Ones Ready
A team of active duty Combat Control (CCT), Pararescue (PJ), and Special Reconnaissance (SR) leveraging our 69 years of special operations experience to make the next generation of operators smarter, faster and stronger than we ever were. We are the PREMIERE resource for all things Air Force Special Warfare. The Ones Ready Podcast is honest talk about what it is like to go from a know-nothing high school graduate to an elite Special Operator. We will cover important practices for success including physical training, nutrition, recovery, and mindset traits essential to any team. Join us in The Team Room to get all your questions answered!! With battle-tested operators from across USAF SPECWAR and far-reaching web of recruiters, subject matter experts, and friends, there are no questions we can’t answer- and if we can’t, we know exactly where to look. See you in The Team Room!Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the OnesReady team are those of the team and do not reflect the official policy or position of the DoD. Any content provided by our Podcast guests, bloggers, sponsors, or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign the DoD, any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone.
Ones Ready
Ep 464: Don Frye is Unbreakable!
This one isn’t a podcast. It’s a goddamn war story. UFC Hall-of-Famer and America’s toughest mustache, Don Frye, joins Aaron and Atlas for a conversation that spans decades, back surgeries, ghost trucks, Vietnam comms tents, and mob-backed wrestling matches in Japan.
What starts as a laugh-packed swapcast quickly veers into territory most men won’t talk about: childhood trauma, fear, failure, the shame of weakness—and the rage that fuels resilience.
🦬 Don walks through fire (literally), punches his way through pain, and teaches us how to be the bison when life turns into a blizzard.
🔥 Key Takeaways:
- Integrity isn’t a tagline—it’s the only thing that matters on your tombstone
- Your pain is fuel. Your weakness is the enemy. Your mission: never back down
- Don watched one loss on VHS for four years straight—just to get better
- Ghost trucks are real. Also, so is dying. Twice. Don’s not impressed
- Ric Flair suits are expensive. Don broke ribs instead
- Life is a snowstorm. Walk into it. Be the bison
- Punch fear in the throat. Then drink whiskey and mentor a PJ
⏱️ Timestamps:
- 0:00:00 – Intro, Atlas & Aaron link up with MMA legend Don Frye
- 0:01:10 – Ric Flair suits, challenge coins, and Air Force lineage
- 0:03:00 – Don's dad, Vietnam stories, and integrity from the start
- 0:07:30 – Service before self, firefighting, and refusing mediocrity
- 0:12:30 – MMA journey: UFC wins, quitting jobs, punching for purpose
- 0:17:00 – Don’s dark past, hatred of weakness, and fire for excellence
- 0:23:30 – Wrestling, fighting, and the obsession to improve
- 0:28:30 – Advice to the broken: walk into the storm, be the bison
- 0:33:00 – Failure, rematches, and integrity in loss
- 0:40:00 – Japan matches, mob ties, and accidental rib breaking
- 0:46:00 – Hall of Fame, mindset, fatherhood, and PTSD in motion
- 0:51:00 – Back surgery, coma, literal resurrection, and relentless drive
- 0:56:00 – Why Don still shows up: fans, dogs, hate, and heart
- 0:59:00 – Final reflections, mentoring new PJs, and walking through fire
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