About this episode

Navajo Stirling shares his journey from a shy kid in Upper Hutt to becoming a UFC champion, discussing the challenges and realities of pursuing a career in mixed martial arts.

Navajo Stirling is a UFC light heavyweight fighter and one of the most exciting fighters coming out of New Zealand right now. He is trained by the mixed martial arts guru Eugene Bereman at City Kickboxing in Auckland. At the time of recording this intro, Navajo is in Seattle on a UFC lineup with Israel Adesanya… Which is a really cool full circle moment- from the moment he decided he wanted to be a UFC fighter he followed the exact steps and blueprint created by Izzy. This podcast is part of the Navajo Stirling story: + His upbringing in Upper Hutt…and only discovering the UFC while working at Foodstuffs and going to a co-worker’s house to watch a Connor MacGregor fight on TV. + What it actually takes to get to the UFC…the financial reality of it…and why so many people never make it. + His first time meeting and training his hero, Israel, after watching and imitating every single fight he had ever had on YouTube. + There’s also some great stuff in here about fighting itself: what it feels like to get hit, why he says everything slows down in the cage…and how he deals with pressure when he’s about to walk out. And then there’s the bigger stuff: purpose, potential and his…

More episodes of The Dom Harvey Podcast

• Samoana Matagi: He Survived 14,400 Volts, Lost Both Hands, Now He Helps Thousands · April 26, 2026 · 1h 21m
• “Go Big or Go Home”- Jason Paris on One.NZ Stadium Sponsorship · April 22, 2026 · 1h 43m
• Dame Theresa Gattung: The Telecom CEO Who Became One of NZ's Most Powerful Women · April 19, 2026 · 1h 42m
• David Downs: Comedian, Cancer Survivor & The Man Selling NZ to the World · April 15, 2026 · 1h 57m
• The Scientist Who Helped Build NZ's Greatest Athletes - and What He's Learned Along the Way · April 12, 2026 · 2h 11m
• Helene Barron: From Tarawera Ultra to Tongue Cancer - The Year Everything Changed · April 8, 2026 · 1h 33m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Dom Harvey Podcast podcast page.