From UFC Commentary to MTV’s The Challenge: Ben “The Bane” Davis on Pressure, Performance & Staying Real

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Miss Understood with Rachel Uchitel

Episode: From UFC Commentary to MTV’s The Challenge: Ben “The Bane” Davis on Pressure, Performance & Staying Real
Date: December 8, 2025
Host: Rachel Uchitel
Guest: Ben “The Bane” Davis

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into the multidimensional life of Ben "The Bane" Davis—UFC commentator, reality TV competitor, and all-around risk-taker. Rachel and Ben explore his journey from high-achieving student to combat sports commentator and then reality TV star. The conversation candidly covers topics like forging unique career paths, the realities of public scrutiny, and what it takes to truly stay authentic when everyone is watching.

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Major Discussion Points & Key Insights

1. The Origin of “The Bane” ([04:10]–[05:12])

• Ben explains adopting "The Bane" for branding during live-streaming and Twitch.
• The moniker draws inspiration from Batman's iconic adversary, signifying strength and intrigue.
  • Quote: "I thought what would capture someone's attention?...But 'The Bane' is live streaming. Well, who's The Bane? What does that mean?" – Ben ([04:16])

2. Education & Early Career Detours ([05:12]–[08:44])

• Studied finance at Arizona State (self-proclaimed 'Harvard of the West Coast') with a focus on security and traditional success.
• Early jobs in commercial real estate and Amazon proved unfulfilling.
  • Memorable Moment: Ben’s wry description of managerial life at Amazon:
    • "It sucks. ...It was soul-sucking being in a warehouse every day and you know, feeling kind of purposeless. …They've hoodwinked me, Rachel. I'm just an employee now." ([06:41])

3. Breaking into Commentary and Esports ([08:51]–[11:42])

• Transition from video game (esports) commentary (often unpaid or “paying to be there”) to seeking MMA fight commentary opportunties.
• The esports phase was a stepping stone, done "intentionally" to gain broadcast experience and build a demo reel.

4. Signature Commentary Style ([12:38]–[13:53])

• Ben aims to bring high energy, authenticity, and audience excitement to combat sports commentary.
• He draws a distinction from more "economical" styles (like UFC's Jon Anik), emphasizing passion and respect for fighters.
  • Quote: "If a fighter watches a fight back that I've commentated on, I never want them to hit that mute button." – Ben ([13:21])

5. Fighting as Entertainment & Personal Growth ([18:40]–[22:48])

• Ben, not a natural athlete, enjoys surprising people by entering the ring (even engaging in bare-knuckle bouts).
  • Quote: "Having skin in the game and walking it, as much as I talk it is important. ...There’s so many people that love to chirp and chat and don’t really ever back it up." ([18:40])
• He values showmanship and lasting moments as much as the sport itself—enjoys building hype and creating entertainment.
• Learned resilience:
  • "I reaffirmed that in the face of, like, extreme adversity, where you're getting knocked down, I'll get back up every time." ([22:12])

6. Journey to Reality TV (MTV’s The Challenge) ([22:55]–[25:45])

• Landed on MTV’s "The Challenge" unpredictably—via a Fight Circus contact and a casting director.
• His preparation included a crash course in CrossFit but admitted, "I don’t feel that prepared," ([25:41]) joking that his body didn’t transform much.

7. Reality TV Experience: Pressure, Performance, and Paranoia ([26:09]–[29:29])

• Initially overwhelmed by social dynamics and constant scheming among 31 strangers, but adjusted after a week and a half.
  • "This nonstop, 24/7 social cycle...this layer of just unsettling deception and lack of faith in every conversation I was having, it did get to me in the early frames..." ([26:13])
• Reflected on the impact and responsibilities of being on-camera:
  • "The opportunity to, you know, deliver words that could be impactful...even if, you know, there wasn't really much of me on the show." ([29:08])

8. Handling Betrayal & Staying Real ([29:29]–[30:54])

• Ben discusses being betrayed in the game (notably by Sydney, who promised loyalty then voted him out), but doesn't take game behavior personally due to his experience with online hate and combat sports detractors.

9. On Being ‘Misunderstood’ and Advice for Reinvention ([30:54]–[31:52])

• Ben feels comfortable and authentic in himself, undeterred by public misconceptions.
  • "If you are interpreting something in the stupidest way possible, how on earth is that my problem?" ([30:54])
• Advice for listeners: relentless pursuit is non-negotiable; networking matters more than credentials.
  • "Your network is your net worth. ...Find creative ways to build bridges, have people fighting for you." ([31:52])

10. Failures and Setbacks ([33:03]–[35:49])

• Shares being fired from various commentary jobs (including being abruptly dropped after two weeks at a major combat sports media outlet).
• Emphasis on resilience:
  • "It's a marathon, not a sprint. ...Greener pastures will come." ([35:49])

11. Rapid-Fire Closing Questions ([35:51]–[42:29])

• White House fight event: "It's stupid. ...It's a very interesting concept and a spectacle, but it's just...not something that's going to come to people's expectations." ([35:57])
• Return to Reality TV: Enthusiastic about another chance, feeling he has more to offer: "Absolutely. 100%. ...I have been training. ...We are in better shape than we were for 41." ([37:06])
• Bucket List TV Shows: Cooking-related shows ("Worst Chefs in America"), possibly Survivor or Big Brother, but rejects Naked and Afraid outright: "No. ...Not at all." ([38:33])
• Future Goals: Aims for play-by-play gigs for UFC or a Phoenix sports franchise, wants a major Olympics broadcast role ([39:47]–[40:27]).
• Personal Life: In a committed relationship ("We've gone ring shopping"), values his partner’s ambition, but likely not having kids ([41:32]–[42:29]).

