Joe Rogan recently opened up about how Dana White played a huge role in getting him back to the UFC after he had initially walked away. After White and the Fertitta brothers bought the promotion, the UFC president had to convince Rogan to return—something he wasn’t too keen on at first.
“I don’t want to do this,” Rogan recalls saying, but White’s persistence paid off, leading to a partnership that’s now lasted over two decades. What started as a reluctant reunion has become one of the longest-running and most iconic partnerships in the sport’s history.
Rogan worked with the UFC prior to White acquiring it and had parted ways with the old owner. However, once White found out about Rogan, he wanted no one else to commentate but him.
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White was eventually successful and Rogan covered the first few events for free. Now, Rogan earns millions every year and is one of the most, if not the most iconic names associated with the sport. While sitting down with his buddy Tom Segura on the latest episode of his podcast, the UFC color commentator dove deeper into the discussion that went on behind the scenes.
“It was crazy because in the beginning I didn’t even want to do it. Cause I had already worked for the UFC in the past from 97-98. I did post fight interviews and I was like I am out. He (Dana) was trying to talk me into working for the UFC again. I was like I don’t want to work. I was like I don’t want to do this. We started having these conversations and he was like how much of this sh*t do you watch?”
And White’s persistence paid off. In the years since then, Rogan has become not only the voice of mixed martial arts, but one of the highest paid commentators in the sport.
A far cry from the start of his second innings with the promotion, when he did the first 12 events for free!
Rogan says he’ll quit if White leaves
Rogan has been with the UFC since 1997, starting as a backstage interviewer at UFC 12 before eventually becoming the voice fans know and love as a color commentator.
And as mentioned before, Rogan worked for free in his early days, only getting paid after 12 events! Once Dana White had managed to convince him to stay, he was happy to have the best seat in the house and call a sport he really loves. And since then, he has become the biggest hype man in the history of MMA.
From making fans nostalgic about the iconic Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop stare down to making Donald Cerrone sound like Batman before his fight against a returning Conor McGregor, Rogan understands and has a finger on the pulse of the fans.
But as much as he loves doing all this, if the UFC president ever steps down, he is going to follow suit.
“If Dana leaves, I’m gone. That’s in my contract.”, he says.
Thankfully, Rogan’s passion for the sport is a big reason why he’s stuck around for so long. Dana White has even credited him with helping the UFC’s explosive growth, citing his ability to break down fights as a key part of their success.
