, right? So, we had a. um an agreeance that we would train at. 7:30, I think it was, every morning. And.

I had a garage at a place I was living. before I wind up being homeless again. and had to go live with Armen. So, he. would show up and he shows up at [ __ ]. 7:00 and I'm not up yet. I just, you. know, done whatever with some chick and. I [ __ ] wake up to my phone [ __ ]. going off, going off, going off, going. off. And I'm like, dude, what the [ __ ]. Like, so I answer the phone, but I can. hear like a like he's in my [ __ ]. house. Just walked in the house. Like, nobody or nothing. Like, it's not his. house. And he's like, "Get the [ __ ] downstairs.

now." And I'm like, "Who the [ __ ] are. you?" So, I freaked the [ __ ] out. I'm. like, "Who the [ __ ] are you talking to?". I'm like 19 at this point or just about. to turn 19. And he's standing at the bottom of the. stairs like he's like gonna [ __ ]. whoop my ass with his arms crossed. across at the bottom of the stairs in. the house that he wasn't invited in. I. [ __ ] fly down the stairs. I'm like, "Who the [ __ ] are you talking to?" I. called him all this [ __ ] and he. threatens to come back and put a bullet. in my head and all this [ __ ] And I was. like, "Yeah." I was like, "Touch me, motherfucker." And I was like, "I'll. kill you. I swear to God." I was like, "I'll beat you so [ __ ] bad. Like,

you'll die on a [ __ ] feeding tube for. all the times you hit my mom, for all. the times you hit my sister." And it was. the first time I ever saw like the [ __ ]. in him. because he realized that he I wasn't. chaining quiver and Joe no more. I. wasn't little Joey Piper that he could. intimidate, that he could bully, that he. could [ __ ] make his [ __ ] And um I. think that's why he threatened me with. the gun, cuz he realized he couldn't. [ __ ] with me no more. And I was ready to. [ __ ] hit him at any point. Um but the. only thing I wouldn't do is I would. never hit him first. And that was just. because of my Christianity and because.

of my moral high ground that I tried to. stick to. Um and uh yeah, he [ __ ]. drove away like a little [ __ ] and. didn't do anything. Another instance he. threatened to shoot me was I was at my. uh my insurance agent guy's place who. I've been friends with since I was 17. and um I just always go up there to say. hi every now and then and talk and I'd. already obviously been away. I'm like. [ __ ] 20 years old at this point. living with Harmon. Um. and she sees my black Mustang. She.

worked down the street, his wife. and. she pulls in and asks comes in and says, "Oh, I need one of my ID cards for my. cars." She didn't need a [ __ ] ID. card. She saw she saw my car and wanted. to come in and [ __ ] talk [ __ ] So, she comes in, mind you, I haven't seen. her in maybe it was only like 3 4. months. And by that time, like she used. to be sympathetic and be like, "Oh, yeah. I don't know why he's so angry. I. don't I don't get it. He just gets snaps. out and all this shit." She like, she. like spoke super fast and [ __ ] weird. And um she comes in, she was like, "What's up, you [ __ ] piece of shit?".

like right in front of the guy and. starts like coming at me heavy. And I. just start smiling and I'm sitting here. real real calm. And I'm like, "Oh, what's the matter?" I. said, "Did he [ __ ] finally brainwash. you?" And she was like, "Yeah, you were. a [ __ ] piece of [ __ ] and you're a. scumbag kid and all this like just going. off." And I'm like, and she was like, "Yeah, because you're a mom this and. that." I said, "You know, it's crazy you. speak about it, but I was like, you. weren't there for it." I said, "The all. you are is just [ __ ] vomiting all. he's told you." I was like, "You never. witnessed any of it. Like it's just. [ __ ] wild." So we wind up going out. in the front. What do you know? But who.

pulls up? [ __ ] disabled Joe [ __ ]. pulls up and the only thing he's mad. about is where the [ __ ] were you when I. called you? You're supposed to be at. work, [ __ ] Go the [ __ ] back to work. Why aren't you where you're supposed to. be? This guy don't work. So he grabs her by her [ __ ] arm and. shoes her to her car, like [ __ ]. throws her to her car and tells her to. go back to work. And I started laughing. and we're out front um because my friend. was like, "Yo, if you guys are going to. argue, can you argue out front?". Whatever. And he didn't want it inside. the business. And I was like, "Yeah, of. course." stuff. I was like, I'm not even.

arguing. She's just [ __ ] yelling at. me. So, he grabs her by arm, shoes the. dair, tells her to go back to work. And. then uh. he goes I I start walking behind him and. I'm like laughing cuz I wanted a reason. to fight him. And I was like, "What you. so angry about, huh?" I was like, "What. you all upset about?" I was like, "What's the matter?" And he like, you. know, I was antagonizing him. And uh he. turns around. He's like, "Come back and. [ __ ] kill you, [ __ ] I'll. shoot you right in your [ __ ] face. Right in front of my guy. right in front. of the insurance dude. He [ __ ] gets.

in his car and he speeds off. I was. like, "All right, pussy." I was like, "But you still haven't done shit." And. he's like, "Yeah, you keep calling that. [ __ ] I'll [ __ ] He's like, I never. see you again. I'm going to [ __ ] kill. you and whatever." So, I w up telling. his wife, I said, "Wait till he [ __ ]. turns on you, [ __ ] Watch and see. Wait. till his [ __ ] wait till his [ __ ]. demeanor changes and he puts his hands. on you." I said, "I guarantee you you'll. be the next victim." I said, "Because. I'm not around to get punched on no. more." I was like, "He's got to have. somebody. A guy like that's got to have. something to abuse. He's always had it. He's never not hit somebody. He's never. not abused somebody. So, I have no idea.

why they got divorced, but I would love. to know. >> Damn, man. >> I know how he talked to her. I heard how. he talked to her. And I just can't. imagine with nobody else there to stop. him what else has happened. So, yeah. Well, >> I know there's some chatter about Dr. Phil. >> Yeah, there's some chatter about Dr. Phil and going on there, but you know, >> how did they get to him? So, there's a guy that goes to this gym that.

he trains at and his son trains there. and he met this guy. >> Whose gym? Your gym or your. >> No, not my gym. If he came to my gym, we. would all beat him to death. He's He. knows better than to do that. He He's. not that dumb. My coach My coach, my. boys are loyal at at Marquez uh MMA and. Philly. They're they're they're loyal. and uh he he'd be damned if he ever even. comes close to that city and steps near. there. they see him, they'll kill him. Um, but uh, no, this is a gym that's um, I'm.

not going to mention it because it. doesn't deserve [ __ ] clout. Um, but. there is a gym and he goes and trains. there and this guy's son trains there. and this guy was on Dr. Phil. His name. is Butch. Um, he was on there because of. his father murdering his mother when he. was a child. So that was his storyline. on there. Super cool guy. Like him a. lot. Uh, but he was gathering content to. do the story, a story on my dad becoming. Joe Piper, the person he is. And I'm not. the I don't want to put everything out.

there because I don't know what he's. comfortable with or not. But, uh, basically, the executive producer has. reached out to me and has been trying to. convince me that it's a good idea to go. on there if, you know, if there's some. reconciliation. And I said, look, at the. very least, I forgive the guy. I hate. the things that he's done, but I forgive. the guy. I don't. >> Do you really Do you really forgive him? >> 100%. cuz I wake up and I don't think. about him. >> Good. >> He has no control over my life, you. know. >> Like he could sit across from me like. this and I have there's no intimidation. There's no there's no threat.

>> Um the only threat is if he had a gun. and that's it, you know, but I carry. two. So, and hopefully it never ever. happens, you know. I don't think it's. funny to gamble about life. But uh I. >> mean there's got to be a sense of being. extremely uneasy after I've been through. that. >> No. No, I I think that would mean that I. haven't forgiven him still. There's. nothing uneasy about it. What could he. say? I stand on the truth. I stand on. the truth. I'm on a mountain of truth. I. have sources to back up my truth. I have. witnesses to back up my truth. I have.

friends to back up my truth. I have. teammates that have seen what he's done. or how he's talked or how he's acted. He has nobody. He literally is going to. die alone. It's [ __ ] up. It's sad. And. I really want him to change. And the. only reason I was even contemplating it. is because my mom wanted me to do it. She wants him to leave me alone, but he. just [ __ ] attaches everything. I. don't I can't see any of his social. media. Pretty sure he has me blocked or. whatever, but you know, I know he's.

always people are always telling me he's. talking [ __ ] on me. He's writing essays. He'll post pictures. So, like one of the. things that he does is he'll show. pictures in the documentary of me and. him smiling. So what he does is he takes. a child's unconditional love for his. parent of constant forgiveness and shows. only the good memories and says, "Does. that look like a kid that's abused? Does. that look like a kid that's abused? Oh, look, he's smiling there. Oh, look, he's. smiling here." Well, no [ __ ] Do you. ever beat the [ __ ] out of your kid and. then tell him to [ __ ] smile for the. camera? I don't think anybody does that. So,

it's uh his his logic is very [ __ ]. shallow and really dumb. So, it it. doesn't threaten me whatsoever. Um, you know, I think he's just a sick dude. I think. the the narcotics for 20 plus years has. really warped his [ __ ] brain. I don't. really know if he has sympathy or. remorse. I think that part of his brain. is probably damaged. So, he might be on. the borderline a psychopath or is a. psychopath. He's for sure a narcissist. Um, he's always talked about himself. like the God complex like he's always. had something everybody wants and he's.

destroyed every single This is how I. have to look at it. Before I'm in the. UFC, I've had lifelong friendships and I. still have those same lifelong. friendships today. This man has no [ __ ] friends. No. Like, bro, you you you went from a. family of five and a wife that loved you. and cared and kids that loved you. unconditionally to damaging them all to. where they hate your guts. Like, I just. don't want to carry around hate for the.

guy. I just recognize who he is. I used. to, bro, I used to fight out of anger. all the time when I was fighting early. in my career. I would just blitz. [ __ ] and just [ __ ] try to. kill him. Like I was literally like, and. I still have that side of me, but I know. how to control it a lot better where it. doesn't involve him, you know? I just. want to kill a [ __ ] cuz you're. trying to take my my my money from me. But before it was like I really wanted. to like hurt people. And um even in my. everyday life like road rage, things. like that, wanting to fight people and. you know, I've definitely saved myself.

from a couple big damaging blows where I. could have been in prison. And um I'm. glad I have, you know, but that's. because of the strong men that taught me. how to be men. He always claims that the. only reason I am what I am is because of. him. And I think it's such an insult. because people like Will Harmon who put. their neck on the line, who put their, you know, opened their door to me, opened their home. Sam Orpiza, the guy. was working two jobs, sleeping on floor. in between his [ __ ] jobs to provide. for his family. And people like Chandler. Henry, you know, who were able to in the.

documentary, you know, I can express. myself now verbally, but I he has a way. with, you know, filming where he is able. to express what I couldn't put into. words. And I think that's his talent and. I think that's why this is doing going. to do so well and and help a lot of. kids. So, um, you know, but because of. those men in my life, that's why I'm. where I'm at because I was smart. I. asked questions. I never was somebody. that didn't ask questions. I always. challenged everything. Ask questions. Ask questions. I don't give a [ __ ] if.

you laugh. You think it's a stupid. question. If I don't know it, I will say. I don't know it cuz once I learn it, I'm. not going to forget it. So, yeah. Dude's [ __ ] there just waiting. for me to fail at every moment. Brother, >> do you want to reconcile with him? >> No. >> No. >> There's nothing to reconcile. I know. what he is. I know what he's done. I. want him to take accountability. So that's reconciliation for me. >> Mhm. >> Take some [ __ ] accountability and. don't die a piece of [ __ ].