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Notable Quotes

• "Surprise is a fun factor of it." – Ben, on why he gets in the ring ([18:40])
• "In today's society, messaging is deeply important. ...That was a weight and a cross that I was more than happy to bear." ([29:04])
• "If you don't have a truly relentless pursuit for what you want to do, then don't expect that full result." ([31:52])
• "Your network is your net worth." ([31:52])
• "It's a marathon, not a sprint." ([35:49])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------|-----------| | The nickname “The Bane” — origin and meaning | 04:10 | | Quitting traditional careers for passion | 05:12 | | First broadcast gigs and esports commentary | 08:51 | | Ben's commentary philosophy and style | 12:38 | | Going from commentator to fighter | 18:40 | | Jump into reality TV (MTV’s The Challenge) | 22:55 | | Reality TV social dynamics and pressure | 26:09 | | Betrayal and boundaries in reality TV | 29:29 | | Advice for listeners on grit and networking | 31:52 | | Biggest failures and lessons learned | 33:11 | | Future goals, bucket list, and personal life | 39:47 |

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Tone & Closing

Ben “The Bane” Davis brings humor, humility, and tactical self-awareness to every topic, never shying away from failure or self-deprecation. Rachel’s conversational, candid interviewing elicits both practical advice and poignant moments about identity, growth, and resilience beyond the headlines.

For listeners seeking inspiration about changing course, building a public identity, or surviving criticism—this episode packs both raw insights and grounded, entertaining stories.

Transcript

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[Ben the Bane Davis]

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[Rachel Yukatel]

Today on Misunderstood with Rachel Yucatel.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Has there ever been a better casting than Ben the Bane Davis at these. Oh, my God. So good. The mic integrity also is unbelievable. Not just the mic.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Please welcome Ben Davis.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Hola. Como estas? That's about all I know. This demolition machine came from Bosnia, son. Robin Black, you ever been to Bosnia?

[Rachel Yukatel]

I find you fascinating. We know that you're obviously very good at commentating, but you've also gotten in the ring yourself. I don't know why you would do that.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

You wouldn't think that I'm the guy that's done bare knuckle boxing or fought Anderson Silva, son. Right? Surprise is a fun factor of it.

[Rachel Yukatel]

But how the hell did you get into reality TV from there, Rachel?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I've not seen much reality tv, so when I'm talking with this producer, I was just like, oh, the challenge seems like an interesting one. And then in December, they were like, we've cast you. And I was like, well, did you love doing it?

[Rachel Yukatel]

Did you hate it? I mean, what was that like for you?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I underestimated how challenging the house would be. And this, like, nonstop 247 social cycle of being around 31 people that you don't know.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Will you ever do reality TV again?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I think that.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Welcome back to Misunderstood. I'm Rachel Yukitel, and today we are diving into a story that's all about risk, reinvention, and what it means to step into the ring, literally and figuratively. You probably know my guest today from MTV TV's the Vets and New Threats, where he made his reality TV debut on season 41. Recently, at just 25 years old, Ben the Bane Davis has already carved out a name for himself in combat sports, calling fights for ufc, Fight Pass and some of the biggest promotions in the game. But when he stepped into the world of reality competition, he wasn't just a commentator anymore. He was the story. On the challenge. The stakes are different. It's not just about skill or analysis. It's about Alliances, pressure, performance, and how you handle being under the lens 24 7. For Ben, this was a new arena, one where personality and authenticity are on display just as much as athletic ability. Today we're going to talk to him about what it means to go from being the voice behind the action to the one living it, how he's managed the scrutiny of reality TV and what it takes to stay grounded when everyone has an opinion on who you are. This is about more than just competition. It's about identity, reinvention, and what happens when the commentator becomes the. The competitor. Please enjoy my conversation with Ben the Bane Davis.

Ben the Bane Davis. Welcome to Misunderstood. How are you today?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Oh, Rachel, I'm fantastic. I must compliment the flora behind you. Some fantastic choices. I don't know if my. My plant terminology fails me, but it's a beautiful display you have.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Thank you so much. Well, I moved to Palm Beach, Florida, and I felt like I should have something that was very, you know, Palm beach behind me, so. And nothing to do with the show. I just thought it was cool.

