E91: The Fight Beyond the Ring with Matthew “The Spider” Morton – Trauma, Addiction and Healing

Guest: Matthew Morton
Released: 26 September 2026
Themes: Childhood trauma and survival · Addiction and recovery · ADHD, shame and self-understanding · Combat sports and mental health · Psychedelic healing and integration

He went from being a kid carrying secrets no child should carry to a man trying to turn pain into purpose, and he doesn’t soften a single edge. We’re joined by Matthew Morton, known in the fight world as The Spider, a professional bare knuckle fighter who lays out the real timeline: childhood trauma, sexual abuse, crack and heroin addiction at 12, years of crime and chaos, and the moment it all finally started to shift.

We talk about ADHD traits, shame, and why people often punish symptoms while missing the cause. Matthew explains how structure and discipline became his lifeline after overdose and withdrawal, and how fighting gave him a legal place to burn off energy, stay focused, and prove to himself he wasn’t “too far gone.” Alongside him, our resident psychologist Dave Gallagher adds context on trauma, athlete mental health, and what happens when a combat sports career ends and identity starts to collapse.

Then we get into plant medicine with the detail most conversations skip. Matthew shares what an ayahuasca retreat in Colombia actually felt like, why set and setting matters, what purging and fear can bring up, and why psychedelic integration is where the work really begins. Dave breaks down the emerging science on psychedelics, neuroplasticity, and how field research and brain imaging can capture meaningful changes in wellbeing over time.

If you care about addiction recovery, PTSD healing, ADHD and substance use, combat sports mental health, or psychedelic therapy done responsibly, this one will stick with you. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs hope, and leave us a review with your biggest takeaway.