You owe that to my mother. You owe that. to my sisters because you [ __ ] up. their future, too. And they're still. going through it. Luckily, I'm not, but. they're still going through it. And um. >> how do you think you I mean I think I. think downstairs before the interview. you said you've been you have a. significant other. >> Yeah. >> Been with her for 3 years. >> Almost six. >> Almost six years. >> Sounds like your sisters don't have. healthy relationships.

>> I don't know about your mom now. Does. she have any healthy relationships? Uh, she's got a couple healthy friendships, but no significant other. >> How have you learned how to treat a. significant other? A significant other. respectfully and with honor and. >> um. people like Will Harmon. seeing how he loves his wife, uh, how he. has kids that he loves. He's got three. now and he has one special needs. daughter with Prader Willy syndrome and.

loves her unconditionally and provides. for her better than anybody else could. And the irony of it is that he was a. special needs teacher when I was in high. school for over eight years and then his. first daughter is special needs. >> Wow. >> So, who better equipped to take care of. it? You know, nobody ever wishes for. that, but who better could handle that. than him. Um, so it's kind of crazy, but. yeah, you know, just understanding right. and wrong is super simple. Super simple. Hitting your wife is wrong,

you know. Uh. it's it's really easy not to do. Um you. love the person, you would never want to. do that. >> Mhm. >> Um but you know it is a struggle cuz I. disconnect very often. You know we've. had our struggles in our relationship. and separations and things like that. But one thing I will say um because I. like I said I don't really put my. personal life out there or the status of. whether I'm single or dating or anything. like that u just because I don't want. people involved in my [ __ ] Um, but that.

specific person, no matter how it makes. anybody feel, was there for me. Um, when I was a loser, she was there when. my arm broke. She was there after my arm. broke. She was there when I got in the. UFC. She's probably one of the most. special people in my life. Um, you know, uh, she always believed I. could do it. >> Probably one of the most special people. in your life. >> Yeah. Aside from Harmon. aside from. Harmon, he get he he gets he gets first.

place, you know, he's I I think because. he saved my life. Um but yeah, it's him and her. We'll call him a tie, >> right? >> You know, and um. yeah, I used to look at her when my. elbow was broke cuz they told me I would. never fight again. And uh I used to be. like, "I'm going to make it." And she'd. well up and I'd well up and I was like, "I'm going to make it. I'm going to. change our lives. I'm going to change. our lives. someone to change our lives. And man, damn if I didn't [ __ ] get it. back and do it. So, and I'm still going.

>> You've done it. >> And I'm still going. So, it was a hard. [ __ ] road. You know, we've been. talking about all my family [ __ ] but. the fighting road was a whole another. [ __ ] fight that had nothing to do. with that guy, nothing to do with my. past. And uh that was a [ __ ] struggle. in itself. You know, aside from my. upbringing, I had one of the [ __ ]. hardest roads to get in the UFC as well. >> Well, we're going to get into that here. next. But. >> before we leave this segment, just want. to ask, what advice do you have for kids. that are going through this kind of. stuff right now? >> Speak up. Speak up. Talk to somebody. If.

you don't know who to talk to, find. somebody. Um, get an opinion. You know, gather information is the best thing you. can do. Um, like since I've been out. here dealing with everybody from, you. know, uh, the Daily Wire, which is what. the documentary is going to be on July. 25th, and whatnot, um, I've gotten all. their opinions on the whole Dr. Phil. thing, too. You know, cuz I like Dr. Phil. I think it's, you know, it's cool, whatever, but I'm I'm I it's got to make. sense, and it doesn't really make sense. to give this guy what he's always.

wanted, which is to be relevant, you. know? Yep. >> He's nobody without me. That's how I see. it. And uh but yeah, speak up. Put your. [ __ ] pent up energy into a sport. If. you're a sports guy or or or girl or. whatever, you know, if you're if you're. a books person, [ __ ] study more than. anybody else. Educate yourself more than. anybody else. Whatever you put that time. into, it will pay you back. It will hard. work doesn't go unnoticed. um when when.

you have to put it to the test, you. know, sometimes it goes unnoticed. because nobody sees you doing it, but. when you start to perform and you've. done all the hard work there, there's no. denying success from that. So, um put. that put that anger and energy into a. sport is the only thing I can relate to. And um no matter how crazy an idea. within reason, I'm not talking about. these [ __ ] fruit cakes in the world. today. But um as long as you you know. you have that self-belief that you can. go on and be something [ __ ] big, who.

why can't you? Why can't you? >> Good advice, man. >> Why can't you? I'm I'm a [ __ ] nobody. All All generations of my family have. been [ __ ] bums. I don't even say that. my grandfather's been a bum. That's not. fair to say. But when I say my father's. a straight [ __ ] loser, dude. hasn't. taken a [ __ ] ounce of risk for his. family or tried to better his life as a. person or as a man as a man at all. It's. a shame. I'm 28 years old and I know. more than that dude does. He's [ __ ]. 54, 53, you know.

>> Take the risk. Take the risk. Be willing. to fail cuz failure is only a [ __ ]. hey, I took a shot and I missed. But you. might learn how to do better next time. So take a 100% of those [ __ ] shots no. matter how crazy they are is my advice. >> Love that. >> Go for it. Thank you. Let's take a. break. >> Two words that don't typically go. together. Speed with quality. Like you. don't hit the drive-thru and expect a. gourmet meal to go. But there's one. exception to this unwritten rule. If.

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break. We're moving on from the family. stuff, but I did I wanted to ask one. more thing. And and this actually comes. from a guy that's on my team who's got, >> believe it or not, a very similar. upbringing to you. And uh I'm just so. [ __ ] proud of him because he has. changed his his his lineage and and his. he's gotten away from that generational. curse and uh he's been with me since he. was 17 years old and uh still with me.

today. He's I think he's 26. But um but. he wanted he this question is from him. and uh and so I told you at the. beginning like this is going to touch a. lot of people who've been in in similar. situations as you and and what he wanted. me to ask you is. as you as you start to amass the success. that you're seeing and in getting in the. UFC and making a name for yourself and. how do you combat the.

the voices in your head, the self-. sabotage from all the [ __ ] that you went. through with your dad and your family. and and you'll never amount to nothing, hoping you would die, all [ __ ] kill. you. How do you keep those voices from. entering your head? Or what do you do. when they do? >> So, I don't think you'll ever stop them. from coming into your head, especially. if you've had trauma um or anything. abusive in your childhood that you know. that has stuck with you for years. It's.

always going to be there. You know, I. think it's natural for humans to doubt. themselves. Um, it's our protective. mechanisms. When you go to do something. scary, your brain tries to stop you from. doing it because it knows the risk, the. damage, the hurt. Um, but I think it's being in the. present moment. I think that is the. master key to everything. And Shawn. Brady, my teammate, who is also, you. know, get on his title run. He's a top. two guy. He's number two at. welterweight. um. you know he had a lot of performance.

anxiety in his career and he turned it. around and you know I used to pick his. brain too. This is where it comes back. to what I said about asking questions. because I still had the doubts. If I. lacked anything I lacked I'm a very. confident guy. There's not a guy you. could put in a room that I don't think I. could knock out. I think I have that. chance against anybody big, small, doesn't matter. >> I think you've proven that. >> Yeah, except Kelvin. That guy's tough. Um but I still dropped him. But yeah, so. uh he uh you know I asked him like man.

like what do you what do you think you. did to chain? He was like just being. where my feet are, being in my present. moment. You know, he went and got help. and sports uh sports therapy and all. those things. But I'm not really big on. like therapists. I'd like to just kind. of figure it out. Um or ask questions of. people that I trust and things like that. versus somebody I don't really trust and. pay money to. I just I don't connect. with people like that. But, you know, he. was like being where my present in being. in the present moment like and just. appreciating where you are. You know, no. matter what was done to me, it's what's.

shaped me to be the human that I am. I. think a part of anxiety comes from. obviously doubt um and the things that. can go wrong. But. if all I worry about is my effort and. controlling that effort and my. confidence and my preparation and my. confidence and my education on things. that I want to learn about and things. like that, like I can't fail. I can't. fail. Like I'm not defined by a win or. loss in the UFC. Even if I got cut from. the UFC, it's that's not it's not my. identity anymore. Um it's me going out.

there and taking the risk and giving it. all that I have that I can judge and. that's that's who I am. I go out there. and I put it on the line every time and. I try to look for the finish every time. or I try to apply myself to be a better. person in my everyday life because. that's that's the person you have to go. to sleep with. That's the person you. have to wake up to. That's the person. you get your your work ethic from. So I. would just say it's being in the present. moment and realizing that your past. doesn't define you. Fighting doesn't. define you. And how you treat the people. you love is true success. The.

friendships that you have is true. success. Um it's not monetary. It's not. it's not money. Mhm. >> Um, it's not cars. I love cars, but it's. not cars. It's not the [ __ ] big. house. It's not the jewelry. It's not. the watches. It's not the chains. It's. not the fame. It's how you treat the. people that you love most in your life. That's how you're going to be based. That's how you're going to [ __ ] keep. a sound mind. And um, yeah. So, no, I don't think anything in. the past has like affected me anymore. It used to, you know, I used to be like,

"Oh, if I lose, this motherfucker's. going to laugh at me or everybody's. going to think I suck and all this. shit." And you know, I've had my. struggles when I lost my first UFC. fight. I walked into a fight, I wasn't. 100%, whatever. I lost. I wasn't the. better man that night. Um, and everybody. turned on me. It was the first time I. got famous pretty quick in the fight. world. I got a lot of hype behind me and. that I lost. And then everybody was. like, "You [ __ ] suck. You're a fraud. You're a bum. You lost my [ __ ] bet.". And all this [ __ ] Kill yourself. You're. this or you're that. So, it still.

continues. Now, it's not my father. saying it, but it's people. But these. [ __ ] people are unhappy in their. life. Imagine taking time to go and. [ __ ] [ __ ] talk an a professional. athlete you've never met. >> Oh, >> it's why I could relate to you all day. on this. >> Of course. Of course, >> you could do you could touch a 100,000. [ __ ] lives and and save a 100,000. people, but if you piss one [ __ ]. person off and they don't like it, oh, you're a piece of [ __ ] to them. >> Who cares? So, live your life by the. standards of the people that by the. standards of the people that you keep in. your circle is what I would say. And um.

