From Street Violence to Bali’s Toughest Fight Club | Mike Ikilei

From East Auckland Street violence and not expecting to make it past 21 to building Bali’s toughest fight club.Mike Ikilei, founder of Soma Fight Club, opens up about growing up comfortable with violence, the moment a gym pulled him back from the edge, and how Soma became a global destination for fighters and more family than a facility.He talks about fatherhood, community, the ANZAC toughness that shaped him, and why titles are just byproducts of giving everything.If you’ve ever felt pulled toward chaos, struggled with direction, or wanted more from yourself, this conversation shows what happens when violence is turned into purpose.Mike shares the mindset behind Soma, the standards he lives by, and the code that built one of the world’s most respected fight communities.We break down the story behind the Soma name, the mission driving the movement, and what comes next.📲 Follow Mike:⁠Instagram⁠⁠Facebook🥋 Follow Soma Fight Club: InstagramWebsite🥊 Follow Benny: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠Facebook⁠ 🎙️ Follow Benny Drohan Podcast:⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠👇 Chapters:00:00 Intro00:01:41 Did Soma Become What Mike Originally Envisioned?00:04:09 Growing Up in East Auckland00:09:08 The Gym That Changed Mike’s Life00:14:01 Moving to Bali and Taking the Risk00:29:09 Building Soma Fight Club From Scratch00:31:26 How Soma Built a Global Fight Community00:33:07 The Biggest Challenge Facing New Gyms00:38:41 Building the Soma Brand00:43:03 The Story Behind the Name Soma00:46:32 Protecting the Culture Inside Soma00:51:40 Coaching India’s First UFC Fighter01:02:34 Outro🥋 Stay in the fkn Fight