“It’s Weird” – Sports Movie Buff Joe Rogan Lays Out His Big Problem With Mike Tyson’s Biopic Starring Michael Jai White

Joe Rogan is no stranger to Hollywood and even had a stint as an actor once. His podcast has featured famous actors and directors like Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Quentin Tarantino, and, most recently, Josh Brolin. However, he’s overtly critical of the MMA movie ‘Warrior’ starring Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton. While praising Hardy’s performance, Rogan hates the unrealistic depiction of fighters and mixed martial arts in the movie. However, there’s another movie that Joe Rogan seems to have a problem with. What movie is that? Well, it’s a 1995 biopic about Mike Tyson with actor and martial artist Michael Jai White in the lead role.

“It’s weird when someone is alive and someone is playing that person who is alive. And you know like, ‘oh that is not Scott Storch’. Like it’s weird it’s like a movie about you and you’re; you remember when Michael Jai White played Mike Tyson? You know Mike Tyson was, I mean they were friends they were cool with each other but that had to be weird. You’re playing a dude who is still alive.”, Joe Rogan told Scott Storch on episode #2233 of JRE.

Well, Rogan will be bewildered to know that Michael Jai White’s isn’t the only depiction of the boxing legend. In 2022, Hulu released a biopic titled ‘Mike’, which was controversial because Tyson claimed that the showrunner ‘stole his story’, further stating, “I’m not a n****r you can sell on the auction block.” Not just the Hulu series, but it seems like another movie about the legend called ‘Tyson’ is on the horizon starring none other than Jamie Foxx. However, development on that movie has been delayed due to Foxx’s ongoing health problems.

Joe Rogan idolizes Mike Tyson and even had him on the podcast three times. So, it’s no surprise that the UFC veteran commentator has a problem with someone depicting his idol who is still alive in a biopic. Furthermore, the comedian and podcaster was heartbroken at seeing his idol lose to Jake Paul, although he wasn’t surprised when it happened. There’s just one outcome from that fight Rogan is happy with. What’s that, you ask? Let’s find out.

Joe Rogan is glad Mike Tyson wasn’t hurt by Jake Paul

While speaking to actor Josh Brolin in episode #2232 of JRE, the UFC color commentator expressed his appreciation that the duo got paid almost 20 to $40 million for the fight. He said, “Amazingly, they got paid so much for that – I think 20 and 40 [million dollars], yeah. I think that’s what I heard. You know, I’m happy Mike got the money, and I’m happy he didn’t get hurt. That was my fear that it was going to be a real fight and he was going to get hurt.” In conclusion, even though Tyson lost, Joe Rogan (and the rest of us) are glad that the boxing legend walked out of that fight with his head intact.

Mike Tyson made his boxing debut at the age of 18 on March 6th, 1985. At a young age, he knocked out Hector Mercedes in round one and by the time it was 1986, he was already the youngest champ in heavyweight history. When Mike Tyson was 20, Joe Rogan would have been 19 years old, so it’s why the latter sees Tyson as an idol, as the former heavyweight boxing champion was a youth icon for the teenage Rogan.

However, with Mike Tyson now in his 50’s, he couldn’t impose his will on the 27-year-old Jake Paul. While the whole world including Rogan hoped for a miracle, the outcome of the fight reminded all of us that maybe age is is big factor in combat sports. Whether the fight was scripted or not, watching Tyson in the ring again was pretty legendary. Do you agree with Joe Rogan’s stance when it comes to seeing biopics of people who are still alive? Share your thoughts in the comments below.