The Reading Octagon

Episode #337

Justin Wren

· 2 books mentioned

Books mentioned

  1. Nocturnal

    Scott Sigler

    Mentioned by Joe Rogan (host) · at 01:37:31 · ▶︎ Watch this moment on YouTube (approximate)

    Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Transcript (podscripts.co)

  2. The Bible

    Traditional

    Mentioned by Justin Wren · at 01:29:43 · ▶︎ Watch this moment on YouTube (approximate)

    Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Transcript (podscripts.co)

Timestamps are segment start times from the podscripts.co transcript of the audio release (includes ad reads), so they may differ from the video by a few minutes.

Justin Wren discusses his transition from MMA fighter to humanitarian advocate and his year living among Pygmy and Maasai communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya. He describes the communities’ histories of exploitation and land loss, their cultural traditions, and plans to support education, rainforest conservation, and sustainable development, alongside his experiences with pain, opioid addiction, depression, and recovery through faith and purpose.

What they talked about

  • Justin Wren's MMA career and The Ultimate Fighter
  • Discovery of pygmy slavery in the Congo
  • Coltan mining and electronics supply chain
  • Pygmy living conditions and cultural practices
  • Wrestling with Masai warriors
  • Justin Wren's addiction to pain pills
  • Overcoming addiction through faith
  • Fundraising for pygmy freedom

Data last updated · Report a mistake · How it works: mentions are pulled from public transcripts and episode descriptions, partly with AI-assisted extraction, so details and timestamps can be off.

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