So since I've been researching you, I've been. The biggest question I have is, where did you get the name the Bane?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

It was probably the most uninteresting thing I would say about me. I was doing some twitch streaming, bit of live streaming a couple of years back, and for me, it just felt important to have more of a brand, right. Than just Ben Davis. I thought what would capture someone's attention? If they're scrolling by, they go, david's live streaming. Ben Davis is live streaming. Johnny's live streaming. I don't care about that. But the Bane is live streaming. Well, who's the Bane? What does that mean? You know? So it just felt like a little bit more of a dynamic edge to draw people in, which failed miserably.

[Rachel Yukatel]

But is that a word that meant something to you? Bane? Like, where do you even like, I.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Would say, in terms of specific inspiration, I was a huge Batman fan growing up. I had this like 3 foot by 6 foot Batman poster hanging over my bed at one point. And so you know Bane as a character, right? One of the most strongest people in the DC universe. I was like, that's a cool. Know, why not take some emulation from that character?

[Rachel Yukatel]

Got it. All right, well, then that makes sense. I like it. All right. I find you fascinating. As I was mentioning before we started, I. I've seen that at such an early age. You have done so much. I feel like that is a very rare quality in this day and age, especially for Kids your age and I, I really respect it. I respect the hustle. What I think is interesting about you, you attended Arizona, Arizona State University. You graduated with honors in finance, but you didn't take that path. Did you start on that path or right after college you were like, I can't, I don't want to do this.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

You know, during my undergrad at the Harvard of the west coast asu, I was really business oriented. Yeah, true. It was something that I felt was secure. That was the biggest thing, why I was in a business mindset is because growing up doing theater and drumming and being on an improv troupe just didn't feel like something that could pay the bills. I didn't understand how to really monetize those interests of mine and what any income stream could look like. So, you know, 18 year old me was like, well, the conventional norm, normal thing, right? The mold of usual people my age is just go down something like marketing, finance, accounting. And I just, I just figured I could be happy with that. I figured I could find a way to love it and be passionate. And so I did like a year and a half of commercial real estate internship. I interned at Amazon as a manager.

[Rachel Yukatel]

And all throughout, by the way, what does that mean? I've always wondered what it's like to work at Amazon.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

It sucks. It really.

In short, it's a bad time. I can understand why some people do it, right? The hours are quite, you know, you get a lot of hours, you get a lot of work and I'm sure there's great benefits, but it just, man, it was soul sucking being in a warehouse every day and you know, feeling kind of purposeless. Because there was supposed to be like an intern program, right? But there wasn't one. I was just working as a manager. I was like, what the hell is this? They've, they've hoodwinked me, Rachel. I'm just an employee now. I'm not really an intern. And so that was, that was also a bit dissatisfying because I was expecting something structured, learning based. And then in reality it's just like, okay, I'm clocking in, managing three dozen people and having no clue what the hell I'm doing.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Right. And was it like as simple as like people are making orders and you guys are finding shit off the shelves and throwing it on the truck? Like, I've never understood how that works.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Works. It's, it is complex in the sense that you have kind of like the inbound half of the fulfillment center and then you have the outbound Half the fulfillment center, which is where I was stationed at. The inbound is like, really where you're doing a lot of the labeling. The orders are coming in and being packaged. And then outbound is where we're kind of processing and putting it on the trucks. And, like, it really is like this crazy combination. Every gear is turning. But the outbound docs was so important because if we got backed up, then the whole fulfillment center would shut down. And there's this concept called, like, blue lighting. It's like, okay, if you've got X amount that's not being pushed, then we're blue lighting. And that's. That's terrible. We're in red zone. It's critical territory. And, Rachel, I was blue lighting every day. Like, it was a daily thing where I would push us to the brink of, you know, total collapse. And I remember, like, the L6s and L7s, they'd come down from the upper floor, right? Their. Their thrones up in the pantheon of Amazon warehouse, and they'd be like, ben, what are you doing? You're shutting the factory down? And I'm like, I don't know.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Oh, my God, that's amazing. Can you imagine if Amazon, like, was shut down because of little you? That would have been amazing.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

You know what? Honestly, I should have done it one day just for the story. I should have shut it down and been like, this is my last day. I should have shut down the factory.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Right? That's hysterical. All right, so what was your, like, job after that? How did you get into esports commentary? Is that, by the way, is that when you're, like, calling for games? Like, are you actually being, like, this person's making this play? And look at this guy on Roblox. How does that work?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

That is a very accurate, I would say, depiction. It's a video game. You're commentating on it as if it's real life. And it's sometimes hard to take serious, right? Because you're sitting there and in your pajamas trying to act as if you're, you know, on a live broadcast and.

