Joe Pyfer details “inspirational” documentary on his story from being abused as a kid to making the UFC

Joe Pyfer never thought he would have a documentary made about his life.

Pyfer grew up in a troubled home as he dealt not only with poverty but also he and four sisters being abused by his father. During his childhood, Pyfer had run away from home numerous times and only his close friends knew how bad his childhood truly was, including Chandler Henry who went on to become a film director.

Once Pyfer began having success in his fighting career, Henry asked Pyfer if he wanted to do a documentary on his life, which the UFC middleweight wasn’t sure about initially.

“It really wasn’t my decision or my idea first, it was my friend Chandler Henry’s. We had gone to high school together, I was going through what I was going through of running away from home and dealing with abuse from my father,” Pyfer said to BJPENN.com. “He had learned about that as our friendship developed over the years and post-high school, he ended up hitting me up about me doing this full-time and having a couple of fights to tell my story. He also thought it would be an inspiring story, especially if I make it to the UFC one day. That is when the idea started but we never got to do it because my journey was up down, up down with injuries, with the Contender Series, and that is where the idea transpired, shortly after high school.”

Once Joe Pyfer agreed to do the documentary, he had to speak on camera about his childhood memories of being abused which was difficult at first. But, he says this documentary gave him a chance to forgive his parents and move on from his childhood and the anger he has been holding onto for years.

“Initially it was hard because I hadn’t fully forgiven my parents and the situation, as I was holding on to a lot of anger with it,” Pyfer said. “But, the older I have gotten, the past three or four years, I have forgiven them and don’t have any anger attached to them, as far as when I talk about it, I don’t get upset about it… What is sad is I’m the only victim, there are four others being my sisters, so it was hard to talk about it at first.”

Just recently, Pyfer was able to have a premiere to show his documentary ‘Journey to the UFC’ to his friends and family.

Although the documentary isn’t out just yet to the public, Pyfer says the reception was emotional as he had friends and family nearly crying after they really got to hear about his hard upbringing.

“We had a premiere to view it and see it and the reception was a standing ovation,” Pyfer said. “A lot of people didn’t understand the depths of it, so it was pretty cool to see them stand up and have people on the brink of tears. The reception was great, the love that I felt from it was crazy. It is definitely inspirational and it is hard to watch for me.”

Even though Joe Pyfer is just 2-0 in the UFC, he says this documentary shows no matter what happens in his career he is a winner. Even if he doesn’t become the champ, he says his career is a success story but does think a part two of the documentary of him eventually becoming the champion will make for great TV.

“I’m chasing a goal, not gold. What matters is what I’m happy with and where I see my career going and what I believe I can achieve. If I win a title, which I can’t see why I don’t, this will all make sense. But, if it doesn’t happen this is still a success story. This is someone who defied the odds and came from poverty. Came from being doubted and had no family support and developed a team who is bigger than most fighters. I don’t think there is a way for me to lose. Even if it’s through a fight, that’s just a fight,” Pyfer concluded.

Will you watch Joe Pyfer’s documentary when it comes out?