Joshua Van

Joshua Van proved he was a fighter long before he stepped foot in the Octagon. The Myanmar-born Champion has experienced more than a lifetimes’ worth of turmoil in his 24 years with many of the specifics remaining a mystery until today. How did a Malaysian refugee who didn’t speak English wind up in Houston, Texas? What led to him walking out of jail to find his mother waiting for him? What is the ultimate source of his faith? This is Becoming a Fighter with Megan Olivi.https://www.ufcstore.com/en/?_s=bm-UFC_Merch_GD-UFC.com-Shop-Podcast-2025 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Max Holloway has blessed us all with some of the most memorable fights and finishes in the history of MMA. But before his BMF belt, his Featherweight title, and his signature point down that had us all on the edge of our seats, he was a kid from Waianae, Hawaii fighting over Pogs and Pokémon with his friends. So how did Max learn to grit his teeth and swing? Why did he step into a kickboxing gym for the first time? And how did he never lose himself on the path to become the best boxer in the UFC?This is Becoming a Fighter with Megan Olivi.https://www.ufcstore.com/en/?_s=bm-UFC_Merch_GD-UFC.com-Shop-Podcast-2025 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kayla Harrison may have born a fighter, but she also got plenty of chances to prove it along the way. Despite being a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a UFC Champion, the hardest challenges she has faced have existed outside the realm of competition. With all she has overcome, what keeps her so grounded? What is the source of her desire to climb every mountain she can? And how can she live so free from pressure despite the heights she has reached?This is Becoming a Fighter with Megan Olivi. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Frankie Edgar grew up with a simple dream: Become a two-time state wrestling champion and get his picture put up in a restaurant in his hometown of Tom’s River, New Jersey. But after falling short of that dream and then falling short of a championship again in college, how did he go on to put together a Hall of Fame UFC career with wins over BJ Penn, Gray Maynard, Charles Oliveira, and Urijah Faber? How did the self-described "undersized overachiever" thrive at Lightweight when his natural weight class was 135 pounds? And what has he been up to since laying down the gloves in 2022?This is Becoming a Fighter with Megan Olivi.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just days after losing his belt to Petr Yan at UFC 323, Merab Dvalishvili sat down with Megan Olivi to uncover how he came to be The Machine we know today. On this episode of Becoming a Fighter, Merab discusses his childhood in Georgia, his first foray in “the fight without rules,” and how he is able to move on so quickly after a loss. This is Becoming a Fighter with Megan Olivi.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lerone Murphy isn’t only unbeaten in 18 professional MMA fights, he’s also survived two close encounters with death. Still, “The Miracle” draws on these moments and considers himself blessed despite the streak of bad luck. Lerone sat with Megan Olivi to discuss being shot on his mom’s birthday, how his promising football career came to an abrupt end, and the only thing on Earth that scares him.This is Becoming a Fighter with Megan Olivi.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

No one takes a shot like Daniel Cormier. The former two-division UFC Champion has faced loss after loss, both physically and emotionally, but he has never (and will never) quit. Every bit of adversity he has ever faced prepared him for his next challenge. But where did that all begin?This is Becoming a Fighter with Megan Olivi.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Terrance McKinney’s life is full of contradictions. An impressive UFC debut – followed by an injury celebrating it. A devastating experience that nearly cost him his life – which gave way to reinvention. But “T-Wrecks” is just getting started pursuing his vision, while navigating a family curse and the wild swings borne of his natural talent. This is Becoming A Fighter with Megan Olivi.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The question isn’t why Tatiana Suarez fights – the question is why she hasn’t stopped. Her career has been threatened by injury and rehabilitation, and her life was threatened by cancer. But the former Olympic wrestling hopeful recast her dreams and is now undefeated in her UFC career. How has Tatiana overcome so much adversity at such a young age – and what can we take from the lessons she’s had to learn the hard way?  This is Becoming A Fighter with Megan Olivi.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Although Islam Makhachev’s dominance in the UFC has led him to a title fight, he still cannot halt comparisons to his mentor: UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov. But Islam does not mind the comparisons. In fact, he is the first one to credit everyone from his teammates and coaches to his family and former employers for his success. Even with world-class help, what drove Islam to walk the long, hard path to UFC glory? And why did everyone around him see something special in him? Hear Islam Makhachev's story on this episode of Becoming A Fighter with Megan Olivi.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.