[Rachel Yukatel]

You'Re telling your parents you're making money. And this is a real job, right?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Oh, I was. I was transparent with my parents. I was like, I'm making shit from this. In fact, at time, I feel like I'm paying to be here and do this. No, like, it really spawned out of, you know, efficiency, right? The barrier of entry to get into esports commentary, especially in the mixed martial arts space, was, like, on the floor, if not beneath it. So for me, I was like, it's impossible to kind of break in any of these doors at the moment. When I was a junior at ASU and the esports community was like, yeah, we've got 12 people watching our events. Why not let you commentate? Right? There was really no, no back, no, no backlash, no issue or resistance. And so I was like, sure, I'll, I'll make this happen. I was doing shows Friday, Saturday, um, and then trying to shop that reel all around the country to regional shows, which was challenging. Right? You know, it's difficult to be like, hey, I'm commentating a video game, please let me do the real thing.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Right? Well, well, what's interesting about that? And please do not take this the wrong way, but I'm a mother, right? I have a 13 year old who loves to like bedrot and go sit in a room and like play Roblox with her friends all day. And I'm always like, you're going to end up being like an Uber driver. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I really wish that that is not what she will be for a living. So. But what's interesting is that you're telling me this isn't for a bunch of losers. Like you could actually parlay that into a job, which is what you did, and you use that as experience to get you into a world that you are more interested in. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Yeah, it's, I think, all about intentionality. I never had the intention to just do esports. I viewed it as like the easiest first step in hopefully a very long journey. And you know that that didn't come without struggle. It was probably a year and a half of doing the esports broadcasting concurrently with like the media reporting and on site coverage and the content creation and building that brand. Like it was something that I was toiling away at, but I really didn't see a return for quite some time in the sense of an actual promotion giving me an opportunity. But yeah, I think that if you're isolating your time and focus on something without really the game plan to take something further or have just a, you know, a couple step process, then it is a bit of a waste and you're probably not going to get anything out of it.

[Rachel Yukatel]

And were you interested in the future? Like a bucket list? You wanted to be a commentator for Major League Baseball, for football, like are any of those things on your radar? Or you were like, I want to be in ufc, mma, all this kind of version, like what Were your thoughts?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I would say for the first two and a half years, it really was specifically combat sports. I have such a passion for mixed martial arts and boxing now, and calling those fights is absolutely a huge box. I'd love to check lead play by play for the ufc. That's a dream job. But I think as this journey's continued, I've kind of grasped the reality that in order to probably make X happen, I gotta do Y and expand outside of combat. And so, you know, in the beginning for sure, I was like, combat sports is everything. And now my head's kind of at, well, it's one thing, you know, on the plate.

[Rachel Yukatel]

So you've said that you try to bring something different to commentary. Can you tell us about what your signature style is and how do you want to change the way fans experience combat sports?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I think that there's so many play by plays operating at the moment that are tremendous. Right. John Anix, the gold standard over at the ufc, and he has a deeply economical approach, no words wasted over an eight hour period, which is awesome. And the stats he brings, the preparation he provides is so educational for me. I can't help but be myself right in the booth. And that's a very passion first mentality where it's a lot of high energy, it's a lot of trying to.

Excite the audience as excited as I am. And I don't know, one of my main goals was always if a fighter watches a fight back that I've commentated on, I never want them to hit that mute button. I never want them to be like, you know, man, this, you know, I gave my best in that fight, but the commentating team didn't give me a fair shake or, you know, just, just we're going on tangents, the entirety of the fight. Like, I, as someone who's fought, listened back and hated the commentary, I'm like, well, I, you know, do unto others what you want done to you.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Right, right. And how hard is it, like, I'm assuming you have to know the sport really, really well to be able to make those play by plays as it's going on.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I think that for my role in the booth, having knowledge is deeply important only in a sense to ask better questions. To my color commentators, you know, they're the experts, they're the former active fighters, my analysts and I have the beauty of like, really not having to know too much. Right. Like, I'm just setting them up, cuing them throughout the evening. I could feasibly walk into something, have no Knowledge of the sport, but if I have the, you know, correct play by play mentality, get away with it almost. Is that the best? No. Right. Being absolutely educated and having experience, I would say is best. But for my role, not entirely required. Right. Okay.

[Rachel Yukatel]

What is the most unforgettable fight you've ever called? Like one still that, like, gives you chills.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

There is a fight I always reference where it was in Long Island, New York, Patchog specifically, which if you're going to Long island, don't know why you would be. I would say avoid Patchog, but we're at this place called the Stereo Garden and a fighter named Kamal Dunkley, he goes by Dynamite, is making the walk and we spoke with him the day prior and there was just a different energy. Some fighters have a mentality that, you know, rubs you a different way. You're like, this isn't the average person I'm dealing with. There's something, something deeper going on here. And he's dressed in this one piece outfit. And you know, there was, there was a confidence about him that wasn't really like anyone else on the card. And he told me, he's like, I'm going to end this guy with the first punch I throw. And whenever someone says something like that, you, you, you know, make a note of it. But nine, 99 times out of 100, that's not what plays out. This night, though he was correct. Went out there, knocked a dude out in five seconds and it was ridiculous. And I've listened to the callback many times and everything about it just fits perfectly like a puzzle piece. I loved how me and the commentators queued it up. I loved how, you know, that punch unfolded. It's, it's, you know, I don't, I hate going back and watching clips too frequently, but that is one where I'm like, man, I'm kind of happy with how that, how that turned out.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Right?

