Joe Rogan has an uncanny ability to dole out philosophical takes from real-life instances, often offering profound insights that resonate with his audiences. With the highly anticipated, albeit controversial Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight on the horizon, the UFC commentator took the opportunity to honor the fighter by speaking about the determination of the veteran boxer, despite all the adversity he faced in life. Rogan used Tyson as an example of how unfair life is, especially for people who faced him in the ring, reflecting on the 58-year-old’s grit and work ethic.

On The Joe Rogan Experience episode #2229, he explained that while many people strive for equality of outcome, the truth is that there’s simply nothing that can compare to efforts. Some individuals, like Mike Tyson, possess an unmatchable combination of talent and grit. “You’re occasionally going to get a Michael Jordan—a guy who works harder than everybody, and he’s gifted, and he’s going to exceed,” Rogan said. And Tyson, with his fiery intensity and work ethic, is a perfect example of this.

Rogan reflected on Tyson’s early years in the sport, describing his younger self as a force of nature. He said, “Nothing you can do about Mike Tyson when he was 22 years old. Get the f*** out of the way; pick up tennis. He’s going to k*ll you.” Tyson’s obsession with boxing along with fundamental lessons from his coach Cus D’Amato gave him an edge no one else could match. There was a reason why he was nicknamed ‘The Kid Dynamite’ after all.

And it isn’t without reason that the 58-year-old was able to reach the pinnacle of boxing in his youth. With a childhood marred by poverty, violence, bullying and crime—with an absent father and a mother struggling with substance abuse—Tyson was mostly left to fend for himself in his early years. He was arrested 38 times by the time he was 13. “I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something. She only knew me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn’t pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but it’s crushing emotionally and personally,” the veteran once revealed in an interview with The Bleacher Report. 

“I must’ve had three or four [street] fights a day. From like age nine… I was 200 lbs at age 12. I was fighting the kid, then fighting their fathers. They were crying, went home, and got their father. Then I would fight the father,” he had further stated in another conversation. So, one thing’s clear: The boxer was ever handed the golden spoon. He earned it himself…

Leading up to his professional debut at 18, Tyson would do 2,000 air squats, 2,500 sit-ups, 500 push-ups, 500 bench dips, 500 neck curls, and 500 barbell shrugs, six days a week. Ahead of a fight, he would train 50–60 hours a week, and spar hundreds of rounds. As the boxer himself says, “Discipline is doing what you hate to do but doing it like you love.” It all worked out eventually, with Tyson winning his first 19 fights by knockout. And the rest, as we know, is history. But, did you know, Tyson was discovered by accident at a reform center after he was taken in for a crime?

The boxer was at the Tryon School for Boys, a reform school, when he got into a fight, and his emerging boxing ability was discovered by the juvenile detention center counselor and former boxer, Bobby Stewart. After training the young boy for a few months, Stewart introduced him to boxing manager and trainer Cus D’Amato. Amato soon turned into the young boy’s friend, philosopher, and guide, and even adopted Tyson after his mother’s death. It is the surrogate father that introduced Tyson to peek-a-boo style boxing, with the hands in front of the face for more protection. He was the only positive male influence in Mike Tyson’s life.

Having said that, the main point Rogan emphasized was that life is unexpected and, in many ways, unjust. Rules and laws cannot legislate greatness or make the world ‘fair’. The UFC commentator said, “You can’t make it fair with laws, and you can’t make it fair with rules.” With his ingrained skill and hard work, Mike Tyson demonstrated that the universe bestows a gift upon people who don’t waver from their chosen path.

From his words, it looks like Joe Rogan has a high opinion of Mike Tyson and his sheer determination in the sport of boxing. With his boxing hero gearing up for a fight against YouTuber turned-boxer Jake Paul on November 15, we can be sure that Joe Rogan will watch that fight closely. While Paul might be hyped up for the fight as a result of a massive payday and the chance to beat a legend, he has drawn a lot of criticism from fighters in the UFC. Among all the criticism, UFC middleweight Sean Strickland directed the most scathing attack towards ‘The Problem Child’.

Sean Strickland calls out Jake Paul for the Mike Tyson fight

UFC middleweight star Sean Strickland has been vocal in his criticism of the upcoming fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson from day one. Initially scheduled for the summer, the fight was pushed back to November 15 due to Tyson’s health scare—an ulcer flare-up that surfaced while Tyson was traveling from Miami to Los Angeles. The fight has generated huge excitement as expected, but it has also prompted major debate.

Many people, including Strickland, are concerned about the 31-year age difference between Paul (27) and Tyson (58). Critics feel like the match could be dangerous for Tyson, raising serious questions about his safety in the ring. As a result, Strickland took to his Twitter to share some serious words against Jake Paul’s decision to fight ‘Iron Mike.’ He wrote, “You’re fighting a 60-year-old man who is just trying to make a dollar by risking his life. Sc***ag. Are you a f*****g idiot? This should be illegal. The man had a medical emergency a month before this because he’s too f*****g old. F*****g clown.”

Jake Paul and Sean Strickland have been going back and forth for a while now. Earlier this year, ‘The Problem Child’ offered to box ‘Tarzan’ for a reported $1 million. However, with their diverging combat sports paths and Strickland being locked into his UFC contract, that fight never came to fruition.

What do you think of Sean Strickland’s critique of Jake Paul fighting Mike Tyson? Do you think he’s justified in his scathing attack? Let us know in the comments below.