Benny Drohan Podcast

Little Fish Media
  • 5.0 (1)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Fighting stories of resilience, redemption, and mental health. Shit hands. Wild turns. Brutal setbacks. Big wins. Impact that inspires big moves. I’ve lived it. Over 30 years battling shame, addiction and self-destruction. Now I share stories of people who kept fighting when life tried to break them. Believing in themselves when no one else did. Even when they were at war with their own mind. 🥊 Stay in the fkn fight.

  1. MAR 29

    The Dark Psychology of Fighters | Luke Howard

    For someone to willingly step into a cage and fight another man… something’s not normal. You’re either wired differently… or there’s a deeper reason driving it. This week on the pod, I sit down with Luke Howard. An OG Aussie MMA fighter who was fighting in a cage long before there was a blueprint, a pathway, or any real structure to the sport. Before Volk, Whittaker, or Della became household names, Luke was already in there, headlining fight cards around the country. He opens up about his Australian title fight with Jack Della, stepping in when no one else would, taking it to him, and what it actually feels like to go out cold in a cage. The physical damage, the mental fallout, and the reality of fighting in the early days when safety was less regulated and the risks were higher. But this isn’t really a fight story. It’s about what drives someone to do it in the first place. Luke breaks down what he calls controlled violence, the difference between fighters who break and those who don’t, the danger of chasing validation, and why knowing your “why” can save you in and out of the cage. That mindset is what led him to becoming a world-class boxing coach at Soma Fight Club in Bali. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it really takes to live this life, the pain, the pressure, the mentality, Luke’s lived every bit of it. He is that guy. If you know, you know. 🥷 Watch Luke in action: Eternal Title Fight vs Jack Della Comeback Fight vs Anthony Bynoe 📲 Follow Luke: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ 🥋 Follow Soma Fight Club: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Website⁠ 🥊 Follow Benny: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ 🎙️ Follow Benny Drohan Podcast: ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ 👇 Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:02 Luke Howard’s Story 03:39 Injuries That Ended Judo 09:59 Transition to MMA 18:41 Chasing a Fighting Career 26:00 Moving to Bali 33:39 Life in Bali 35:25 Fighting Jack Della 51:46 Mental Health & Demons 53:26 Advice for Young Men 🥋 Stay in the fkn Fight

    1h 2m

  2. MAR 15

    From Street Violence to Bali’s Toughest Fight Club | Mike Ikilei

    From East Auckland Street violence and not expecting to make it past 21 to building Bali’s toughest fight club. Mike Ikilei, founder of Soma Fight Club, opens up about growing up comfortable with violence, the moment a gym pulled him back from the edge, and how Soma became a global destination for fighters and more family than a facility. He talks about fatherhood, community, the ANZAC toughness that shaped him, and why titles are just byproducts of giving everything. If you’ve ever felt pulled toward chaos, struggled with direction, or wanted more from yourself, this conversation shows what happens when violence is turned into purpose. Mike shares the mindset behind Soma, the standards he lives by, and the code that built one of the world’s most respected fight communities. We break down the story behind the Soma name, the mission driving the movement, and what comes next. 📲 Follow Mike: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Facebook 🥋 Follow Soma Fight Club: Instagram Website 🥊 Follow Benny: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠ 🎙️ Follow Benny Drohan Podcast: ⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ 👇 Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:01:41 Did Soma Become What Mike Originally Envisioned? 00:04:09 Growing Up in East Auckland 00:09:08 The Gym That Changed Mike’s Life 00:14:01 Moving to Bali and Taking the Risk 00:29:09 Building Soma Fight Club From Scratch 00:31:26 How Soma Built a Global Fight Community 00:33:07 The Biggest Challenge Facing New Gyms 00:38:41 Building the Soma Brand 00:43:03 The Story Behind the Name Soma 00:46:32 Protecting the Culture Inside Soma 00:51:40 Coaching India’s First UFC Fighter 01:02:34 Outro 🥋 Stay in the fkn Fight