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[Ben the Bane Davis]

Well, almost because it's so against what you'd expect, right? Like, why you wouldn't think that I'm the guy that's done bare knuckle boxing or fought Anderson Silva, son. Right. So that, I don't know, surprise is a fun factor of it. But I do think there's an element where having skin in the game and walking it, as much as I talk it is important. You know, I'm not someone that's ever been athletically gifted. I've never been someone that's attached to sports. But in this fight game, there's so many people that love to chirp and chat and don't really ever back it up. And I'm a fun guy. Right. I love, you know, being personable and Whatnot. But, like, I, I do have that dog in me, and getting the chance to display it on several occasions has been tremendously satisfying, even if most of them don't go my way.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Right. So do you go into it thinking, okay, I'm gonna win this, I can win this, or are you like, this is just for fun?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I've always believed I could win every fight that I've had, even when the odds are like, stupidly stacked against me. I'm like, I'm like, yeah, I could probably pull this off, right, guys? But I think the one thing for me that's maybe different from other fight, and I'm not. I would never call myself a fighter, but with my fights is like, I just, I want to entertain. It's the showmanship, bone in the body where I'm like, okay, they want a show. I'm going to deliver a show with whatever happens. And that's like, almost why I prioritize the build up more so than the fight itself. Is the content online fun? Is the press conference, the weigh ins? Am I making moments that make people go, oh, you know, I am interested in seeing this fight, or this is a bit intriguing. Like, that's, that's as important to me as the fight itself.

[Rachel Yukatel]

What is the training that goes into something like that? Like, by the way, I went to a bare knuckle fight.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Yeah.

[Rachel Yukatel]

I sat in the front row, I was a guest of one of the owner, and I went with Bam Margera. Do you know him from.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Of Jackass?

[Rachel Yukatel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Him and his wife, his new wife, Danny. First of all, Danny and I were, they. They give you those little things to hold onto if you need to squeeze something. Do you know, do they have this everywhere? So they get. I was like pretending I was in Rocky. I'm like, adrian, call the fight. I was like, this is insane. It was blood everywhere. It was like, how do you. How do you practice, you know, not practice? How do you get yourself prepared to know that this is some serious shit you're about to do?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

The preparation for the bare knuckle boxing experience was, well, twice a day I would just go slam my forehead against the concrete wall and that was it really. No, there was, you know, two times a day we do our strength and conditioning and boxing. A lot of hard sparring. I think for the bare knuckle boxing one, it was like, okay, let's get into some deep waters with people in the gym and, you know, and just see how we react, see what we can sharpen and, you know, we Had a game plan which was stay long, stay on the outside and jab him for the round or two, and then open up with some, like, really just two punch combinations, nothing really extended. So there was a lot of intentionality in the fight camp to make those strikes as possible and as probable for me at all times. Right. How can I position my opponent to where I'm able to enact my game plan? If you've seen the BKFC fight that I was in, all of that went out the window, like, in the first two seconds. So.

Nothing went right in that fight. And, you know, it is what it is.

[Rachel Yukatel]

That's really funny. All right, but did you have any regrets? Was there something that you learned about yourself doing it?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I reaffirmed that in the face of, like, extreme adversity, where you're getting knocked down, I'll get back up every time. And if you watch that fight, was I unconscious? No, I wanted to keep fighting, but, you know, the referee decided otherwise, which is very fair. But, yeah, I think for me, it was. It was about displaying the durability and toughness and, you know, a kind of scrawny kid from Phoenix that grew up doing theater could have the gumption about him to continue fighting and stay tough.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Right, Exactly. All right, so now how the hell did you get into reality TV from there?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Very funny story. So the. The long, longish version of it was I did a show in Phuket last year called Fight Circus, which is this, like, variety style combat sports show in Thailand. And one of the guys that they brought in has done a lot of work in reality TV over the last couple decades. And we hit it off. Very, very nice guy. And we're debriefing after the show a week later. And this is probably March, I would say, of 2024. And we just get on the topic of his career, and I was just asking him questions, and one of the things that had come up was, like, what reality shows we would want to be on. And he was like, asking me, well, which one do you think you want to go on? And I really. Rachel. I've not seen much reality tv. Like, I watched the Biggest Loser growing up. Me too.

[Rachel Yukatel]

I love that.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Love that show. But I was like, I don't think I'm fit for that one.

And the only other reality TV show I'd seen was season 24 of the Challenge, which was, like, in 2023. I'd randomly watched it at the suggestion of a friend. And so when I'm talking with this producer, I was just like, oh, the challenge seems like an interesting one. And he was like, that's crazy. You say that. I worked with the casting director for a bit of time. Let me just shoot her a text and see where she's at in her casting process. And I was like, sure, thanks, man. I guess. And then completely forgot about that conversation. Months and months went by. In July, I got a. A DM from her and we had a conversation, submitted all the reels, did all the medical, physical, mental testing, and was thinking the whole time, like, okay, yeah, they're not going to cast me. Like, that'd be a weird decision. And then in December, they were like, we've cast you. And I was like, like, fuck. Well.

