Army veteran Peter "Cam" Campbell joins The Grey Man Podcast to talk about how jiu jitsu and submission grappling pulled him out of the darkest period of his life, and how that led him to build Who's Next Grappling (WNG), one of Australia's fastest-growing grappling promotions.
In Episode 80, Cam opens up about a turbulent childhood, his path into boxing, Muay Thai and MMA, and joining the Army as an artillery forward observer. He talks through Kapooka and Puckapunyal, life in Townsville, and the injuries that ended his career: chronic compartment syndrome, surgery, and a medical discharge.
He's honest about what came after: the drinking, the prescription medication, the loss of identity, and the years of psychology that made things worse before they got better. Cam explains how walking into a BJJ gym in 2021 became the turning point, and how he went on to lose 51 kg and find purpose again.
We also get into the business side of combat sports: 🥋 Submission grappling vs traditional BJJ, and why leg locks changed the game 🥋 Belts, lineage and the 17-year-old black belt debate 🥋 Building Who's Next Grappling and Australia's only sloped-wall grappling pit 🥋 Why Queensland is a striking state and what that means for grappling 🥋 The real cost of running events and paying athletes 🥋 What's next: striking events, bare-knuckle combat grappling and freestyle wrestling Cam's message for veterans and anyone doing it tough: find something you love, find your community, keep talking, and find a reason to fight.