    1h 9m

  3. MAR 1

    He Fights in the Most Brutal Sport on Earth | Locky Tinhla

    Locky Tinhla grew up mixed-race with a violent, racist father before going on to fight bare-knuckle in Myanmar, inside the world’s most brutal combat sport. He opens up about the impact that environment had on his identity and mental health, how early exposure to violence shaped his worldview, and the years of self-destruction that nearly broke him before he found something that gave him direction. That search led him to Lethwei, the traditional Burmese bare-knuckle fighting sport widely regarded as the most brutal combat sport on earth. Locky explains how he discovered Lethwei, why it stood apart from every other fighting discipline, and what pushed him to fly to Myanmar, despite it being a red, do-not-travel zone, to take his first fight with minimal preparation. Now known as Australia’s only active Lethwei fighter, Locky breaks down what it was really like stepping into the ring in Myanmar, the realities of bare-knuckle fighting under Lethwei rules, and why he continues to return to one of the most dangerous combat environments in the world. This episode is a raw, unfiltered conversation about violence, identity, risk, and what it means to choose a path that everything and everyone says you shouldn’t. If this episode brings anything up for you, you do not have to carry it alone. If you are in Australia, you can contact MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78. Free, confidential support for men, 24 hours a day. If you are in immediate danger or need urgent help, contact Lifeline: 13 11 14 📲 Follow Locky: Instagram YouTube 🥊 Follow Benny: Instagram TikTok Facebook 🎙️ Follow Benny Drohan Podcast: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts 👇 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:22 What Is Lethwei? (Burmese Bare Knuckle Fighting) 02:56 Who Is Locky Tinhla? 04:38 Identity Struggle 10:49 Mental Health Battle 19:31 Recovery & Finding Purpose 22:28 Luky’s Role in the Comeback 30:47 The Lethwei Gym Journey 36:10 Getting Asked to Fight 47:01 First Lethwei Fight 50:45 The Only Aussie to Fight Lethwei in Myanmar 51:56 How Many Fights Since the First? 58:42 How Locky Became a Content Creator 🥋 Stay in the fkn Fight

    1h 3m

  4. FEB 15

    Street Fights to the Underworld’s Hit List | Nick “Special K” Kara

    Nick “Special K” Kara is an OG fighting legend, a world-champion kickboxer whose journey from Melbourne street fights to the wild underbelly of Pattaya, Thailand, and the UFC’s Ultimate Fighter, is one of the wildest and jaw-dropping stories you’ll ever hear. For the first time, Nick opens up about his violent past, addiction, near-death experience, redemption and faith, from starring in cult Muay Thai film Ong-Bak to landing on Melbourne’s underworld hit list and somehow surviving it all. He went from street chaos to movie sets, from world titles to hospital beds, fighting for his life. This is the untold story of a man who lost everything, found faith, and fought his way back. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to climb out of rock bottom and rebuild, this episode will hit hard. Stay till the end as Nick reveals how he finally found peace, purpose, and his reason to keep fighting. If this episode brings anything up for you, you do not have to carry it alone. If you are in Australia, you can contact MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78. Free, confidential support for men, 24 hours a day. If you are in immediate danger or need urgent help, contact Lifeline: 13 11 14 🥷 Watch Nick in action: Onk-Bak Fight Scene vs Tony Jaa World Title Fight vs Manson Gibson 📲 Follow Nick: Instagram 🥊 Follow Benny: Instagram TikTok Facebook 🎙️ Follow Benny Drohan Podcast: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts 👇 Chapters: 00:00:00: Intro 00:00:55: Who is Nick Kara 00:03:19: hen Nick first discovered fighting 00:10:11: The start of his Thailand journey 00:12:56: Three major legal troubles 00:16:33: Ending up in Thailand 00:19:40: Where “Special K” comes from 00:21:43: How Nick Kara landed a role in Ong-Bak 00:28:38: Fighting Manson Gibson 00:32:45: Winning the world title 00:37:26: The addiction phase of Kara’s life 00:38:56: The underground hit list 00:45:45: Becoming a boxing coach 01:01:07: Waking up in the hospital 01:20:29: Outro 🥋 Stay in the fkn Fight

