“This is exactly what I need. A guy who isn’t afraid to speak his mind, knows the sport inside and out, and more importantly, he’s super passionate about it.” That’s Dana White showing love to Joe Rogan on the Lex Fridman Podcast. And fair enough, the UFC commentator has been with the promotion since UFC 12 in 1997, first as a post-fight interviewer. Those iconic lines are still part of company history when Rogan, who was just 29 the night the first UFC heavyweight champion was crowned, uttered his first words, “Thanks, Bruce. I’m back here right now backstage. I’ll be interviewing the fighters as they come out of the Octagon.”

“I’ll also be previewing the fights, the final fights, in each weight division. I’ll be talking to the fighters and we’ll find out who’s injured, who’s going to be able to continue, and who is going to be able to go in if we need an alternate.” After that fateful night in Dotham, Alabama’s Civic Center, the JRE host then left for a while but returned in 2002 as a commentator under Zuffa’s ownership, thanks to the head honcho. Moreover, he even did the first 15 UFC shows for free. “I did that gig for free for the first 15 shows,” Rogan revealed on his podcast back in 2021. That’s not just dedication, that’s pure love for the game.

Enter 2025, and those primal “Oh my goodness!” moments from Rogan—usually while shoving former two-division champ Daniel Cormier or play-by-play commentator Jon Anik mid-chaos—have become iconic parts of UFC pay-per-views. The guy’s energy hasn’t dipped a bit. He loved watching fights back then, and he still loves them now. Rogan’s background in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and taekwondo helps break things down for fans, especially on the ground. And honestly, that habit of analyzing fights? It goes way beyond the commentary booth.

Rogan’s not just a fight nerd, he’s a full-on family guy too. In episode #1947 of JRE with Chris Distefano, he admitted he starts feeling homesick if he’s away from his family for more than three days. Sure, he enjoys vacations with them, but what he loves is breaking down the technical side of MMA to his wife, Jessica Ditzel. The 57-year-old even gave fans a little sneak peek during his recent MMA sit-down with Ilia Topuria, showing how he walks Jessica through all the gritty fight details.

On JRE MMA Show #166, Rogan said, “Well, you have to be specific because some people don’t know. Like sometime I would be watching with my wife at home. Like watching fights that I’m not calling, and she’s like, ‘What’s going on?’ And I’d be like ‘He’s right arm is in trouble right now. Like, see where his elbow is? If he can get his elbow pass this point, he’s fu—d.”

He added, “Then I’m like okay, ‘Now he’s fu—d. Then I would explain it. Now, what he’s going to do he’s going to take his right leg. He’s going to wrap it over the top. Oh, he’s got it! He’s gonna clinch the left leg over the top. Thats it! That’s it! He’s fu—d. You can’t fake passion. Either you love it or you don’t love it. And, if you don’t love it, you can’t pretend. It won’t work, no one’s gonna believe you.”

Joe Rogan, chilling in his big house, spicy pineapple energy drink in hand, breaking down fights for his wife, that’s a dream evening for any fight fan. He’s literally living it. His wife hasn’t really shared how she feels about all the fight talk at home, but hey, she’s probably used to it by now. Even Topuria couldn’t hold back his appreciation during their chat. “I can promise you. We can see your passion. Every time. Even right now. I feel your passion.”  ‘La Leyenda’ is spot-on with his praise. When it comes to passion, knowledge, and raw love for the sport, Rogan’s in a league of his own!

The UFC commentator is no stranger to bold takes on his podcast. Rogan’s been vocal about a wide range of topics—MMA and beyond. Sometimes his opinions hit home with a wide audience, and other times… well, they’re a bit out there, to put it lightly. The Joe Rogan Experience has always been the perfect platform for all that. And in this episode, too, Rogan threw out a pretty unique idea about how he’d like to see a fight carried out.

Joe Rogan wants to see fights on basketball courts

Forget the cage, Joe Rogan wants MMA fights happening on a basketball court. He’s also one of the biggest supporters of ditching weight cuts in the sport altogether. He also wishes to change many things in the sport, which also includes the Octagon. And it doesn’t end there. Rogan believes the fights should take place in a more open, interactive setting, with a unique point system called the warning track. It’s all about making the experience bigger and more exciting for both the fighters and the fans. That’s definitely outside-the-box thinking!

In his conversation with Ilia Topuria, Rogan said, “There’s many times I wish I was running the UFC. I would change so many different things. I’ve got some wacky ideas. I don’t even think they should fight in a cage. I think it’s an unnecessary element in fighting. Like, to push someone against something or be able to get up from something, I don’t think it’s necessary. I think they should be on a basketball court. Like a basketball court that’s matted up. Have a big space, have a warning track. If you move outside the warning track too many times, you lose points.”

Do Joe Rogan’s ideas make you think? And, are you also passionate about martial arts just like him? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!