I think that's helped me, you know, not. let the negative thoughts get in my and. if they come in my my brain. I've been. reading this book called Inner. Excellence. I think for athletes, it's a. must readad. Uh Sam Morpiso. um is always influencing me to read. books. I hate reading books, but not a. big book reader. Little too retaliated. for it, but I still do it. And um you. know uh. yeah, I it's been a great It's the ego.

It's the ego. Um a lot of our fears are. ego driven. Mhm. >> So, uh, it's been the most humbling. [ __ ] annoying thing to try and digest. because your ego gets in the way of. everything. It influences everything. Like, why you're insecure about. something? Well, because you're afraid. to [ __ ] lose in front of thousands of. people or millions of people on the TV. And it's like, bro, you got to let go. all that. You can't control all that. The only thing I can control is my. performance. Did you work hard for this. moment? Yes. I [ __ ] turned over every. stone I could. All right. Then go out. there and give it your best effort.

Might be a win on the other side, might. be a loss, but whatever it is, you're. [ __ ] ready for it. >> Man, it is. astounding that you figured this out by. age 28 years old. >> because I got real [ __ ] men in my. life. Now, imagine if my father [ __ ]. had been a real man. >> Yeah, >> maybe I would have [ __ ] got it, maybe. I wouldn't have, but I think this is my. story to tell. This is my platform to. tell it. And um you know, thanks to guys. like you, I get to do it. Let's talk about So, let's start moving. into Will. I know he was What was his.

last name? >> Harmon. Will Harmon. >> Will Harmon. You had mentioned earlier. that he had put his job on the line for. you. How did he do that? >> I mean, he was picking me up, you know, not that that's against the rules, but. um he was trying to take me in his house. before I had gone homeless, but he. couldn't do it because the student. teacher thing can't do it. um or he. would have um but you know he didn't. consult with anybody even after you know. I graduated and opened up his home and I. think he put his job on the line just by.

simply [ __ ] protecting my story um. and the things that I was going through. and and keeping that close to heart and. I'm sure he had conversations about it. in some way but I know he got a lot of. people off my back you know he stopped. me from getting suspended from school a. bunch of times for slamming kids into. [ __ ] or uh one kid was saying some. homophobic slurs and I said some [ __ ]. back and threatened him and didn't get. suspended. So, he was always putting his. neck out there for me. I broke doors in.

high school and [ __ ] did a lot of. stupid [ __ ] out of anger and he always. was just there cleaning up my trail so I. didn't get in trouble. So, you know, necessarily not anything to get fired. over at all, but um you know, just even. those small things went a long way. Like. I lost my senior night and I [ __ ]. broke one of the Bill code doors. Like. big ass door. [ __ ] kicked it right. off the hinges and and broke it. He came. in the next morning before anybody knew. and [ __ ] fixed it. >> Wow. >> And uh I slammed the kid into, you know, the glass and busted his face and he. went and I should have got suspended and.

he stood behind me saying, "Yeah, it's. like, you know, I know what was being. said and this is what's going on in his. life." And, you know, it really went to. bad for me and I couldn't really afford. like if I had gotten I probably would. have just dropped out of school. So, he kept me going to school. Um, I. didn't have good grades and all I wanted. to come to school with was to see him, play chess with him, eat lunch with him, and uh, wrestle. So, my man was there. >> What I mean, what was it like for you? So, you didn't move in with him until.

18. >> I was 19. 19. >> I was 19. Yeah. I lived So, I moved in. with a friend at the time. who was not a real friend. Um, and he. moved in with his girlfriend and I moved. in with my first girlfriend at the time. and we were both in very very toxic. relationships. And uh yeah, I don't give. a [ __ ] to say it cuz it is what it is. But when I was working 60 hours a week, the dude was [ __ ] around with my girl. while he was engaged to his girl. And I. didn't find out until 6 months after I. had already broke up with her. And then,

you know, we couldn't afford to stay. where we were staying. And I got my car. repossessed, my phone got shut off, my. insurance got shut off, and Harmon took. me in. And um. the worst part about it is my teammate, one of my teammates at a former team. that I was at [ __ ] the girl. of my friend. So it was like a a big. [ __ ] fest between everybody but me. And. uh. yeah, that is what eventually led them.

to break up, which means we couldn't. afford to stay where we were. And then I. found out that and then I was like, man, I'm going to kill this [ __ ]. too. And you know, I told Arman about it. and he was like, you got to come live. you got to come live with me. He's like, I just bought this house. He just bought. the house. It was perfect timing. And he. was like, I got extra room for you. And. um my car got taken away. It was one of. the most humiliating feelings. And um you know, he taught me a very. good lesson. It was like probably the. first lesson he gave me under his roof. as to what it is to be a man of your.

word. And he gave me the money to get my. car out of repossession and pay it off. and he said, "I'm giving you this money, not because I expect you to pay it back, but if you tell me you're going to pay. it back, that's your word. And if you. don't, I'll still be friends with you. and I'll still love you and support you, but I might look at you differently.". And uh that was right before my pro. debut. I moved in with him. um I paid him back over two fights, but. I moved in with him right after my. fourth amateur fight. So then I had one.

more amateur fight and I went pro and I. paid him back by that fight cash. And uh. it was one of the best feelings in the. world. And um yeah, I finally had a. stable home. I finally had good food. I. finally had heat. Finally had my own. bathroom. Yeah, it was it was special. I. mean, what. what was that like for you going I mean, you went 19 years in the same. environment, same type of environments, different abuses, different experiences,

but none of them a loving. traditional. family dynamic. And so then you get. inserted into Will's home with his kids, with his wife, with him. I mean, >> it was just me, him. >> Something that you'd never It was just. you and him. >> Yeah, just me, him, and his wife before. they had kids. And then. >> before they had kids. >> So, what was it like for you. to experience real love in a real home?

>> I developed this mentality that things. were too good to be true. So, every time. I thought something good was happen, it. was going to happen. I knew I like. expected it not to happen. Like even. something as simple as like going to a. [ __ ] water park as a kid, like nah, it's too good to be true. It's not going. to [ __ ] happen because it didn't. Every every every good thing that we. looked forward to as kids, including my. sisters, we all expected it not to. happen. It would just get shot down and. we never got to enjoy it. And uh so it. was very uncomfortable for me for a long.

time. And then when I moved in there, it. was like I had this overwhelming peace. of like I can [ __ ] heal. Like I can. rest. like I can go to sleep and not. worry about someone kicking my door in. Like one of one of the triggers I used. to have was somebody knocking on my door. because there used to be a slit in my. room at my old house and there was it. was an old farmhouse so everything was. like slanted and lopsided and [ __ ] and. like beat up and I had a little slit in. the door from him [ __ ] kicking my. door in all the time. So he would I just.

remember seeing his [ __ ] eyeballs. look in to see if I was in my room when. he would punish me or to see if I was. like asleep or something. I would fake. sleep every time. I remember one of the. most traumatic [ __ ] things is hearing. that [ __ ] walk up the stairs cuz. I used to creek. I'd hear the [ __ ]. creek and I would jump in bed and then. [ __ ] try to hold my breath so he. didn't think I was awake and he wouldn't. bother me. And I remember [ __ ] I had. a like a mesh uh a mesh blanket and I. remember seeing his [ __ ] eyeballs. It. was like it was in prison, bro. The dude. was [ __ ] like I'd be like real quiet.

He always did like traumatic like like. not traumatic but startling [ __ ] like. kick the [ __ ] door and scare the [ __ ]. out of me and then trash all my toys and. then [ __ ] leave and laugh. And so it. was like I always I always like or he. would kick the [ __ ] door in. I didn't. even know why and then start beating the. [ __ ] out of me for something I. apparently did [ __ ] wrong. Whether it. was getting in an argument with my. sisters or maybe a [ __ ] fist fight. earlier. Me and my older sister used to. [ __ ] fight all the time. But my rule. was I wasn't allowed to [ __ ] hit her. back. So I used to hate her. She'd [ __ ]. me up all the time. And uh till I got.

older, but uh but yeah. Um so one of my. triggers was like somebody knocking on. the [ __ ] door. I didn't have to deal. with that. Anyway, he did it a couple. times and I would like freak the [ __ ]. out. It was like a PTSD [ __ ] thing. Like I hated it. Like made me angry as. [ __ ] I don't know why. I was like ready. to [ __ ] fight people over it. But I. didn't have to deal with danger anymore. I was able to be in a house where I. could have food. I didn't I We used to. get yelled at all those kids for even.

opening the door for more than like 15. seconds in the fridge. Get the [ __ ] out. of the fridge. Like you were afraid to. [ __ ] eat. >> Damn, man. >> Or you were told you couldn't eat, you. know, because we only had so much food. and it would [ __ ] go so fast. You. know, we're household of seven. And uh. so it was like, you know, I didn't have. to worry about how much food I ate. He. used to make fun of me for how fast I. ate because I would like scarf down food. and uh cuz we always had a lack of food. Um but uh yeah, it was the first real. like peaceful moment in my life that I.

had. >> adjustment period. >> Definitely definitely like you know what. I mean? It just it didn't feel real. It. felt like it was only going to last so. long. And then you know probably after. like the first year I was like man like. this is [ __ ] awesome. This is. amazing. And um yeah, I'll never I'll. never not be thankful for that man. >> Do you still train with him? >> Nah, he he's old, man. He's 40. He. claims he's old. He's not old. He's he's. on he's he's on a different goal in. life. He's out there trying to run 5. miles in 30 minutes. Um that's one of.

his goals. And uh yeah, he's a little. banged up from wrestling. Plus, I whoop. his ass now. And. it's not even fair. Yeah, we used to be competitive. Yeah. I. I still would he still would catch me in. high school, but I could beat him. But. now it's like, you know, I'm a lot. bigger and but. yeah, so he don't old man don't want. that ass whooping no more. But I've been trying to get him back. into lifting and everything, but you. know, he's got three kids now and one. daughter has special needs and, you.

know, he's got a wife and everything. This is really hard for him to take the. time to, you know, really go out and. train, but he was only ever a wrestler. anyway. Do. >> you guys still see each other a lot? >> Yeah, pretty often. Um, you know, there's some times where we're going. LOLS and I don't get to see him that. often. We don't talk that much, but you. know, we still I got him out to the last. fight because it was in our home, like. in our state. And um you know, anytime I. get to talk about him, I do. And uh you. know, we still hang out and still see. each other. And I hope to do that till. the day he passes away and I pass away. So I hope that happens.