Well, now we're. Now we're in it. Now I've done it.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Right. So was this exciting? Were you like, oh, shit, now I've got to prepare for some. For something else completely different.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

It was an element of both. There was absolutely excitement in that. It's so unique of an opportunity. And I was just not. Not in a million years did I think, okay, this is something that I would get involved with. And then there was the realization that, okay, well, now I have to prepare. And this is, you know, at this point, right, the show is, you know, CrossFit and Marines, and I'm just like, NFL athletes. I'm just, what the hell are we doing here? So, you know, my girlfriend, she's been CrossFit for about eight years, so I started doing it with her. But the thing about CrossFit is, like, unless you're doing it for a extended period of time, right, longer term, you don't really see the results or the benefits. So I spent, like, maybe 10 weeks just killing my body, and I was so sore. And then February rolls around and they're like, all right, it's time to go. And I was like, well, I don't feel that prepared.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Right. And your body didn't look any different. You hadn't put on all this muscle or anything?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

No. Yeah, I was like. I was like, what the hell did I do all that for? You know, I don't know, Rachel. I. I think it's genetics. I don't think I've got the DNA in me to. To show muscle like that, you know, it's just not part of my body.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Okay, well, you can keep that, like, thin European look. People really like that, the vampire look.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

The Romanian, you know, underbelly type look.

[Rachel Yukatel]

So did you love doing it? Did you hate it? I mean, what was that like for.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

You the first week and a half was really difficult. I think I underestimated how challenging the house would be. And this like non stop, 247 social cycle of being around 31 people that you don't know and everyone's task is to get the other person out. So, like this layer of just unsettling, decept and lack of faith in every conversation I was having, it did get to me in the early frames of the game. And I feel so terrible for Nani, who was my partner in the beginning. And she was somebody. I thought I was gonna be attached to her for at least like the first half of the season, maybe even the full season. We didn't know that we'd be switching every week. Right. And I was pouring everything into Nani and I think I was stressing her out more so than anything else. Cause I'd be like, nani, they were just talking over by the dinner table and I heard Justin's name flying around. Or oh, someone said something about Gabe. We should keep that in mind over. Just overdoing it. I was over processing and it took me like, yeah, a week and a half to chill out. But once I got chill, I was like, this is great.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Yeah. So I've been on a reality show before. I know how that is. When you have cameras everywhere, you're miked all the time, except for in the bathroom or whatever. And it becomes. People don't realize, they're like, oh, that must be really intrusive of. I remember when I left, I was on Celebrity Rehab, so it was like three weeks and whatever. When I left, I almost felt lonely. I'm like, no one's going to follow me to go read my book outside and do nothing. So, you know, I loved it. It felt really comfortable. And I never even noticed them around after the first day. Did you end up getting comfortable with that? Like, the reason why I'm setting up for this question is because you've had a voice that mattered already. Right. Cause you've been in there, you've been doing journalism and the commentating, but now you're a reality star and you've come to see, I'm sure, that people put a lot of weight in that. They think they know you, they listen to what you say. So, like, did you mind that all of a sudden you had this media in your face, the cameras in your face, that everything you said was on air?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I don't know if I minded it necessarily. You know, I am definitely used to that setting of cameras, microphones, and so it wasn't too unfamiliar but it definitely was a little bit of an adjustment in just the content of these conversations. Right. Speaking with like Kara about my sexuality and just having a whole photo, you know, video shoot, there was, that was a little bit of an adjustment. But, you know, it's something that I embraced and cherished. I think that the opportunity to, you know, deliver words that could be impactful to not only the people in the house, but anybody watching. Right. And either providing.

Just any level of encouragement I thought was.

That was a weight and a cross that I was more than happy to bear. Right. Cause sometimes, sometimes you need to hear something, whether it be from the tv, whether it be from the radio, you know, Spotify musicians, like, I think that in today's society, messaging is deeply important. And so having the responsibility to do that on this season was, was nice, even if, you know, there wasn't really much of me on the show.

[Rachel Yukatel]

So I'm curious if you, if anything happened, there was like a sense of betrayal that still sits with you today, even though now it's over. Like did something. Was there something very personal that you were like, that fucking sucked.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

You know, I think that nothing, you know, because I was, I was able to dissect the game versus what was real life. You know, some people making game specific decisions and how that really, that's not something that, that they're coming at me personally about. Like Sydney for instance, big betrayal, right off camera told me, you're, you're my number two. We're going to the final. And I was like, sure, that sounds good. And then three days later, voting me into the arena, that was something where I was like, ouch. Kind of hurts my feelings, you know.

But it's, it's, it's hard to get me to take things personal. You know, I think that, you know, especially in combat sports, there's just been a, a tsunami of either homophobic messages, crazy DMs, you know, people disliking me. I'm like, I could give less of a shit about that. So if you want me to take something personal, then it has to really be impactful, not, you know, making a game decision on a reality TV show.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Got it. Okay.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I like it.

[Rachel Yukatel]

I respect that. All right. But would you consider yourself misunderstood by any means, or you feel like you're fully grounded in who you are and what you are and how people see you?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I feel pretty grounded. I feel incredibly myself. I don't think that there's any layer of facade to me. I try and be transparent. I try and be open and I think that I don't know if people have problems with the. It's more of a product that they don't know me and they're twisting in their own minds. Right? So. And then again, like I said, that isn't shit I can be accountable for. If you are interpreting something in the stupidest way possible, how on earth is that my problem, you know, so I feel I'm me. If you don't like it, you know, is what it is.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Okay, Love it.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

All right.

