Sam Dennett, a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training at Partizan Grappling in Sydney, Australia, shares how the martial art helped him reclaim his life following traumatic experiences and involvement in a cult-like organization.
“On April 22nd, 2012, my life changed forever,” Dennett recounts. After being severely assaulted at a party, he suffered a jaw broken in three places, dislocated from his skull, unconscious during the ambulance ride, with lacerations and bruises covering his head and face, and bleeding from both ears.
While the physical injuries eventually healed after reconstructive surgery and months of recovery, the psychological trauma lingered. “The unseen damage would follow me and ultimately, almost cost me my life via my own hand,” he reveals in his new blog Warrior Funk.
After moving to Australia, Dennett’s struggles compounded through an abusive relationship, losing his father to cancer, and experiencing heartbreak. He suffered frequent panic attacks that seemed to come from nowhere.
“The panic attacks would come from nowhere, with no discernible trigger or cause,” he explains. “My heart was pounding through my chest. I couldn’t get my breathing under control and would be completely consumed by a sense of dread.”
His behavior became increasingly concerning. After an incident where he nearly harmed a friend and another serious confrontation, Dennett realized he needed help. Following an attempt to stop living in early 2020, he made significant changes in his life.
It was during this recovery period that Jiu-Jitsu found him. Initially reluctant, he agreed to help a friend, a brown belt, who was starting a small training group. His first experiences were challenging – he literally retreated from the mat during drills, and even had a panic attack watching professional BJJ on YouTube.
“I found the positions that would trigger me, and put myself in them on purpose,” Dennett explains. “I grabbed people I trusted and spent extended time being smashed. When I felt the anger or the panic rise, I would breathe through it and tell myself I was safe.”
The transformation was remarkable. “Nowadays, you can crossface the s*it out of me and I’ll be smiling. Dragging your arms across my face to expose my neck? No problem, bud. Knee on my head? All good lad, you do you.”
BJJ’s impact extended beyond the mats. “At social occasions, I was no longer overthinking every single bad thing that could happen to me. I didn’t view every other male as a threat anymore.”
Dennett also shares his experience with a cult-like organization he was involved with for several years. As he trained to become a facilitator within the group, he witnessed concerning behavior from the leader, identified only as “MJ.”
The organization initially appealed to men seeking healing and community but gradually revealed troubling dynamics. MJ became increasingly dismissive of questions, employed “security” to limit access to himself, and displayed erratic behavior.
“Questions became currency. If you came to him with a question he deemed unworthy of his response, he would shun you and move on. Not politely either,” Dennett recalls.
The situation reached an alarming point when MJ began claiming to communicate with religious figures: “I was talking last night to The Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, and Lao Tzu… This time they sat me down and said, ‘MJ, it has been decided that we need to learn from you.'”
Through these challenging experiences, Jiu-Jitsu provided Dennett with a crucial anchor. “Jiu Jitsu was an absolute game changer. In all areas of my life. If I could handle a 100+ kg man trying to choke me unconscious, I could handle anything.”
Today, Dennett is the author of Warrior Funk, a newsletter focused on personal growth, storytelling, and overcoming obstacles—a testament to his journey from trauma to transformation.
“Jiu Jitsu didn’t save my life,” he concludes, “but it did set me free.”
