UFC fans reckon that Joe Rogan may be nearing the end of his time with the promotion after a clip went viral on social media.
The renowned podcaster and stand-up comedian has been working on fights since UFC 12, when he stepped in for minimal pay as a backstage reporter and analyst after retiring from fighting in his own right. He is now on the main US PPV commentary desk, covering some of the biggest fights of all time.
However, his schedule is becoming more hectic as his podcast continues to reach new heights and he spends time on his Comedy Mothership venue in Texas. So it remains to be seen how much longer Rogan will stay in the UFC doing what was once a dream role.
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Joe Rogan clip has viewers feeling he may be nearing the end of UFC run
During the early part of last night’s UFC 310 pay-per-view, Joe Rogan was spotted on camera seemingly needed to be reminded to look up from his phone by co-hosts Daniel Cormier and Jon Anik. The clip was spliced and put on social media, where it was viewed over a million times.
The footage had fans concerned that his time with the promotion may be nearing a close, with one quote tweet reading: “Joe Rogan cannot wait to be done with this UFC job, he has checked out.”
Another viewer theorised that it was just the length of time that was causing Rogan to space out, writing: “90% of the card sucked and they are there for 8 straight hours.” And that was added to by one fan who said that they “Would not be surprised if Rogan only does the main card fights soon.”
However, some viewers disagreed, noting that “He doesn’t have to be there and he is clearly passionate about it.” Another added that even if he weren’t commentating, he’d likely be sitting just one row back as a fan.
Joe Rogan used to commentate on UFC events for free
Certainly, the passion that Rogan has for the UFC is clear if you look at the history of his career. Even as a struggling comedian and actor, Dana White claims that he was willing to work for free on the early events in order to see the fights live.
“I ended up reaching out to Rogan, we hit it off and that’s it,” White said of their initial meeting during a recent interview with Fox News. “He said, ‘Wait a minute. So you’re telling me I can come to the sport that I love the most in the world, have the best seat in the house, and talk about it on TV? I’m in!’
“He did the first 13 for free, and the rest is history. Now he has the biggest podcast in the world, and he’s the greatest combat sports commentator of all time.”
Joe Rogan has previously said he would leave the UFC if Dana White does
For the past few years, Rogan has been arguably the highest earner in podcasting after inking a monstrous deal with Spotify for his show The Joe Rogan Experience. It makes his UFC payments pale in comparison, with industry estimates placing his payouts at around $50-60,000 per event.
But it’s his relationship with boss Dana White that really makes things tick for Rogan, and keeps him interested after all these years. Aside from being a huge fan of fighting and a former competitor, he claimed during an episode of his show that he has a contractual commitment to White.
He says that if the controversial UFC boss ever leaves the promotion, that it will immediately trigger his exit as well. “If Dana leaves, I’m gone,” Rogan said on a 2022 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience. “That’s in my contract.”
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