[Rachel Yukatel]

You've carved a lane that blends intellect, media, fighting, all these different things that you've done. Finance, all these things that you've done for people that are listening, that are young or old, doesn't matter. Can you give a little bit of insight or tips on like really going after it and becoming who you want? Because I think you've done it really well.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Well, I think the biggest tip or suggestion I could offer is that if you don't have a truly relentless pursuit for what you want to do, then don't expect that full result. You know, I think that in today's society, people think that if they just half ass it or, you know, if they imagine and fantasize about a goal, then it'll just magically come true. And that's like the most opposite of the truth. Right. You know, if you, if you have a job you want or a career that you want, or a life you aspire to live, then break it down into reasonable steps and take those steps. And I think that in our world, like, unfortunately, it's not really a meritocracy. It doesn't, it's not really who's most, most qualified or not. I mean, shit, you can just look around in this country and see, yeah, that dumbass doesn't deserve that spot. Right? But it really does speak to the networking aspect of things. It's a lot about who you know, not what you know. Your network is your net worth. So find creative ways to build bridges, have people fighting for you. Because it's what, it's what it comes down to. If you don't have the right people fighting for you in the right conversations at the right times, you're not going to get the right results.

[Rachel Yukatel]

I totally agree. What do you have a failure. You could tell us about that. You're grateful for something that didn't work out but shaped you anyway.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Way. I think that.

I could say that multiple times of like my social media accounts getting suspended. Having to start from zero was deeply frustrating. But that's, I, I would Say, more trivial of a challenge to get through. Right. That's, you know, not too big of a dealio. But there were, there were multiple jobs I was fired from, you know, multiple commentating gigs I was let go from on UFC fight pass on, you know, the regional scene media gigs. Right. Content creation for certain companies where they're like, yeah, we're, you know, we're just not interested in pursuing that for our company anymore. And a lot of instances where I could have stopped and pivoted and given up and chose not to. I'll give you a short story on one specific example. I was doing reporting on this organization called Fight Club, which is partially owned by Michael Bisping, who's a huge combat sports figure. And I was like, like, just so elated to have the gig, right? Be a media correspondent for a pretty well known outlet. That's great. And I'm on the road interviewing athletes, providing coverage, bringing stories back. And the day before the fights, after, like two weeks of covering these organizations, the day before the fights, I get a call from my boss and he's like, yeah, man, we got to let you go. You know, the investors in management just don't think you're a good look for the brand. And so, yeah, we're gonna have to part ways with you. And I was like in the bathroom at the sports bar listening to this and just deeply crushed. I was like, man, I've kind of busted my ass for you guys the last two weeks and given every second of trying to create the best that I could and just to get thrown away like a piece of trash wasn't exactly that, you know, didn't feel that great.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Why wouldn't you have been a good look? What did they mean by that?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

That, honestly, I still don't know. I really don't know. I think that it was a couple other people on the team that were, you know, unfairly messaging my bosses because they wanted someone else to get the media correspondent gig. And it's all, to me, it's all speculation, and I've never cared enough to really try and find the root of it, but it was, it was confusing, frustrating. And at the end of the day, I was like, man, I thought I was going to be with these guys for a long time, and little did I know it was going to be 14 days. So I think that, yeah, it's, it's a product of like, you're gonna have failures, you're gonna have setbacks, you're gonna have things that don't go your way, but you Know, it's a. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Right. And.

Greener pastures will come.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Totally. All right, last. Last couple questions. Your thoughts on the White House fight scheduled for next year.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Yeah, I think that it's. It's stupid. I think it's kind of a waste of a lot of people's times. It's like, why? Because I know taxpayers are paying for it. Right. So I'm like, that's not something that I really want to be contributing to. You know, it's. It's a very interesting concept and a spectacle, but it's just. It's not something that's going to come to people's expectations. Right. Whenever the UFC has done these huge events, these huge cards, it really falls a bit short of expectations. Right. You can think of UFC no chat. You can think about UFC 300, the Sphere show, like, in concept and in the marketing and lead up and all this. It's the greatest thing ever. And then you've got kind of a lackluster fight card, and, you know, just a.

A. A reality. That's not what the vision is. So I saw those. Those graphics that were created, and this is what it might look like. Like, it's going to look far from that, so we'll see if it happens. I'm kind of doubtful that it will, but at the end of the day, it's hard for me to care.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Got it. Okay. Will you ever do reality TV again?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Absolutely. 100%. I think that my first season of the challenge wasn't really a great reflection of what I can bring, whether that be from a competitive standpoint, whether that could be from a dramatic standpoint. So I do hope that there's a little bit more in the tank on that avenue. And listen, I have been training. I've been doing my rock climbing. I have been back in the CrossFit gym. So we are in better shape than we were for 41.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Is there a show that is on your bucket list?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I would love to do some cooking. Related 1. Worst chefs in America would be interesting.