>> That's a friend for life for me, man. So. I'll never forget everything that he's. done. >> And uh I'll always cherish our lunchtime. periods playing chess, splitting the. sandwich that his wife would make. I. never seen somebody put so much meat on. a sandwich. But it was banging, man. It. was banging. I used to think that that. was like the most like, man, how do you. afford this? Like that's how broke I. was, >> man. >> Oh, man. So, yeah. No, Harmon is uh a. godsend to my life and for sure saved my. life from very, very, very dark times. And, you know, he literally looked at me.

when he took me in. He said, "I believe. you can make it." And he's like, "And I. want to see how far you can go and I. want to see what you're made of." And uh. you can live here for free, but if this. is what you really want to do, I want to. see you chase it. That's all I did, bro. Eat, sleep, train. Just kept going. And. that's why when I lost my first. contender, that's why I felt like a. [ __ ] loser. Cuz when they told me it. was over, I was like, I lied to. everybody. Little did I know. >> Well, let's move Let's move into So, I.

mean, 19, you're living with him. You had. already gone pro. No. So, I turned pro. um by the time I was 21. I had five. amateur fights. Uh 21 or 22. I. >> When did you start fighting amateur? >> 2017. 2017. >> How old were you then? >> 19. >> 19. >> So, I had already had fights by the time. I moved to him. I had four fights by the. time I moved to him. And then I did my. last amateur fight with him and then my. pro debut. So, I think it was 19. 19 or.

20. Uh whatever. I was what I'm 28 now. >> Full MMA fight. >> Full MMA fight. How old were you with. the first one? >> 19. Yeah, 19. Yeah, cuz I was still. getting escorted. I was either 19 or. just turned 20 cuz I still got an escort. across the casino floor. >> Holy [ __ ]. >> Ed Harman was the escort. >> How did that I mean, how did that come. about? How do you transition from. wrestling jiu-jitsu into. >> So, I always had this dream, though. I. always had this dream. I you know, I. always wanted to fight. I always wanted. to [ __ ] be in the UFC. I always I.

always envisioned people chanting my. name and 20,000 fans and me walking out. and uh. in the UFC. It was never anything else. It wasn't Bellator. It wasn't One. Championship. It was always UFC, UFC, UFC. And uh I was working [ __ ] 60 hours a. week in a deadbeat job for Verizon. [ __ ] wireless phone sales that I. [ __ ] hated. I hated everybody I. worked with. I [ __ ]. >> I cannot see you selling cell phone. plants. >> Everybody laughed. Yeah, it was [ __ ]. terrible. I hated that [ __ ] job. Um,

[ __ ] dookie, bro. Oh, man. I didn't sell [ __ ] Um, so. yeah, I was working 60 hours a week and. I wind up just taking a fight just to. take it and I. >> Who approached you? I mean, how did you. even How did you get in there? >> Um, I I told Sam Orpisa, who wind up. becoming my coach? He wasn't my coach. for my first four I'm sorry, he wasn't. my coach for my first three amateur. fights. I was at a school called Balance. Studios with a guy named Rick Migler. who's a longtime black belt. Was there.

at my first competition when I was five. years old. Like dude's known me for. years. Love him to death. Great. inspiration. Like [ __ ] solid [ __ ]. dude. Um so I was a part of that team. for a while. After Fight Factory went. away, he closed the gym. Steve had. closed the gym. I joined Balance. Studios. And so I was working 60 hours a. week and I had one of my teammates, Basil. Um and I had Rick Migler as my. corner. that I had reached out to Sam. about wanting to fight and he got me my. first fight with a organization called. XCC at the time and um real scumbag.

promoter. I'm not going to mention her name. She. [ __ ] flipped me off right before my. last fight. [ __ ] [ __ ]. Funny story. Nobody talks [ __ ] on you, woman. But uh so yeah, she uh I got a. fight and I fought this guy. I was 178. pounds fighting at 185. Didn't lift. Had my own schedule. Didn't. do [ __ ] Barely was training. Would. train like once every [ __ ] once a.

Sunday. Was sparring and just went and. took a fight. Knocked the guy out in. [ __ ] 17 seconds. Flatlined. >> 17 seconds. >> 17 seconds. Threw a [ __ ] inside kick, hit him with a cross right hand, put him. out face down. Uh they took him out in a. stretcher, oxygen tank, and he had uh. like like brain hemorrhaging. I don't. know if that's brain bleeding or. something, but he was never cleared or. allowed to fight again ever since. So, I. felt terrible about that. I actually saw. his coach last year for the first time. and uh he was like, "Yeah, you know, he. never was allowed to fight after that.". He's the one that told me and I was. like, "Damn, bro. That [ __ ] sucks.".

Like, tell him I'm sorry. Like, but uh. yeah, I smoked that dude immediately. Had another fight. Was training for This. is why I said this woman is a scumbag. Was training for my next fight. Was. going through that toxic relationship. with that first girlfriend. still living. in that environment, you know, like I. told you about all the [ __ ] that had. happened there. And she basically would [ __ ] break up. with me and then go to a college party. and [ __ ] dudes and [ __ ] I was like. [ __ ] gutted. I was one of them dumb. kids that didn't have any confidence in.

the love world. Didn't know how to. navigate it. Didn't know it wasn't love, you know, two broken kids against the. world type thing like I had said. And. [ __ ] I was heartbroken. So, I wasn't. eating. I wasn't sleeping. And I got. down to like 168 and I had to force. drink myself to get up to 174. >> Wow. >> And I still fought. And this is where I. don't like the woman is that she had. known I was going to fight a collegiate. wrestler the entire time. So I was. training for a boxing guy and then she. switched it the day before and says, "Oh.

yeah, your opponent pulled out, but we. have somebody else for you." I asked the. kid. The kid's like, "Yeah, I had a. little train camp." So anyway, I fought. this kid. He was much bigger than me. Whatever. I rocked him. He just [ __ ]. wrestle [ __ ] me for like three rounds. And I wasn't upset about it. And I was. like, "What the fuck?" Like, "This is. what I want to do, but I'm not upset. about it." And I was like, "I can't have. a half foot in, half foot out." So, I. fought one more fight after that. So, I'm one and one. I go fight again. I. choke a dude out, smoke him in the first.

round. And uh and then I was like, "You. know what? This just isn't fulfilling. I. feel like I'm [ __ ] off." And I was. like, I can't have one foot in, one foot. out. I'm going to quit my job. And at. that time, I had already quit my job at. Verizon. I worked at Honda, Piaza Honda. for a little bit as a salesman. Got. [ __ ] bent over with that job. Didn't. get any [ __ ] sales. >> Like, [ __ ] I'm sorry. >> No, it is funny. >> Just don't strike me as a salesman. This. reminds me of like my first job after.

the SEL team. So, I became a real estate. agent for like two weeks. >> Yeah. And you realize, you're like, "Dude, this [ __ ] sucks." So I was like, man, [ __ ] that. So then I worked even. better. It gets better. I worked at. [ __ ] LA Fitness for a little while. >> Nice. >> Sell gym memberships and then this. [ __ ] turd of a manager I had was. changing the last names of the people. that I would schedule to come in to buy. memberships or, you know, join the gym. and was taking my commissions. So I. remember I worked like 67 hours one week. and I got like a $453 paycheck and I was.

like, "You [ __ ] bitch." Like I hate. your guts. And uh I was like, "What am I. doing?" I was like, "I'd rather be broke. than [ __ ] work this much to just have. that little bit of money." And I hadn't. had any sponsorships yet in fighting or. anything like that. And I was begging. Sam Lorisa to coach me. And. um he put me through the [ __ ] ringer, man. Um so I w up quitting my job and I. went in and I gave her the finger and. [ __ ] throw [ __ ] off her desk and I. said, "You're a [ __ ] scumbag for.

stealing from a kid." And I gave her the. finger and left and tried to tell me she. was going to call the cop. So, I was. like, "Call him, [ __ ] You fat fuck.". Like, I was [ __ ] I like said a lot of. [ __ ] up [ __ ] to her, but I quit. And. then I just pursued fighting full-time, man. And I always knew I could have done. so much more because I would go in and. train with guys that were training. full-time and do hold my own and do. better than hold my own. And I was like, man, these guys train every day and. they're bigger than me. They got. strength conditioning. They have money. for supplements and I'm still [ __ ]. them up. So, I finally got serious, man. And I.

was like, this is it. Plan A or nothing. And um. that's when my car got repossessed, all. those things. So then I fought another. fight against this guy I had real beef. with. It's a hilarious [ __ ] thing. He. was like talking [ __ ] He was going to. be eat McDonald's and knock me the [ __ ]. out. He said he was going to knock put. his nuts on my face if he knocked me. out. All this [ __ ] Mind you, this guy's. like 34. I'm 20. So I was like, "All. right, bitch." Like, you know, it was. the first time that I sold tickets. I. was in the negative every time I sold. tickets before that. I didn't sell [ __ ].

Nobody wanted to see me fight. Nobody. gave a [ __ ] This one I sold 150 tickets. as an amateur, which was huge back then. And um I actually made a couple hundred. bucks. And um I knocked him the [ __ ] out. I. dropped him with a jab. I was screaming. I was like, "Get up, motherfucker." I. was like, "Come take my name. Talk all. that shit." I was like, "Get up, motherfucker." Like I wanted to I tried. to kill this guy. So then I [ __ ] send. him to the shadow realm, knock him the. [ __ ] out and uh knocked him out bad. Like he he was in a pool of blood. Like. split his [ __ ] mouth open. um and put.

him out one shot. And uh that's when my. career really started taking off. That's. when people are like, "Yo, this kid's. got something.". >> I mean, you're known for knocking people. out. >> Yeah. >> Fast. >> Yeah. >> How do you do it? I've been in a lot of. bar fights. Never drop somebody. >> That's crazy. >> Hey, I I hit. >> doesn't connect, buddy. >> Yeah. I think. >> Well, that's part of the problem. You. got to connect to be able to put. somebody out. Um Yeah. I think uh I just. think, you know, this is where I credit. my father. I got to start so young, so. my understanding is better than someone.

who just started. Um, I understand. rotation, rotating my hips and landing. at one time and having speed. You know, it's not all about just power, but it's. speed, it's timing. It's it's the. perfect It's the perfect shot. When you. land that perfect shot, you'll feel a. whip right through your body. You'll. feel like a It's almost like a snap, like boom, like a whip crack, and you'll. feel it. It's like a It's like a wave. It like travels up. You'll see like the. whip in your muscle. If you watch some. of my fights after this and you see like. some of the shots that I hit people. with, you'll see it like ripple all the. way through my tricep. Like it'll get.

like a jiggle like and it's um so I. think that's part of it, you know, and. and everybody at this level has knockout. power and they're all good. They're all. dangerous. >> Where's the placement? >> The placement. I mean, listen, temple, ear, this is probably the most dangerous. one. And then if you can catch that. chin, because really all a knockout is. is your brain bouncing off your skull. and you go unconscious. It's a It's your. body's way of protecting you. Um or at. least that's what I think. I'm not a. [ __ ]. >> Doesn't seem like good protection.

