For nine-year MMA veteran Damien Brown, hand-to-hand combat was always about finding freedom. A former infantryman in the Australian army who was deployed in Afghanistan and returned home with post-traumatic stress disorder, the man who now goes by the moniker “Beatdown” found solace in kickboxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu as he struggled to transition back into life as a civilian. What started as an escape mechanism soon evolved into a burning passion, with Brown turning pro as an MMA fighter in 2010, eventually signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship six years later. He represented his home country of Australia over a two-and-a-half year stretch where he posted a 3-4 record, including a “Fight of the Night” winning performance against Frank Camacho in Sydney.
Damien Brown: Soldiering On