    1h 22m

  5. FEB 1

    The Night My Brother Tried to Kill Me

    At 14 years old, I woke up with a knife pressed against my throat as my older brother attempted to murder me and my entire family. That night changed everything. The next 30 years became a spiral of violence, addiction, self-destruction, and chaos that I could not escape. This is the story I have kept in the dark until now. In this episode, I share the truth about that night, what led to it, and how surviving an attempted murder shaped every decision I made afterwards. For the first time, I, Ben Drohan, open up about the relapses I hid, the lies I lived behind, the addictions that controlled me, and the way trauma drove the next three decades of my life. I talk about the drugs, the near jail moments, the business failures, the relationships I destroyed, and the people who stood by me when they probably should not have. I also share the final days of my mum’s life, how grief forced me to confront everything I had been running from, and the moment faith finally brought clarity after years of chaos. Hold onto your fkn hat because this is confronting, honest, and unfiltered. If you have lived through trauma, battled addiction, carried shame, lost your way, or wondered if change is still possible after decades of self-destruction, this story is for you. This is my untold story. This is the beginning of the Benny Drohan Podcast. This is proof that it is never too late, no matter what you have done or how far you have fallen. You just need to stay in the fkn fight. If this episode brings anything up for you, you do not have to carry it alone. If you are in Australia, you can contact MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78. Free, confidential support for men, 24 hours a day. If you are in immediate danger or need urgent help, contact Lifeline: 13 11 14 🥊 Follow Benny: Instagram TikTok Facebook 🎙️ Follow Benny Drohan Podcast: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts 👇 Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:27 My Story 00:08:54 The Night My Brother Tried to Kill My Family 00:26:08 How Addiction Almost Sent Me to Jail 00:34:54 What Addiction Really Is 00:48:10 Why I Finally Stopped Destroying My Life 01:02:22 What Life Looks Like Today 01:04:41 A Final Message 🥋 Stay in the fkn Fight

    1h 19m
  6. We Need to Talk … The Handover

    09/16/2025

    We Need to Talk … The Handover

    Something big is happening with the show. This is not just another episode. It is the moment everything changes. We open up about why, what it means, and where we are heading next. If you have ever supported us this is the one to watch. 📺 Prefer video? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch it on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🏠 Join Australia’s #1 Property Developer Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Now for Free⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 Powered by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Fish Property⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    35 min
  7. Near Death: Surviving 8 Days Alone in the Arctic

    09/09/2025

    Near Death: Surviving 8 Days Alone in the Arctic

    Paul Watkins set out alone into the Arctic wilderness. No food. No shelter. No backup plan. What started as an adventure became a near-death fight to survive. Eight days. Frostbite. Starvation. Isolation. Hallucinations so vivid he couldn’t tell what was real. He saw trucks and workers that weren’t there. He heard fighter jets that never came. He believed a woman was following him the polar explorer “third man effect.” 👇 Here’s what’s inside: How a simple plan spiralled into an 8-day survival nightmare The terrifying hallucinations that almost pushed him over the edge The mental games of isolation and how he nearly gave up The brutal signs of hypothermia and frostbite he ignored The moment he thought he wouldn’t make it back aliveThis one will leave you shaking your head at what the human body — and mind — can endure. 🔥 Full poddy out now everywhere LFG, it’ll change the way you see survival forever 🤌 📺 Prefer video? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch it on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🏠 Join Australia’s #1 Property Developer Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Now for Free⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 Powered by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Fish Property⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    58 min
  8. Inside Australia’s 4,000sqm Top Secret Weed Farm

    08/27/2025

    Inside Australia’s 4,000sqm Top Secret Weed Farm

    He was a cannabis adversary. Now he’s growing 5,000 kilos a year... and risked $14 million to do it. Tom Varga went from corporate banker to cannabis farmer… and nearly lost everything trying to make it work. Today he runs Biortica Agrimed, Australia’s fastest-growing medicinal cannabis company, leading a new era for medical cannabis nationwide. This isn’t just a business story. It’s a wild ride from sceptic to CEO, from stigma to scale, from dismissing weed to betting everything on it. Tom opens up about battling red tape, surviving Covid, and why patients still turn to the black market despite cannabis being legal. 👇 Here’s what’s inside: The moment a sceptic became a believer — and whyHow $10M raised for the farm disappeared overnight when Covid hitMortgaging every property to keep Biortica Agrimed aliveWhy patients still turn to the black market despite cannabis being legalThe staggering reality: 1 million kilos consumed every year in AustraliaThe secrets, stigma, and scale of Australia’s booming medicinal cannabis industryLFG it will change the way you see cannabis forever 🚀 📺 Prefer video? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch it on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🏠 Join Australia’s #1 Property Developer Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Now for Free⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 Powered by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Fish Property⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    1h 1m
See All (164)

About

Fighting stories of resilience, redemption, and mental health. Shit hands. Wild turns. Brutal setbacks. Big wins. Impact that inspires big moves. I’ve lived it. Over 30 years battling shame, addiction and self-destruction. Now I share stories of people who kept fighting when life tried to break them. Believing in themselves when no one else did. Even when they were at war with their own mind. 🥊 Stay in the fkn fight.

Information

  • Creator
    Little Fish Media
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    164
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Little Fish Media
  • Show Website
    Benny Drohan Podcast

You Might Also Like