>> It's not because then you're [ __ ]. defenseless. But um yeah, so I just have. a really good understanding and I always. prided myself in power. I actually never. knocked anybody out. I've dropped people. before that and I've hurt people, but I. never really knocked anybody out until I. knocked out uh the first guy in my. amateur fight. So, I won that fight and. then uh I fought again, knocked that guy. out, made my pro debut, knocked that guy. out. Um, fought another fight, won a. decision. It was. >> How did you make your pro debut? >> So, I made my pro debut. I was 4 in one.

as an amateur and I just felt held back. I was like, "Bro, I want to elbow. [ __ ] I want to knee them in. their face. I want to kick them in their. face." Like, I'm a complete mixed. martial artist. Like, I want to use all. the tools. I felt so held back with like. when you're an amateur until you become. an advanced amateur, you can kick the. legs without shinguards, but you can't. kick them in the face. If you drop. somebody in the amateurs. with the shinguards, you can't hit him. in the face. You can only hit them in. the body. I'm like, well, what the. [ __ ] the point in dropping them? So, I. made sure when I hit people, I just had.

to [ __ ] put them out in one shot. And. it was the intention. My intention was. to actually like I used to picture. Mortal Kombat when I hit you, your head. [ __ ] shatters. And um I still had. that rage. I still had that anger. So. when I was hitting you, I was putting. everything into every shot and it paid. off. Now it doesn't pay off because you. got guys that are defensively. responsible. They know how to weather. the storm and you know they have good. game plans and they've been there, done. that against guys who everybody hits. hard. So it's a little bit different. now. You have to really be technical to.

get that shot. Um but I was ready to. make my pro debut. At this point I. already got Sam came on board. Sam. Orpizo who's very monumental as to why. my hands are as good as they are. He. came on board for my fourth amateur. fight against that guy that I told you. was talking [ __ ] on me. His name was. Adam Matia. Complete [ __ ] loser. And. uh yeah, so um I beat him. I had Sam. Sam used to [ __ ] make me show up at. 3:00 a.m. just to see if I would show. up. Make 5:00 a.m. 6 a.m. drive all the. way to Philly 40 minutes just to see if.

I would show up. And I did it time and. time again, time and time again. And I. kept asking him and begging him to coach. me. And I finally got him on board. And. I told him I would do whatever it takes, you know, to be successful at this. And. I'll wake up at any hour. I don't give a. [ __ ] what time it is. Let's do it. And I. did that. And he definitely tested that. And um, you know, I just started. improving, getting better and getting. better and getting better. I would say. where I developed the slowest though was. the diet. You know, I didn't have money. to really like eat super super clean. like I do now. Um, but yeah, I made my.

pro debut and [ __ ] smashed the dude. Smashed the dude. I I mounted them in. [ __ ] like I I was just bing. This is. where I say I wouldn't stop if there. wasn't a ref at that time because I was. so angerfilled. >> Mhm. >> That I would like get off on [ __ ]. hurting people. So I remember I was. sitting on top. I like I [ __ ] was. beating his ass for like I did it in the. first round but I was beating his ass. and I [ __ ] took him down, threw him. down. I already cut him with an elbow on. his head and I [ __ ] mounted him and I. postured up and just started hitting. him. And the dumbest thing he could have.

done was try to hit me back and then I. wound up hitting him and his eyes rolled. and I must have hit him like eight times. before the ref got me off and he was. like he was like crucified like out and. I just kept [ __ ] hitting him like I. wouldn't stop. >> and the ref like threw me off and that. was my pro debut. Uh it was probably one. of my favorite wins because uh just how. violent it was and like you could see. the anger and [ __ ] like that. And for. me, it wasn't just anger towards my. father and my life, but it was anger. towards like, you [ __ ] don't. think I'm going to make it. I'm coming.

So, that was my pro debut. Then I fought. um my second fight against a guy who. fought in Bellator who had like a lot. more experience than me and I beat his. ass, dominated him. It was so slippery. I definitely could have finished the. fight, but it was so slippery and humid. in there. And I remember I couldn't like. [ __ ] place my feet or anything and I. won a decision and then I won all. finishes. I was 6 and0. Uh won my first. title for Art of War. This this company. called Art uh venue called Art of War.

Um and then I lost my first fight. because. >> what's what's Sam thinking leading up to. this? >> Leading up to what? >> To your first loss. I mean, you're just. crushing him. >> He knew he I was more than ready. I was. more than ready, but I didn't let him. know where I was mentally. I was. suicidal again. >> You were suicidal through the winds. >> Yeah. Yeah. I was angry, man. It was eat. me up. I hadn't forgiven my father. I. hated my life. Like, I still wasn't. making any money. You You basically. fight for free, bro. All the way up. until you get to the UFC. You know, they.

might give you two grand maybe. And that. that's as a professional with like fight. experience. You know, when you're an. amateur, you don't get paid a purse. You. only get ticket sales. And I didn't sell. any tickets at the for my first three. So, I w up owing money because I would. spend the money I had I needed to. [ __ ] survive, you know, before I was. living with Harmon. But then, you know, my first I think I made 500, 500 my. first pro fight, maybe 700, 700. >> or maybe 350, 350, something like that. I don't remember what it was. >> And um but I started picking up some.

sponsorships, so it made it a little. easier, you know. And Sam, like Sam. didn't just coach me. Sam, he was a. fighter, too. He fought in Bellator. He. was 13 to three as a professional, very. successful MMA guy. But then he had a. kid and then he had another kid and just. like fighting was not feasible if you. lost. And he lost one of his last fights. as an MMA fighter and uh it just wasn't. it just didn't make sense for him to do. it anymore. >> I mean, when you say suicidal, how how. suicidal are you talking about? But. >> thinking about it every day, multiple. times a day. >> Yeah. Every day. Every day. I just had.

this dark cloud over me like I I started. feeling worthless because I had the. problem with now that I'm a fighter, my. identity is fighting. And then I forgave. my father like I tried to let go of it. right before my uh I was 6 and0 right. before my seventh fight uh professional. fight. I so I'd already won a title art. award. Then I went to this company. called Ring of Combat which were awesome. and I won the title there. And mind you, I was finishing everybody in the first. round. I only had one decision. So, I. was I knocked everybody the [ __ ] out and. won the belt in like 50 seconds or.

something like smashed this guy. And uh. then I was fighting a guy who honestly. wasn't really that good. He was like six. and four at the time or five and four or. five and three or something like that. And I was 6 and0. And um and I was. supposed to fight a guy who was 10 and. three, but he was a replacement because. the guy pulled out, got hurt or. something. And it was the first time I ever walked. into a fight and I was like there was no. music that could hype me. There was no. people that could motivate me. And I was. just like, I don't want to do this. It. was the weirdest [ __ ] feeling, man.

It was the weirdest feeling. And it was the first time that I had had. my girls family come and watch me cuz we. we didn't like each other at first. They. didn't like me. I didn't like them. You. know, I'm the disgruntled angry kid who. used to fight kids and [ __ ] was an. angry kid and they didn't want me with a. do with their daughter type [ __ ] And, you know, I didn't blame him. Looking. back, I don't blame him at all. And I. love their family, you know, they they. they are family to me. And the Khaka. family is probably another godsend. Not. even probably, they are a godsend. They.

they've been wonderful people. Um so. walked out there, man, was trashing this. [ __ ] guy, dominating him and. everything. And then I [ __ ] was. tired. Um I had his back, I had mount, but I didn't have the finishing. mentality. So I wasn't trying to ground. him pound like to get him out of there. I was just trying to control him. And I. don't know why. And it was it still it. still [ __ ] bothers me because. Like, bro, I took him down at Will. I. dominated and everything. So then I took. a shot. I was already tired. I blew my. nut. I was done. And I didn't have.

anything to fight for. I didn't know. what I was fighting for. First time it. ever happened to me. Didn't have the. anger. Didn't have the [ __ ] let me. prove everybody wrong. And I [ __ ]. took a shot like slipped like kind of. like did a split and I was against a. cage and he stuck at guillotine and I. didn't tap and got put to sleep. wake up and [ __ ] that was the first. time I was devastated and I was [ __ ]. crying looking at myself in the mirror. like what a [ __ ] loser what a [ __ ]. and all these things and just like real. negative and um. you know that's where.

that girl is very special you know um. >> I mean did you talk to anybody about. suicidal tendencies or. >> not before that. >> you just. >> no just bottled it up I was always used. to handling emotions on my own. >> one foot in front of the Harman. I. didn't tell Sam. I didn't tell, you. know, I told Harman about the abuse at. home, but I would never tell him about. suicide. I would never tell him about. depression because I thought it was weak. to talk about it as a man and uh when. it's not. There's nothing wrong with. talking about it. Um especially if.

you're struggling with it, you know. So. after that I did and you know I got. myself right and I came back and I I. also went and got a different look from. another team cuz the team that I was. training at which was Bounce Studios are. amazing jiu-jitsu school but they are. not an MMA program school and uh at. least to make it to that level to the. UFC level. And so I went out to Colorado. and trained with a team called. Elevation. in I went train with Neil. Magny um who's in the UFC been a long. time vet whatever and I got a different. look was training at altitude came back.

you know got another first round or. second round knockout and got my mind. right got myself physically right like. was lifting and eating right and doing. all these things and I just started. going on a tear and um then I got that. contender series fight. >> how did that come on your plate. >> after my return so I lost then I won and. then I got that contender series fight. and so Now I'm 7-1 and I go to fight. this guy Staltzfus who I broke my arm. against. >> And did they approach you? >> Yes. So, uh, they approached my.

management. Well, my manager, my. management approached them with my. record. You know, you you have a manager. that goes who I've signed with since I. was 1 and0. His name's Lloyd Pearson and. I've been with him. He's under Vayner. Sports. And I've been with him since I. was 1 and0. It's like, and he doesn't. take people that are that young in their. career. But Chandler had initially done. a documentary that was about my life. trying to get into the UFC, but it was. deleted because we just redid it once. the story made sense when I got in the. UFC. Um, but anyway, nonetheless, they. saw the documentary. Eddie Alvarez I was. close with who was in the UFC, former.

champion. Um, he was a champion of. Bellator, champion in UFC, fought and. won. Uh, fought Dustin Porier, Conor. McGregor, [ __ ]. um, all kinds of people. Raphael Desanos. is who he beat to win the belt. Um so. anyway, Lloyd manages Eddie and then. that's how that connection happened and. then they signed me at 1 and0. So um. Lloyd paid for me to go out to Denver. That's how I got to go out there because. I didn't have the money for it. Gave me. a car and everything and me and my girl.

went out there and you know so uh it was. a good experience for me. But yeah, so. he contacted the UFC. UFC offered me a. fight against this guy who was 12-1. which was Dustin Stoultz. I go out there. and I fight him. And I had Sam Morpis and I had one of my. best friends at the time in my corner. That was it. I had one real coach. I had. no training partners. It was just me and. him. And uh it was during COVID. So I. Yeah, it was it was it was bad. It.

sucked. And um so I go out there and I. fight and I lost. I broke my elbow. Get. put in an ambulance. Don't get me Don't. get to meet Dana White. All he posts is. like, "Oh yeah, Joe had a dislocation. He'll be fine." Cuz that's all we. thought it was at first. Turns out I. exploded the radial head and my uh. elbow, which was like, I can't I can. turn my hand like this, but I can't turn. my hand like this. So now I I have I. can't power clean. I can't turn my hand. My arm doesn't go straight. Um when I. had my first surgery, so before I skip. to that, I got an ambulance. I'm [ __ ].

crying and I'm like, "Dude, I did 20. years in this [ __ ] sport to fail.". And I remember asking God like, "Why? What the [ __ ] am I supposed to learn. from this? What is the point? And d. victim victim mentality. And um you. know, had I just been patient, realized. that no storm lasts forever, I would be. okay. But uh went to another dark place. again. And uh I got the first surgery. Um but they told me, "You never fight. again." They were like, "You're done.

