Ep. 33 Mike Cook and UBW

Ep. 33 Mike Cook and UBW

From The Ninjas Way by Ally Johnson, Jake Marshman, Charlie Mitchell

August 9, 2025 · 53 min · Season 1 · Episode 33

About this episode

Mike Cook shares his journey from despair to creating a beloved ninja competition that unites the community and promotes faith.

From the brink of suicide… to building the most beloved ninja competition in America 🥷✝️ When Mike Cook lost over million and nearly ended his life, he never imagined God would give him a mission that would unite the ninja world. What started as a few obstacles in his backyard has grown into Ultimate Backyard Warrior (UBW) one of the most faith fueled, community driven competitions in the sport. In this episode of The Ninjas Way Podcast, Mike opens up about the lowest point of his life, the exact moment God stepped in, and how that led to a mission that combines high level ninja competition with a platform to bring people to Christ. You’ll hear how UBW evolved from a homemade course to a professional gym experience, the generosity and support that shaped its growth, and the strategies that keep sponsors and athletes coming back year after year. In this Episode 👇🏻 00:30 Mike Cook’s Journey to Ninja Warrior 18:48 The Birth of UBW Competitions 25:42 Future Plans for UBW 28:12 Building a Community of Young Ninjas 34:33 From Backyard to Professional Gym 39:36 Memorial Day Competitions and Future Plans 46:14 Sponsorship Strategies and Success Stories Learn more about UBW here…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ally Johnson, Jake Marshman, Charlie Mitchell

Guest: Mike Cook

Topics covered

  • mental health
  • ninja competition
  • community building
  • faith
  • entrepreneurship

Keywords

  • ninja warrior
  • mental health
  • community
  • competition
  • entrepreneurship
  • faith

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ultimate Backyard Warrior, God

More episodes of The Ninjas Way

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Ninjas Way podcast page.