Success for the Athletic-Minded Man #109 Bullying, Addiction, Cannibalism in the Congo: The Life-Changing Story of Elite MMA Fighter Justin Wren
From Bullied to Badass to Benefactor - Justin Wren has spent much of his life fighting – from a stellar early wrestling career as prep national champion and Junior National Champion to becoming a star UFC fighter.
Early in Justin’s fighting career, he appeared on the Spike reality show, “The Ultimate Fighter,” cementing his reputation as a dominating force in the heavyweight division and his current record is 16-2.
But many are surprised to find this 6-foot-3-inch, 265-pound fighter has an even bigger heart. After discovering his faith following a six-year struggle with addiction and depression, Justin stepped away from MMA to find God’s purpose for his life.
He soon felt called to serve the Mbuti Pygmy people deep in the jungles of the Congo. While he knew they were an incredibly impoverished people group, he did not know the depths of their pain until he spent time living among them and shared in their suffering. They are enslaved by rivaling people groups, are even cannibalized, and refer to themselves as The Forgotten People. A turning point in Justin’s life was holding a young boy, named Andibo, as he died of a water-related parasite after being refused care by local doctors.
Justin’s story is too big to summarize in a short bio so let’s get to our the interview.
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About Your Host Jim Harshaw
My name is Jim Harshaw. And I know where you’re at. You’re working hard and qualified for what you do but you aren’t getting what you want. You have plans on getting to the C-suite or launching a business but ultimate success seems as far away today as ever. You’re at the right place because you can get there from here.
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I’m a speaker, coach, and former Division I All-American wrestler that helps motivated former athletes to reach their full potential by getting clarity on what they really want and taking aggressive action to lead their ideal life not just despite their prior failures but because of them.
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