On December 6th, I’ll be stepping into the Octagon after completing Train Alta’s 20-Week Fighter Warrior Training Camp.

But this isn’t just a fight for fitness.

It’s a fight for my mental health — and for every young person who’s ever felt like they didn’t deserve to be here.

Why I’m Fighting

When I was in high school, a friend of mine took his own life.

He was only 15 or 16. I still remember being pulled out of class that day and sitting in a room full of confused faces, trying to process the impossible.

That moment changed me. It planted something heavy inside me — an anger, a sadness, a confusion I didn’t know how to express. As a teenager, that turned into rage. When I realised how dangerous that rage could become, I made a decision: never to let it out again.

But what happens when you bottle something up for long enough?

It becomes depression. Silent, invisible, heavy.

For years, I carried that weight alone. And even though I was never clinically diagnosed, I knew exactly what it felt like to be drowning inside your own skin.

Why This Fight Matters

This training camp isn’t about learning to hurt others — it’s about learning to face myself.

Every round on the mats has been a lesson in self-control, presence, and honesty.

I joined because I knew I couldn’t keep hiding.

Because I want to be a better man, a better dad, and a better human.

And I want to show others — especially young men — that it’s okay to feel, to express, to ask for help.

Why 20Talk

I’m raising funds for 20Talk, one of Australia’s most authentic youth mental health charities.

Their mission is to make mental health conversations relatable, real, and raw — something I wish I’d had access to when I was younger.

The Goal

My goal is to raise $1,500 for 20Talk by fight night, December 6th.

Funds will go directly to 20Talk via this GoFundMe page (they’re a registered charity partner).

If you’d like to support:

✅ Donate what you can — every dollar matters.

✅ Share this page to help others hear the message.

✅ Join me at the fight night (tickets available soon) where we’ll also have a QR code to donate live.

The Message

This isn’t about me winning a fight.

It’s about showing that real strength isn’t about violence — it’s about vulnerability.

For every young person who’s ever felt unseen, unheard, or unworthy:

This fight is for you.

Thank you for standing with me — and with 20Talk — in this movement for change.

Shaun “The Mountain” Tucker

Health Scientist | Fighter for Mental Health | Dad | Friend