I don't have to get my body punished twice a week doing something like that. Right?

[Rachel Yukatel]

Right. Oh, I thought you were going to say, like, Special forces or whatever that show.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

What, me on a special force? No, thank you.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Like jumping out backwards out of a helicopter where you're hit, you know, you have a helmet over your face or a bag. I mean, that would scare the shit out of me.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Rachel. I'd much rather try and create a souffle, you know, than. Than drive a Tank.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Totally. But maybe Traders. That could be a good one, baby Traders.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

You know, I've. I've been tuning into Big Brother and Survivor the last couple years, so, you know, either of those would be a lot of fun.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Honestly.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Survive would be good in the sense that, like, I need to lose a little bit of weight. And it seems like everybody slims down on that show for some reason or another, Right?

[Rachel Yukatel]

Would you ever do Naked and Afraid?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

No.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Okay.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Not at all.

[Rachel Yukatel]

They came to me like four years ago and asked me to do like a celebrity version of Naked and Afraid and I was like, yeah, no, what are you paying me, like $2 million.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Right.

[Rachel Yukatel]

We're getting that and I get to lose 22 pounds while I'm there. Then I'll do it. But no, that is not something I want to do.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

It's generational wealth or I'm not doing it right.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Exactly. And then I'm always cold. But to think of myself on some island, naked, freezing in the rain with snakes and like to like, get my food, forget about it. It sounds terrible.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

No. Yeah. And like I'm, you know, I think I could sharpen some survival instincts, but I. I just wouldn't bet on myself if I was naked in the wilderness. I feel like that's. I don't know. How long do they make you do? It's like a month out there, right?

[Rachel Yukatel]

I think it's 21 days.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Three weeks with no clothes. Are you kidding me?

[Rachel Yukatel]

Yeah.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I don't know. Not for me.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Yeah, not for me either. Okay, last question. Speaking of bucket lists from before, we are so young. What is on the horizon for you? What are some things maybe totally different than this, or if you want to do this forever, but what do you want to do later?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

It's difficult because, like, I have so many boxes I want to check and a lot of random broadcasting goals. Whether that be UFC lead, play by play, whether that be, you know, a big part of the Olympics on air crew for their summer and winter Olympics. I would love to be a voice of one of the Phoenix based sports teams. If it's the D backs, the Suns.

You know, Cardinals, I think like that would be a really. That's someone that's born and raised in Phoenix. Having the opportunity to do play by play for one of these major organizations would be really fulfilling, I think. Yeah. In reality tv, I'd love to continue that and keep banging the drum. I mean, shit, Johnny's been doing it for 19 years, so I was just.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Gonna say he's made a total career of It. And it's phenomenal. I mean, it works for some people, not all.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Exactly. So if Johnny can do it, I think I can maybe do a little bit of it.

[Rachel Yukatel]

What would you. He is very well spoken. But I have to say, even though I like him, you're much better spoken than him. So would you ever do commentating for like Savannah Bananas? Do you watch them?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Oh, yeah, absolutely. Yellow Tux, Jesse and the whole gang. I think they're tremendous. Like they. I don't know. I have loved watching their evolution in the last couple years from right, the small town Savannah, Georgia, Rinky Dink Stadium to like 90,000 fans at Clemson University. I don't know, we don't. I feel like in. In these days we don't see really truly inspirational sports stories like that anymore. So, man, like, if. If getting involved in some way with them would be a lot of fun.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Yeah, I agree. All right, last question. I know you said you have a girlfriend. I saw you posted about her recently. For a year or something like that. What's. I mean, do you want to have kids? Do you want to get married ever?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Yeah, marriage, Absolutely. You know, that's. That's on the docket. We've gone ring shopping. So it's becoming. I know it's becoming.

But I don't.

[Rachel Yukatel]

You're not going to go on love is blind anytime soon?

[Ben the Bane Davis]

No, I don't. I mean, you know, I found the one. I think I found the one. I think that she. She is the best partner for me. She's, you know, my puzzle piece. She inspires me to be better. And there's like a level of comfort that I have in our relationship that, you know, I just haven't found with anybody else, you know. And she's very ambitious. Smarter than me. I mean, shit, she's a. A quality engineer at a fiber optics manufacturing plant. Like that is.

[Rachel Yukatel]

I just went blank.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

I don't even know. I know every time she talks about her job, I'm just like, I am the dumb one in this.

But no, she's great. I don't know if I don't think kids are in her future, but, you know, I think that Tori and I have a really beautiful plan for what we want to do.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Amazing. I wish you the best of luck. I can't wait to see how life turns out for you. And I will be watching your journey. Thank you for joining us today.

[Ben the Bane Davis]

Today. Thank you, Rachel. I appreciate you.

[Rachel Yukatel]

Thank you so much for listening to Misunderstood. I'm your host, Rachel Yukatel. Please be sure to subscribe to the show and give us a five star rating and review. You can support the show by joining our [e-mail] misunderstood with Rachel Ukatel. Do you have ideas for the show or want to reach out? Email [e-mail] that's spelled M I S S. Understood. Thank you so much and I'll see you next time.

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