The Nichols and Dimez Show

Chris Leben | UFC Legend’s Path to Resilience, Recovery, and Triumph

Chris Nichols Episode 59

Chris Leben is a former UFC Fighter and Bare Knuckle Boxer. He currently referees and judges professional MMA contests while also overseeing and coaching at his MMA gym, The Training Center San Diego. In this conversation, we discuss Chris’s experience on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, his dynamic family background, struggles with substance abuse, and his fighting career. We also talk about his resilience through significant challenges - including getting sober and overcoming various health and legal issues, what motivates him, and current aspirations with his MMA gym and refereeing career in the UFC.

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Chapters:
00:00 -  Intro & Background
03:00 - The Ultimate Fighter 
10:00 - Family Background and Motivation
15:30 - Getting into Fighting 
19:52 - Dealing With Broken Family & Meeting Your Father
24:46 - UFC Career
31:43 - Post UFC, Getting Sober, Resilience, & Faith 
41:32 - Return to Fighting, Bare Knuckle FC, Healing the body
43:49 - Physical Impact from Fight Career 
50:08 - The Training Center MMA Gym 
52:55 - Next Big Goal

Follow Chris Leben:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrislebenmma/ 
The Training Center San Diego website: https://trainingcentersd.com 

Follow Chris Nichols:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicholsanddimez
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Website: https://thenicholsanddimezshow.buzzsprout.com
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nichols-dimez-show/id1667715105
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Contact: chris@nicholsanddimez.com

People on this episode