Joe Rogan spent nearly seven years hosting the hit TV show Fear Factor. From 2001 to 2006, and then briefly again when it was revived in 2011, Rogan was the face of one of the most insane reality shows on television. At the time, Fear Factor was massive. It was everywhere, and Rogan became a household name thanks to the bizarre, stomach-churning stunts contestants were willing to endure for cash. But here’s the kicker: Rogan never loved doing Fear Factor.
Sure, it put him on the map and gave him mainstream fame. But it was never his passion. The UFC and stand-up comedy – that’s where his heart was, and it’s obvious he was just waiting for the moment he could make a clean break.
Rogan straight-up admitted not wanting to be stuck doing just a job on The Joe Rogan Experience, and said, “It was a thing where I was like, this is not what I wanna do. What I wanna do, is what I always do, just to stand up, and have fun. I was doing the UFC back then too. So I was like, do the UFC, commentary, things I love doing. “
He has been testifying to his sentiment for years now. Back in 2021, almost 18 years after making his debut on a UFC broadcast, Rogan even put up a post on Instagram saying, “I’ve had some really f**king cool jobs in my life, but being a commentator for the greatest sport in the world is very high on that list.”
And the UFC loves him right back. Over the years, Rogan’s commentary style has become as iconic as the Octagon itself. It’s impossible to think about a big fight night without his enthusiastic voice breaking down every punch, kick, and submission attempt.
The passion he has for the sport is obvious, and it’s something UFC President Dana White values immensely. White once even went as far as to say he would resign if Rogan was ever fired from the UFC.
And this arrangement goes both ways. In fact, the only time Rogan spoke about the possibility of him leaving the UFC was if White left.
Rogan talks retiring from the UFC
The podcaster’s journey with the UFC began in 1997 when he made his broadcast debut at UFC 12: Judgement Day. Back then, he was doing post-fight interviews, but it didn’t take long for him to move into the commentary booth, where his skill, passion, and knowledge made him an irreplaceable voice in the sport.
A lot has of course changed since then. The JRE podcast has made him one of the most popular voices in the world and he has to divide his time between the two projects.
So, these days, Rogan only commentates during UFC’s pay-per-view events held in the United States.
However, despite his long-standing tenure with the UFC, Rogan has made it clear he’s not in it just for the paycheck. He views himself as a ‘professional fan.’
As he explained on The Joe Rogan Experience, “If Dana (White) leaves, I’m gone. That’s in my contract.” His loyalty to White has been absolute. In fact, he worked his first twelve events for the promotion free, simply because he loved the sport that much.
Dana White says that he threatened to resign from UFC, to prevent Joe Rogan from getting fired during his controversy in 2022. #MMA #UFC pic.twitter.com/p3TAzM70Y3
— MMA Frenzy (@mma_frenzy) March 26, 2024
But Rogan’s passion extends far beyond just the UFC. Despite earning more than enough money to retire, he’s still actively performing stand-up comedy, showing up at comedy clubs, appearing on Kill Tony, and offering a platform to other comedians on The Joe Rogan Experience.
