Take a look at this, Big Chief Finally Explains Why He Walked Away from the 405, and the Story Is Intense!
For years, fans of Street Outlaws wondered what really happened.
Why did Big Chief, the face of the 405, the man who built the list, the one who turned OKC from a local street scene into a global racing dynasty — suddenly disappear?
Rumors filled YouTube comments.
Facebook groups exploded with theories.
Some blamed drama. Others claimed burnout. Some swore someone “did him dirty.”
Well… Big Chief finally told the truth.
And the real story is more emotional, intense, and human than anyone expected.
A Legend Under Pressure: Big Chief’s Breaking Point
From the earliest days of Street Outlaws, Big Chief wasn’t just the fastest guy — he was the organizer, the referee, the leader, the pressure sponge, the punching bag, the diplomat, and the villain when producers needed one.
Behind the scenes, the workload was crushing:
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Scheduling races
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Mediating crew drama
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Negotiating with production
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Keeping the 405 list fair
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Maintaining a race program
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Filming nights that stretched until sunrise
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Raising a family
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Running Midwest Street Cars
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And trying to keep the 405 “real” despite growing TV demands
For nearly a decade, Chief carried the weight of an entire show on his shoulders.
Eventually, it cracked him.
The Real Conflict: TV vs. Reality
When Chief finally spoke openly about his exit, one theme kept coming up:
The show stopped feeling like the streets — and started feeling like something else.
Producers wanted bigger narratives.
More drama.
More “made-for-TV” tension.
More staged rivalries.
More control over races.
Chief fought endlessly to protect the authenticity of:
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The List
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Callouts
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OG street rules
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Real consequences
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Real racing
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And the integrity of the 405
But as the show grew, the pressure to “Hollywood” everything grew too.
Chief realized he was spending more time defending the street scene than enjoying it.
The Tension With the Crew
One of the darkest chapters in the story was the rift between:
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Big Chief
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Shawn Murder Nova
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The rest of the 405
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And how production fueled conflict for ratings
Arguments got heavier.
Misunderstandings grew deeper.
Cameras were always rolling — even when friends were falling apart.
Chief admitted that at one point,
“It didn’t feel like the 405 anymore. It felt like something wearing the skin of what the 405 used to be.”
He chose peace over politics.
Respect over ratings.
Integrity over income.
The Final Straw: When Racing Stopped Being Fun
Chief never sugar-coated it — street racing was his therapy.
His identity.
His escape.
But during filming in the years leading up to his exit:
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The streets were controlled
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The fun was regulated
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The racers were divided
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The pressure was suffocating
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And the freedom of the streets — was gone
For the first time in his life, Chief didn’t want to race.
And that scared him more than anything.
That’s when he knew it was time to walk away.
The Decision: Leaving the Show to Save Himself
Chief didn’t quit because he was losing.
He didn’t quit because he was tired.
And he didn’t quit because of fans.
He walked away because…
1. His mental health was collapsing
The constant stress, filming schedules, and drama were destroying him.
2. His relationship and personal life were suffering
He openly said he needed time to fix the things that really mattered.
3. He refused to be part of something that no longer felt authentic
Chief always believed the streets should come first — and he refused to compromise that core belief.
4. He wanted to return to real street racing
Not TV racing.
Not staged matchups.
Not manufactured drama.
Just him, the pavement, and whoever had the guts to line up next to him.
Life After the 405: Big Chief Found Himself Again
Since leaving the show, Chief has:
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Returned to real no-prep and street action
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Built new cars with his own rules, his own time, and his own peace
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Reconnected with fans through YouTube and social media
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Focused on building instead of arguing
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Reclaimed the freedom he lost on TV
Most importantly —
he looks happy again.
Final Thoughts: Why His Exit Still Matters Today
Big Chief didn’t abandon the 405.
He didn’t abandon the fans.
He didn’t abandon racing.
He abandoned the pressure, politics, and production control that were tearing him apart.
What he gained?
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Peace
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Purpose
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Passion
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And the ability to race on his terms
And that’s why his story isn’t about walking away…
It’s about walking back toward who he truly is.
*This content above is written from the video*
