The Beginning: Ben Woolliss & The Birth of the Driift Foundation
Every great movement has a powerful origin story — for us, that story starts with Ben Woolliss.
Back then, Ben was an up-and-coming fighter battling it out on low-budget promotions. Like many fighters at that level, he struggled to make a living and balance the demands of life inside and outside the ring. Despite the challenges — and with no clear market or sponsorship in sight — the Driift Foundation believed in him and stepped in to sponsor his journey.
Ben’s hard work and determination paid off. He earned a world title fight with a local promoter and won — a huge milestone for any fighter. But on the night of the event, the promoter stunned everyone by announcing there was no money to pay the fighters.
That’s when community truly showed its strength. Wayne reached out locally, and together we rallied support — raising funds to cover Ben’s fight purse. Just two weeks later, the money was presented to Ben in the very gym where this all began.
This moment sparked the creation of the Driift Foundation — built on one simple mission: to make sure no one gets left behind, and to harness the power of community to support those who need it most.
Ben’s story isn’t just about winning in the ring — it’s about winning together.