You're not fighting again. Like you. you'll slip the you'll dislocate it even. easier now." um because they had to cut. one of the capsules, which I guess is. like a saram wrap that holds all your. joints and muscles and ligaments in. place or something like that. Could be. [ __ ] that up, but that's essentially. the idea. So, I get the surgery and my. arm's like this. Literally like this. So, and I do all the the therapy and the. rehab and all this [ __ ] And I come and. I see I drive to Sam's house and I'm. like, "Look, man." I was like, "I'm.

going to [ __ ] come back. I'm going to. fight. I'm going to fight." And he's. looking at me like, "What the [ __ ]. Joe?" like it's not going to happen. And then I tried to go back. I joined. Team Marquez, uh, which is where I'm at. now. My head coach is John Marquez. Jonathan Webb's my jiu-jitsu coach. And. then I was close with Shawn Brady. I. knew Sean Brady since I was 13 years. old, and he was 16 years old. Um, and. I'd always like stayed in contact with. him. Not often, but every now and then. We always had a good mutual respect for. each other. And I'd been telling them. before I lost the Contender Series that. I wanted to make the move over there. because I knew I needed a real team if I.

was going to make this my career. I. needed real sparring partners, real. regiment. Like we didn't even have an. MMA program. All the way I made it to. the UFC and the way I won all these. fights was literally simply hitting. pads. Wow. Hardly sparring. Maybe once a. week I sparred with Basil Hafz who's in. the UFC. I'd spar with him who was a 70. pounder who I would do very well. against. Um, and it wasn't enough. >> Wow. >> I had my best friend at the time that it. was only a wrestler who knew no fighting.

at all and I would just use him as a. drill dummy. And that's how I made my first [ __ ]. Contender Series run. >> Holy [ __ ]. >> No strength conditioning coach or. nothing. So, look at all these pieces. that I didn't have to the puzzle. And that's that's the other thing that. gave me motivation. It's like once I get. these things right, I'm going to go on a. [ __ ] tear. Once I get these things. right, I'm going to go on a [ __ ]. tear. So, anyway, I have the first. surgery. I'm [ __ ] up from it. My. elbow's [ __ ] stuck. I have. excruciating pain. Every time I extend, it's the worst nerve pain I've ever felt. in my life. Let alone the surgery itself.

plus the break. Worst [ __ ] pain I. ever felt. And um. you know, all the while I keep telling. my girl like. you know at that time like I'm going to. make it. I'm going to make it. I'm going. to do it for us. I'm going to do it for. us. I promise. I promise. I promise. I. promise. So I go and I get I go back to. the same surgeon. And I'm like, "Look, dude, something's [ __ ] wrong." Takes. an X-ray. He's like, "Ah, there's. nothing we can do. Like, you know, if. you do if we do any more surgery, like, you're going to have nerve damage. You're going to have [ __ ] it's going.

to be loose. It's going to be like. flailing around in there every time you. punch, which it was." And so, I went to. this guy named Dr. Tosti, um, who I'm. friends with today, and I [ __ ] love. that man. And, uh, he got me back in the. [ __ ] cage. And. >> wow. >> He said, "You have a 30% chance of. success." And soon as he said that, as. he was talking, I was like, "When? let's. do it when scheduled it four days later. or a week later and um right there in. the office and [ __ ] went and did it. all over. So I was back to square one.

So I wasted a whole year of therapy and. rehab just to go do it all over again. except this time he slit the whole. outside again and he slit the whole. inside and he had to cut the capsule. I. had a torn forearm still which is why I. was in so much pain for almost a year. And mind you, why while having a torn. forearm, they're hanging [ __ ] weights. off of you and chains and [ __ ] making. you do all this [ __ ] and stretching it. while I have a torn forearm. So the pain. was [ __ ] I've never felt something. like that. And uh so I go get the second surgery.

and here we go. Long road to [ __ ]. recovery again. U by the time I was. good, um I went and joined Team Marquez. and went over there and uh was training. with Shawn and you know, I got cleared. probably two weeks right before I was. allowed to fight. Uh, I scheduled a. fight when I wasn't cleared. And then I. got cleared literally two weeks before. the fight. But two weeks before the. fight, I broke my left thumb off the. joint and I already have all these. nerves like, do I still got it? Am I. going to be able to make it? Blah blah. blah. I'm fighting a World Team Trials. wrestler. I was supposed to fight a.

former UFC fighter. His name was Kyle. Magalesh, Brazilian, and he pulled out. of the fight. I think he was just a. [ __ ] and didn't want to fight because. apparently he had a heart issue, but. then he was eating [ __ ] burgers on. his Instagram. I don't know what really. went down, but. yeah, I don't know what down went down. So, they gave me this [ __ ] guy who. was Derek Brunson, who was also a UFC. fighters wrestling coach. Guy made he. was he he didn't make the world team uh. world team for wrestling, but he did. compete in the world team trials, which. is a very high, you know, respectable.

level of wrestling. And mind you, he was. young in his career. He was 3 and 0, 4-0. I was 7-1 or 7-2. Um, but I was out. for two years. So, um, yeah. So, I go and I have that fight. I. [ __ ] squeeze my hand into the glove, got past the commission without them. knowing I had a broken hand. And um I. couldn't throw my left hand the whole. time in the return fight, but I remember. my nerves being the worst they ever. were. Scared as [ __ ] Like, dude, what. the [ __ ] am I doing? Why am I doing. this? Like, do I still got it? Like,

what the [ __ ] Went out there and faced. those demons and uh you know, got the. second round knockout and [ __ ] that. dude up. And um you know then my coach. told the the the commentators he's like. you just did that with a broken hand and. uh they were taken back by that and you. know I had my speech about like I didn't. lose that [ __ ] fight. It was a freak. accident and I want to get my [ __ ]. shot back. I deserve it. And um. especially after what I've gone through. just to get back here. And I said you. know I knew as soon as I came in here. and that bell rang like that this wasn't.

[ __ ] over and I'm coming. And uh. shortly after that, you know, they hit up my manager, the. UFC, and they said, "Hey, look, we got. another fight for him if he wants to do. this." And I think it was August. And when I got the call, I was playing a. lot of street ball and I [ __ ] broke. my ankle, dislocated my ankle like 3. weeks after the fight. So, I'm in a boot. and they're like, "Do you want this. fight?" And I was like, "Yep, >> this is the UFC.". >> The UFC. Yeah. My manager calls me. He's.

like, "Do you want to take this fight?". And I said, "Well, I'm sitting in a. boot." But I was like, "Fuck yeah, let's. do it. Let's run it back." And it was. against a guy who was an LFA. middleweight champion. Used to be a 205. champion. I think he was a two-weight. champion. I don't remember, but he was. like 71 or 8-1. Had all knockouts, all. finishes. And I was the underdog again. And uh the guy that I was living with, me, my girl, and him all lived in the. same house um at that time. And [ __ ].

when I went away to corner one of my. teammates, Andre Petroski in the UFC, they had done a bunch of showings and we. didn't know they were going to sell the. house. Um, but the showings happened. while I was away. And then when we got. back, he tells me like two three weeks. before, we didn't think we were going to. have to move for like months. And he. tells me like two two weeks, three weeks. before my fight, yeah, you guys got to. find somewhere to live because we're out. of here on this date, which is Tuesday I. fought. Friday we were kicked out. And. I'm like, well, [ __ ]. Where am I going to go? I don't have any. money. I don't I don't you know,

whatever. But first things first, I got. to win this [ __ ] fight. And um. meanwhile, while that's happening, he. [ __ ] overdosed on pills or something. And I remember I found him in his room. [ __ ] bugging the [ __ ] out like. crosseyed as [ __ ] I'd never dealt with. anybody overdosed in front of my face, but I knew something was wrong. And I. went in the room and I was like, "Yo, I'm going to go train or whatever." And. the dude was like [ __ ] like couldn't. even talk. He was like I'm like what the. [ __ ] is wrong with you? Remember making.

fun of him like what are you what the. [ __ ] are you doing? Like what the [ __ ]. wrong? He's like like and then I. realized he was [ __ ] up. And I don't. till this day I have no idea what it. was. Um but his parents I told his. parents I said look I can't deal with. this [ __ ] You got to come get. him and take him to the hospital. I'm. [ __ ] done with this dude. And there. was a whole lot of [ __ ] leading up to it. that I don't care to talk about. But the. dude was just a [ __ ] And so. I go train, whatever. The week before. the fight, dude disappears again. First.

of all, he went to a rehab and then I. picked him up from the rehab. And I was. like, dude, you know, you'd always talk. to me like the [ __ ] bro. Like, why why. wouldn't you tell me something like this. and all that? He's like, "Oh, I'm. sorry." All this crap. And then [ __ ]. does it again in the week and disappears. and nobody can find him. Overdosed again. in a hotel. And then that at that point, my attitude. was like, I hope you [ __ ] die this. time. Because if you're going to keep. [ __ ] taking advantage of everybody. that loves you, something I never had, and you have good parents, and you have. a good mother, you have a good father,

and all you give a [ __ ] about is [ __ ]. [ __ ] up every opportunity that was. ever given to you, then I don't want you. around me. And so, and then he tried to. call me the day before my fight and be. like, "Yeah, I figured you want to hear. that I'm alive." And I'm like, "Bro, honestly, I didn't care if you were. dead." And I remember hanging up the. phone and being like, "Fuck off." Like, so then I fought. All the fights sucked. ass on that [ __ ] card. There's five. fights, 10 fighters, and I fight. And. once again, I'm I'm standing, you know,

I thought was [ __ ] up is I'm standing. in the [ __ ] room behind the doors. You walk out of these doors and you go. right to the cage at the apex. So, it's a very big moment. It's very. intimate. You don't have any walkout. music. It's very quiet. There's no fans. It's just UFC staff and your fighters. That's it. in the coaches so you can. hear everything. And that was my first. environment, like second time trying to. do it in this environment, which I I. kind of liked, but it's a little more. intimate. And they're [ __ ] playing on. the screen, my arm breaking in front of. my face before I walk out. And I'm And I.

