Joe Rogan has served as one of the most recognizable voices of the UFC for over two decades.
After Rogan debuted as an interviewer at UFC 12 in 1997, he commentated for the first time at UFC 37.5 in 2002.
While he briefly left again to host Fear Factor, Rogan returned for UFC 40 and ultimately became a mainstay cageside.
Across the years, some have taken issue with parts of the New Jersey native’s commentary and certain remarks. But when it comes to the UFC higher-ups, Rogan has evidently faced little restriction with his words.
That is, except for one thing.
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Joe Rogan said UFC asked him not to mention PRIDE during purchase process
During a 2012 interview with Cage Potato, Rogan discussed his experience on UFC broadcasts.
When asked whether the promotion has ever gotten upset over something he said on air, the 57-year-old revealed that mentioning other organizations was the one thing he was asked to avoid.
He said that was specifically the case with PRIDE Fighting Championships in the lead-up to the UFC purchasing the rival promotion in March 2007.
“They don’t like it when I talk about other organizations, and when they were trying to buy PRIDE, they asked me not to mention PRIDE, so I didn’t,” Rogan said.
“I never mentioned the organization in particular, but I always mentioned the fighters that were competing in PRIDE. And it was kind of a touchy situation, because I’d be the only one talking about them.
“[Mike] Goldberg wouldn’t touch it. I would bring up [Antonio Rodrigo] Nogueira or Fedor [Emelianenko]; all these other guys,” Rogan added. “But they didn’t want free publicity for PRIDE. That was pretty much the only thing they’ve asked me not to do.”
Joe Rogan’s latest update on his UFC commentary retirement
For those who continue to enjoy listening to Rogan at domestic PPVs, the veteran color commentator made some remarks in April that would have been music to their ears.
Rogan’s decision to not travel for overseas events has consistently led many to question whether he will soon focus on other projects and bid farewell to the UFC.
But while speaking with Ilia Topuria on an episode of his JRE MMA Show, Rogan reiterated that he has no plans to leave unless Dana White does.
“I just enjoy it. I don’t think about retiring, no,” Rogan said. “If Dana White quits, I might quit, but that’s it. It’s actually in my contract. If he leaves, I leave.
“In my contract, if he leaves, I don’t have to stay. I wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t for him. He’s my friend. He talked me into doing it.
“I started working for the UFC in 1997 when it was nothing, nobody was watching then,” Rogan added.
Rogan’s next assignment comes on June 7, when the Octagon touches down at Newark’s Prudential Center for UFC 316: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley 2.