Joe Rogan is one of the best-known faces of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). He is arguably the UFC’s most well-known commentator and cuts a memorable figure with his bald visage and fighter’s physique. Most non-UFC fans know him as the host of the Fear Factor and of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
He’s a highly entertaining UFC commentator, thanks to his background in entertainment and stand-up comedy. Rogan’s witty banter and his intimate fighting knowledge (he’s a black belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu) have won him a legion of fans in the MMA world. He is a bona fide celebrity due in no small part to his UFC ties.
When did Joe Rogan start with the UFC?
Rogan has a long history with the championship, stemming from his first stint as a backstage interviewer in 1997-1999. He left in part because of his low UFC salary, but UFC President Dana White managed to lure Rogan back as a commentator in 2001.
Does Joe Rogan still do UFC commentary?
He certainly does, and with aplomb. He’s still the regular pay-per-view choice for UFC main events and continues to do his fighter interviews. He conducted a controversial interview recently at UFC 264 with a belligerent Conor McGregor, minutes after the Irishman’s loss to Dustin Poirier. In his defence, Rogan says McGregor called him into the octagon to do the interview as he nursed his gruesomely broken leg.
Regardless of controversy, it’s undeniable that no UFC event is complete without Joe Rogan on the sidelines. Providing insightful fight commentary with a razor-sharp wit is what he does best.
Rogan gave some insights into his UFC experience in 2012:
“There’s never a time when a fight is about to start and I wish I was somewhere else. I’ve really gotten incredibly fortunate that everything I do doesn’t feel like work.”
Joe Rogan, speaking to Sports Illustrated
That passion clearly still feeds through in his work for the UFC.