remember just being like, "All right, motherfucker." Like, I don't know. I had that victim. mentality still. I felt like they were. doing it on purpose. I'm like, "Why the. [ __ ] would they play? Why would they. have a TV right at the entrance where I. can see my [ __ ] armory?" Mhm. >> Looking back, that's not what they were. trying to do. It's just, you know, telling the backstory is my journey. coming back. So anyway, I go out there, I fight, I [ __ ] knock the guy out. Um, and then I scream at Dana White. Thank you for the [ __ ] opportunity. And I was like, sign my [ __ ] And I. screamed it at him. And uh, nobody's.

ever screamed at Dana. So, and uh, my. coaches were worried that, yo, [ __ ] you might not get a. contract because you just cursed at him. And I was the only one that got a. contract. and he drops the whole be Joe. Piper if you want to get in the UFC, act. like Joe Piper, beat Joe Piper. And it. was. >> What did he mean by that? >> I think it was the way I interpret it is. he knows the story of how I broke my. elbow and it was done and I came back. and I won a fight and I still asked for.

a fight and I took it and I came back. and I was the only one that was like. passionate. I was the only one that was. like relentless like I was going to. [ __ ] get it finished. like I didn't. stop try to win the fight like he said. like I was trying to [ __ ] smash this. dude. and. I think he loved the energy afterwards. It was like I was fighting for something. much more than just to fight for the. win. I was fighting for my [ __ ] life. I was fighting for a [ __ ] way to. provide for me and my girl and and. things like that, you know, and um I.

think he appreciated that. So, I think. it was just the resilience of my story, the resilience of the journey, not being. not accepting no and going away. Like, I. fought and I came back. They promised me. a return fight and they they didn't give. it to me. They said, "Nah, go get one. more win." So, I was [ __ ] pissed. about that. Came back, got the win, then. I got the the thing and all the media, basically, everybody wrote me the [ __ ]. off. One of the most hurtful things. about the first [ __ ] loss in the in. the in the Contender series was I heard. sponsors.

like telling people they were like, "Yeah, he's [ __ ] done. Yeah, I. [ __ ] wasted my money on this kid and. all this shit." And like I didn't hear. from they would answer my texts, answer. my phone calls and nothing. Like I lost. so many people through that process. You. find out who's real when you're at your. low and um I'm thankful for it again. And uh so yeah, I think beat Joe Pyer is. just the resilience of never accepting. the odds not being in my favor. And I. kept fighting, kept fighting, kept. fighting, and I wasn't I wasn't going to. quit. So I go out there and I beat a guy.

I was supposed to lose against on paper, which means nothing. And um and then I. scream at him to give me my [ __ ]. opportunity, you know? I think that I. think that fired him up, too. Like. somebody who wants to be here, somebody. who's dying to get this opportunity, that's a [ __ ] that deserves it. So, I think that's why I use me as an. example. And he was very frustrated at. the other performances of the night. So, it also helped that they didn't do what. they didn't do good. >> Mhm. >> And then, um, yeah, he wound up. >> How did that make you feel to get that. kind of recognition from Dana White,

>> man? I was [ __ ] floating on cloud. nine. I'd never smiled so much in my. life. It felt so good to just smile and. just be happy of what I've done for. once. I didn't have that moment before. that, you know? Um, and even even people. on the regional scene, like local to. home, I don't think that they thought I. was going to make it. I think they knew. I had potential before I got hurt, but. then after that, nobody really thought I. was coming back. They thought I was. done. And um, so yeah, it was it was one. of the best feelings in the world. And. then he wind up flying me out that.

weekend. So it was cool how things. transpired, right? So obviously I fell. on Cloud9. He wind up giving me money to. house me for the next, you know, I told. that story for the next year. Um, but. that Dana personally flew me and my girl. out to Texas for the Amanda Nunez uh. Julian Pena 2 fight, I think it was, where she got her belt back. And um, you. know, I got to meet Mike Tyson, which. was like my favorite fighter of all. time. I'm not a guy that's a fanboy. I. don't really care to meet people aside.

from honestly, you've probably been one. of the people that I'm most excited to. meet aside from Mike Tyson. And um but I. would say this is a lot more meaningful. just because of the impact of it. Um but. he was one of my favorite boxers. I grew. up watching him. I loved his aura, like. the black shorts, the mean mentality. Like I really related with that. So he. flew me out there. So I won my fight on. Tuesday. I flew home in the airport on. Wednesday. They had already sent me. another fight and I accepted the fight. in the uh the baggage claim area waiting.

for my [ __ ] bags. And it was on my. birthday, one month later on September. 17th. So I I flew home Tuesday. I'm. sorry. I fought Tuesday, flew home. Wednesday, accepted another fight. Thursday, I moved out of the condo that. I was in. It works out like I told you. with the condo with my strength. conditioning coach. Um Adam Ferris, uh. he owns Pursuit. He's the one that got. me [ __ ] yolked now. But um. that man changed my [ __ ] life, too, bro. Every person that I've added has.

[ __ ] done they've changed my life. So, um yeah, Wednesday I flew home, took. another fight. Thursday I moved out and. Friday I moved into the condo. Saturday. I flew out to the fights and uh first. time I'd, you know, ever been able to go. to an event that [ __ ] close, like. sitting right next right next to Dana, right behind him. And uh yeah, it was a. [ __ ] fairy tale, man. you know, and. even just [ __ ] walking through like. the title the the fighter tunnel because. I still hadn't fought in the I hadn't. made my debut yet, so I don't know what.

any of that's like, but I'm walking out. through the tunnel where the fighters. would walk and like people are screaming. my name and saying, "Yo, Piper, yo, be. Joe Piper and all this shit." And it was. like, damn, that's how fast it changes. And it was just it was just great, you. know, to see the smile on um on my. girl's face and the smile on my face. And yeah, it was a true moment to always. be proud of and never forget. So it it. was beautiful. It was beautiful. >> That's awesome. >> And I finally got my chance. That's all. I ever wanted was just an opportunity,

man. I didn't want anything given to me. I just wanted an opportunity. And I knew. that's the kind of performance I could. have. I knew that was the type of. breakout I could be because I'm not a. character. I'm just me. So there's no. there's no like sifting through my. attitude to find out who the real guy. is. I just say how I feel. And uh what. better sport to be in than [ __ ] UFC. to say how you feel. I don't have a boss. that's like [ __ ] checking in on me or. monitoring what I say to a certain. extent. Like so yeah.

Yeah. So it was cool, man. It was cool. It was really cool. Very grateful and. [ __ ] [ __ ] man. You know, now now I. could look my girl in the face back then. and say I [ __ ] did it. We [ __ ] did. it. And that that was the most. Yeah, I'll just leave it at that so I. don't cry like a [ __ ]. >> That's amazing. That's uh that's that's. amazing, man. >> And I get to look at Sam Morpisa in his. face after all the time. Never charged. me a [ __ ] dime. Just wanted to see me.

do better than he did cuz he got screwed. over with some management and some. people and things like that. Like the. MMA world did him dirty, but I could. look Harmon in the face and see, hey, we've been saying this before. everybody. else believed. You were one of the only. [ __ ] that believed. And then. Sam and then my best friend at the time. And then Chandler, you know, I've been. friends with Chandler since I was in. high school. So, and then now he Look at. the career he's got. >> I I think he is one of the most gifted. people behind a camera. And I think his.

gift is expressing what you don't know. how to say. So now he lives a life where. he gets to do this [ __ ] and make. documentaries about [ __ ] stories that. are 10 times mine. How How the [ __ ] is. that not a fairy tale? >> Don't hype him up too much or I'm going. to steal him. >> Take him. >> He's available. You help him by doing. that. You know, he's now he's he's. married. You know, he's able to provide. He's got two kids, two beautiful little. kids, and it's a really cool full circle. moment. You know, >> is there a driver behind.

when you're going out there. that is to prove your old man wrong? >> Not no more. >> Nothing. >> Nah. Not even. >> so far in the rearview mirror. Not even. a little bit. >> [ __ ] a man. You know why? Because. this is me. >> Good for you. >> I did all this for me and the people. that I love and he's not one of them. So. he can't be included in that. What. What's the point in proving him wrong? I. already did that. What What has he done. that's better than me? You know, not.

even from a [ __ ] money standpoint, but who has he impacted? >> What lives has he changed? What lives. has he inspired? I'll I'll say my wrongs. I'll admit my. wrongs. I'm a man. I can say when I'm. wrong, something he's never done. All. he's ever been is a victim. And that's. not me. And I refuse to die that way. And I refuse to live that way because I. only get to live once. So when I say. [ __ ] that guy, it's not I hate you. It's. like [ __ ] that guy. Who are you? >> Yeah. >> You couldn't sit across from me and even. compare. You're not a man. So.

>> how's your relationship with your girl's. parents now? >> Amazing. Yeah. >> Amazing. They're awesome. They're. amazing. Yeah. They're they're great. Christian people. I love her brothers, her sister. They've included me on holidays where. that's my tradition, which I used to. always hate holidays. And now I look. forward to it cuz I get to see her whole. family. And um. yeah, it's it's very special. They made. me a [ __ ] cornhole master. Her.

brothers. used to hate cornhole. her brother's got. me so good at cornhole now. And you. know, it's just the simple things, man. It's the simple things, you know. Um, >> even that one, >> huh? >> You better marry that one. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's there's a lot. of stuff I still want to do. Like. there's a lot of things I want to. accomplish before that. Um, but yeah, if. if I'm going to have kids and I'm ever. going to get married, that's probably. the one. So hopefully I don't [ __ ] it up.

>> What turned it for him for her parents? I think just realizing the person that I. was, you know, they had the stigma about. who I was. and. yeah, they had the stigma about who I. was and didn't know who I was. They had. they had an idea of what everybody has. said who I am versus who I was. And you. know, I was a little douchebag then, you. know. Um, she had only had one guy. before me and one boyfriend and, you. know, like I said, grew up super. Christian and everything. So, I didn't. have to deal with any baggage. I know.

the girl's not a [ __ ] she doesn't have. a past. I don't have to deal with any of. that crap. And um got a good head on her. shoulders. And uh but. yeah, there was an instance where I just. there was a couple which I'm not going. to I'm not even going to [ __ ] put it. out there because I was immature. But. you know, I used to [ __ ] have a loud. car, never [ __ ] pull in the driveway. cuz I felt like they were against me. because they didn't they didn't want her. to ever like leave her ex at first. >> Mhm. >> And um I basically took her from him.

So, um, probably not the way that they. wanted it to go. Uh, and they also. wanted to protect their daughter and. make sure she wasn't getting involved in. something bad or with a bad guy. And, you know, there's a stigma around. fighters that were violent, mean people. and all this [ __ ] So, I don't blame. them. And, uh, I also didn't act. accordingly to change their minds. I was. kind of like this uh, think what you. want of me type [ __ ] I don't need to. win nothing over with you. But now it's. just I I don't know when it changed, man. But they just it just clicked one.

day and I think it's just a realization. of like what I was trying to do, how. I've done it. And uh when I won my. Contender Series fight, you know, I made. sure to say that I love the Kaka family. and all that. And I do I love them kids. I love them kids. I love her parents and. they're very wholesome, great people. And uh I'm very fortunate to be involved. in their family. So yeah. What's it like. going to Christmas and oh. >> Easter and Thanksgiving and. >> Oh me I love it. You know um.

