In this episode, former UFC fighter Uriah Hall and his close friend Harrison Hall sit down with John Haremza for a raw conversation about bullying, identity, ego, and becoming the man no one was coming to save. Uriah shares how he went from a barefoot kid in Jamaica to being bullied in New York at 13, teaching himself to fight from a video game, and at one point eating out of the garbage, before finding martial arts and building a career in the UFC. Harrison opens up about growing up in Detroit, building and losing a real estate business, getting into music, and how a trip to Suit Supply turned into a lifelong friendship.
You'll learn:
• How one statement, good or bad, can shape someone's entire life
• Why "failure is not an option" can actually make you underperform
• How Uriah built his alter ego, Alexander, and why you have to kill the boy to become the man
• The difference between pursuing and chasing in relationships
• The "why behind the why": a simple self check that gets to the real problem
• Why negativity spreads faster than positivity (the orange juice and water story)
• How to stay grounded through fame, money, and people who take advantage of you
• Why we need to listen to understand, not listen to reply
Whether you've been bullied, hit a dark place, or you're working to become a better version of yourself, this episode is a reminder that you get to choose who influences you.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:50 Welcome Uriah & Harrison
01:15 Bullied at 13 after moving from Jamaica to New York
01:56 Learning to fight from a video game
02:52 One act of kindness that saved a life
03:37 John on dyslexia and being teased
04:19 Racism, Texas, and focusing inward
06:10 The dark place after retiring from fighting
07:20 "I didn't know I was black until I came to America"
08:32 Harrison on being a mama's boy
11:41 A fast black belt and the Comic Con story
13:43 Running into an old bully
14:11 Ego, alter ego, and killing the boy
15:33 Is failure an option? The Ultimate Fighter lesson
16:57 Meet Alexander the Great
17:30 Relationships: pursue, never chase
21:43 Hall Pass and uncomfortable conversations
22:50 Spending time alone and the why behind the why
25:04 Bricking your phone and the attention span crisis
28:44 Mad Men and a world that never switches off
30:52 Dressing well as self respect
32:18 The orange juice and water story
33:42 Heartbreak as a wake up call
36:21 Can you save people who don't want to be saved?
37:20 Martial arts, discipline, and raising kids
40:01 "That belt is just a color"
41:37 The Ultimate Fighter and the phone call he never made
42:48 Homeless and eating out of the garbage
43:50 His mother's lesson: don't put yourself on clearance
45:24 Fame and the people who took advantage
47:33 How Uriah & Harrison met
52:41 Meet Me at the Airport and how they ended up in Vegas
54:14 Choosing to help instead of hurt
55:10 Arshad Cooper and why every kid needs a sport
56:57 Final words: be authentic, listen to understand
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