Ep.169 I Deciding to Fight for the Forgotten: Trading the Cage for a Cause with Justin Wren
What drives someone to leave behind a career in the UFC to serve the world's most forgotten people?
In this episode, we sit down with Justin Wren, a former professional MMA fighter who traded his career in the cage for a mission with real impact. Justin shares his journey from a bullied child to UFC fighter, and eventually to his work with the Pygmy people of Africa through Fight for the Forgotten. We talk about the challenges he's faced—both in and out of the ring—and the decisions that led him to dedicate his life to defending the weak, loving the unloved, and empowering the voiceless around the world.
KEY TOPICS
- How childhood bullying pushed Justin Wren to become a professional UFC fighter.
- The devastating toll addiction once took on Justin’s life.
- A vivid vision of the rainforest that gave Justin a new sense of purpose in life.
- How Fight for the Forgotten helps Pygmy communities protect their land, access clean water, and foster a sustainable livelihood.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro: Defeating Bad Decision-Making in Life and Business
00:50 The 3 Fighters Who Earned Sanger’s Fandom
03:06 From Bully to Fighter: Justin Wren
04:28 The Vision Behind Fight for the Forgotten
06:50 Building Waves of Change
09:17 Martial Arts as a Shield Against Bullying
13:58 The Painful Path to Finding Purpose
16:23 Battling Addiction in the Cage and Beyond
18:51 Discovering Purpose Through Service
23:33 Waking Up After the Overdose
28:04 The Bonus Rounds of Life
35:13 Why Purpose Replaces Addiction
40:02 The Vision That Led to Africa
44:57 Meeting the Pygmies
51:49 Listening to Create Lasting Impact
56:33 The Risks and Rewards of Serving in Congo
01:03:41 Building Holistic Communities
1:08:23 Justin Wren’s Decision-Making Tip for Business Owners
01:11:05 Key Takeaways
01:12:59 Message from the Producer
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Thank you to Shelby Peterson of Transcend Media for editing and post-production of the Decidedly podcast.
SANGER’S BOOK: A Life Rich with Significance: Transforming Your Wealth to Meaningful Impact
SHAWN’S BOOK: Plateau Jumping: What to Change When Change Is What You Want
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LEARN MORE: www.decidedlywealth.com
CONNECT WITH JUSTIN WREN
Fight for the Forgotten: https://www.fightfortheforgotten.org/
Justin’s Official Website: justinwrenspeaks.com
Book: https://www.justinwrenspeaks.com/book
Instagram: @thebigpygmy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-wren-892043255/
Mercilessly bullied as a child, Justin transformed himself into a champion MMA fighter. Despite his success, he questioned the significance of his athletic accomplishments. Each victory brought the thought, “Is this it?” Battling injuries, he slid into painkiller addiction, battled depression, and attempted suicide. He was a champion on the outside but broken within.
It wasn’t until a series of circumstances led him to live among the Pygmy people—some of the most marginalized on earth—that he found true purpose: helping others. “My career was to fight against people, but my calling was to fight for people." Now, he helps others generate impact through their work and community. ‘The Big Pygmy’ returned to the ring with purpose, founding Fight for the Forgotten (FFTF).
FFTF has provided >52,000 indigenous people with access to clean drinking water, replanted thousands of trees, acquired >3,000 acres of land in the name of the tribe and helped 1,800 people out of slavery and into freedom. Current projects include housing, education, healthcare and sustainable livelihoods through community empowerment.