>> yeah it. >> did you have any of that as a kid? >> We had some Christmases. We had some. Christmases but you know the Christmases. that we had were always. they weren't as special because you knew. how much was going on. like you can't. really just fake because a holiday comes. around that the that the everyday life. isn't terrible. >> Yeah. >> So, it wasn't very meaningful. Um from. my mom getting abused, me getting. abused, my sisters getting abused to us.

all faking smiles because we got gifts. Now, as kids, we're not faking the. smiles, but you know, the parents are uh. because you know what's going on. But my. mom, like I said, I always give my mom, she's a respectable woman and um like I. said, despite the abs and years that. we've had between us, she always worked. her ass off and that's where I get my. work ethic from. And uh. yeah, you know, I hope that she is proud. of herself because she did the best that.

she could in that situation and she. didn't make all the right decisions and. she probably. >> if you told her that. Yeah, we've had. that difficult conversation. You know, I've let her know how she wasn't there. and didn't protect me the way she. protected the girls. >> Have you told her that you hope that. she's proud of herself? >> Oh, 100%. I've told her over and over. she should be proud of herself. She. still works every single day and goes. out there and [ __ ] hustles while that. dude sits on his [ __ ] back playing. with his dick [ __ ] acting like he. he's a [ __ ] But the second you give.

him something ego driven, he's on it. Guy doesn't have any physical ailments. anymore. So, you know, she's probably gonna work. till the day she dies, which sucks. Um, unless I have a chance to change that. one day. >> What would you like to see for your mom? >> I would like her to meet somebody and be. happy. You know, I I don't think there's. anything worse than leaving this place. without a significant other um to hold. hands with when you close your eyes for. the last time. So, I think it's a. beautiful thing.

And uh. you know, she kind of has a sour taste. towards men. I think she's getting much. better with it because of me because not. all men are pieces of [ __ ]. Um, by a large margin, I think, you. know, it's definitely hard to find a lot. of really good men, but I would like to. see her meet somebody and be happy and. or even if happiness doesn't include a. significant other, I just want to see. her happy and, you know, enjoy some. things. I want her to go do some things. You know, a lot of her life has been. dealing with her daughter's troubles. because they all have troubles. Um, and.

I've tried to tell her, you can help how. you can, but you're not obligated to. They need to figure it the [ __ ] out. So, um, I just hope she puts herself first. sometimes. So, that's my wish for her. Put yourself first sometimes. You're 58. years old, you know? >> Yeah. >> Your life shouldn't be [ __ ] dealing. with your kids' problems. >> Joe, we're I know you got a flight to. catch, so we're wrapping up the. interview, but I got a just a couple of. topics. >> that I want to ask you about. One of.

them is we didn't get a chance to dive. into it much, but you know, you were. talking about CTD, traumatic brain. injury. That's a lot of stuff that guys. from my background deal with. And and I. know that comes with, you know, with. fighting, with striking, football. With everything that you've experienced, and you said that I think you said that. you wanted to have kids in the future, would you want your kids. >> to fight? >> To fight. >> No. It's not the right sport to make the. most money. You can go play football.

You can go play baseball. The pay grade. is so much different. MMA is going to be. on its way there, I hope, in the future, but it'll probably be past my time or at. the end of my time. But the pay grade is [ __ ] drastically. different. And um. I wouldn't want to see my kids like this. is a very brutal sport. >> And when I say it's brutal, it's brutal. fan base wise. These [ __ ] are. relentless. They'll file you to [ __ ]. around for a year just to insult you.

>> Are you serious? It's that bad? >> Oh, yeah. I I'll show you some [ __ ] Um. but yeah, they'll follow you around for. a year and tell you you're a [ __ ]. [ __ ] You suck. Oh, you're a fraud. You. lost my [ __ ] parlay. Like anything. and everything. Salty Joe. Poopy pants. Joe. Oh, you talk [ __ ] on Mexico. Yeah, I did. And [ __ ] it. Um and I stand. behind it. So, it is what it is. But. yeah, I mean, yeah. No, I I don't think I would want. it. You don't make no money. You don't. make no money. You're going to [ __ ].

spend 20 years trying to be the best and. MMA is going to evolve so much by the. time I'm done that it's going to be. [ __ ] impossible to get in. So, I. would rather see my kid go and [ __ ]. play MLB and make [ __ ] millions or go. play in the NFL and make [ __ ]. millions. Um, I mean, I'm a big sports. guy, but yeah. So, I don't think I would. direct my kid. I definitely want to. teach my kid to defend himself and, you. know, take no [ __ ] from nobody and he'll. definitely learn to fight. Um, but he. won't learn to fight in an abusive.

[ __ ] environment like I did cuz then. they'll resent you. They'll resent the. sport. It's honestly that way with a lot of. kids even in just simple wrestling. So, because the parents have tried to live. through their [ __ ] kids too much and. instead of just being proud of them and. trying to push them, there's there's a. fine line between pushing and motivating. and [ __ ] breaking down. um uh uh. what's the [ __ ] word? Uh. discouraging, you know, and um you got. to have some positive reinforcement. behind what a child is doing or else. they don't want to [ __ ] do it. Or.

>> Have you looked into. Have you looked into CT and TBI and [ __ ]. like that? Is there any discussion about. that in the fight community about what. you're what you're in for when it's over. >> when these injuries? No, I've kind of. steered still like steered clear of it. because I don't want to [ __ ] think. about it. It's like me getting on a. motorcycle and being like, "Well, you. could [ __ ] get smashed in the road.". >> Mhm. >> I don't [ __ ] think about it. Um I do. a good job protecting myself for the. most part, but yeah, I'm going to have. some form of [ __ ] CTE because of just.

the training it takes to get to a fight. That's where the real damage is. And um. you know, I worry about it when I do. think about it. >> Have you looked at psychedelics at all? Are you aware of what those are doing? >> Like mushrooms. mushrooms. I gain. >> You haven't? >> I've heard of mushrooms and like my. teammate does them. Um, one of my. teammates does them like micro doses and. [ __ ] like that, but I haven't done it. yet. I want to um cuz I think it'll be. helpful, but uh right now I know that uh.

my boys over at ALP, they're protecting. me against dementia, Alzheimer's, and. opening up a few neuropassages. >> Well, let me educate you a little bit if. you don't mind. >> Yeah. So this came up on my radar. because a lot of, you know, a lot of. from a explosions getting blown up, breaching doors, falling out of Hilos, whatever, you know, lot of lot of CTE, lot of traumatic brain injury. And so. through my interviews,

actually this guy DJ Shipley, who I just. I don't know why I think you should. connect with him. He's a [ __ ] animal. But uh good friend of mine. I Eddie. Gallagher brought it up. He was I don't. know if you know, he was a SEAL. He had. brought up psychedelics. Caught my ear. Then I interviewed this. guy Marcus Capone, former uh dev group. guy who started this this um nonprofit. with his wife Amber called Vets. Interviewed him, started researching all. about psychedelics. And so at the time, Stanford was doing the study on uh.

Ibagane. And they were flying in guys. that had verified TV eyes, which you know, if you look at it on the. imagery, whatever the what whatever. they're whatever imagery they're using, it shows like these black spots in the. brain. These guys would fly down there and, you. know, they're forgetting [ __ ] They're. losing their tempers. They're, you know, it it just [ __ ] changes you, man. It. changes who you are, your temperament, your memory,

all kinds your mood, all kinds of stuff. And they fly these guys down to Mexico. cuz it's illegal here. And they do I. became and then they'd have a rest day. and then they'd fly right back to. Stanford. And every I think it was, we'll have to pull from the studies, but. everyone. that came back, the black spots were. gone. done. Brain's totally lit up. Changes. our lives. Changes our mood. Cures.

addiction. Cure cures. I mean, I haven't. drank in over 3 years now. And I didn't. even go down there for that. >> Basically, >> basically what it does is it replenishes. the receptors in your brain which take. the cravings away. So, it was like, >> you know, people congratulate me. Oh, congratulations on three years. So, dude, I didn't. It was like a light. switch. I just didn't want it anymore. Yeah. came off aderall, came off. sleeping pills, came off I wasn't really. doing any opiates at the time, but but. it cures it like that. And it it it it.

cures seems to cure TBI. >> What is TBI? >> Traumatic brain injury. >> Oh, okay. Okay. >> So, if you're getting kicked in the. head, >> Yeah. >> you're going to have TBI. >> Yeah. I've been hit I've been hit where. I've seen. >> I've never been knocked out, but I've. been hit where I've lost like path. vision. I've been hit where I see black spots. I've been hit where I seen white. flashes. So, you know, I mean, been. doing the sport for a long time. Uh, my. dad dropped me when I was 12. Uh, I was. still conscious, but I think I was like.

the first like real I'm sure I've had. concussions before that from getting. stopped, but that was the first time I. ever got hit and got dropped. But yeah, I'm definitely I would love to talk to. him for sure. >> Well, this is the key. >> Yeah. >> Giving you the key for your future. >> Health is wealth. Yep. >> So, if you don't value your body, you're. probably a [ __ ] turd. >> One more question. Looking back. What would you tell your 10-year-old.

self? >> Hold on. The ride is about to get wild. Just hold. on. Just have faith. Hold on. Don't. quit. Life is precious. Life is. beautiful depending on the perspective. you choose to see it through, what lens. you choose to see it through. And then. there's a really [ __ ] ugly, dark, evil side to it. Um, and that's why it's. super important to people, the company. you keep. And um, there's always good that you can find, there's always evil that you can find.

Both exist. Good is losing. But, you know, try to keep it as calm. and quiet as you can. Value being in. your own home and doing the simple. things in life. But hold on, man. Hold. on. Don't let go. And don't let anybody. discourage you from any idea you have. Go out there and try it. And if it don't. work, try the next thing. Just keep. [ __ ] trying. Keep trying. Keep. trying. Keep trying. It's like water in. a [ __ ] crack. You'll find a way to. break through.

And uh. make sure you have something higher than. yourself to pray to. Um. and that being God. I don't think. there's any other thing that you should. pray to other than God. So, he's the one. for all of us. I think that's how I'll. choose to live my life. And uh. yeah, hold on, brother. >> Good for you, man. >> Thank you.

>> Well, Joe, it was an honor to interview. you, man. And uh it really is. And uh I. know this is going to help a ton of. people, so thank you for being open. >> Yes. Thank you for having me on and. thank you for this milestone in my life. I can honestly say until this past week, never ever in the [ __ ] million years. would I have thought I was going to be. able to sit here and talk to you. >> That's pretty [ __ ]. >> And I've been watching this for a while. >> Well, it's my honor. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.

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