Dana White Didn’t Pay Joe Rogan for “First 13” UFC Shows as Commentator’s Generosity Brought to Light by UFC CEO

Dana White recently revealed a stunning detail about how Joe Rogan became a part of the UFC. The former host of ‘Fear Factor’, stand-up comedian, and host of the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) podcast is one of the most recognizable voices of the UFC. Originally starting his journey as a backstage and post-fight interviewer for the promotion, Rogan joined the broadcast booth in the early 2000s.

And so, in his recent appearance on the Lex Fridman podcast, the UFC boss revealed that Rogan’s association with the UFC began due to his love for the sport of MMA trumping the financial benefits of the partnership in its early days!

Dana White breaks down how Joe Rogan chose his love of MMA over money

Joe Rogan’s first UFC show was the UFC 12 event in 1997 held in Alabama, and after the promotion was taken over by Zuffa in 2001, Rogan was offered a job as the color commentator by Dana White a year later.

During his podcast appearance with Lex Fridman, White was asked, “Another guy that I feel like could care less about the money is Joe Rogan. How important is he to the UFC, to the rise of the UFC? And what in general do you love about Joe?”

White responded by stating, “It’s a fact he doesn’t care about money. And he did the first 13 shows for free for us. You know what I mean? That was at a time when we were hurting, and he’s like, ‘Wait a minute, you want me to do the commentary? You’re saying that I get to sit in the best seat in the house and watch these fights for free? Yeah, I’m in’.”

The UFC boss went on to state that once the UFC began firing on all cylinders and became successful they, “made it up to Joe.” As the UFC flourished, Rogan’s role in the UFC became an integral part of the product, and his iconic commentary alongside his partner, Mike Goldberg, became synonymous with the organization’s success.

Therefore, this anecdote underscored Rogan’s integral role in shaping the UFC’s identity and his unwavering commitment to MMA, transcending mere monetary considerations.

But while he is full of praise for Rogan, Dana White recently also revealed that he isn’t happy with the upcoming Mike Tyson and Jake Paul boxing match!

Jake Paul slammed by White for pursuing Mike Tyson fight  

Dana White, the head honcho of UFC, believes that Jake Paul chose to fight Mike Tyson for one reason. The social media star turned boxer will be taking on the boxing legend on July 20 in a clash that will be streamed live on Netflix.

However, in his recent appearance on the ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast, White stated, “I’m not thrilled to see him do this stuff. When the fight happens, he’ll be 58 years old.” His remarks indicated concern for his friend, Mike Tyson, as the UFC boss was apprehensive about the 31-year age gap between the two men for this fight.

But, according to White, Jake Paul chose to fight the aging Tyson because, “The people that follow Jake Paul don’t buy Jake Paul’s fights, so Jake Paul has to fight people who can actually sell pay-per-views.”

White emphasized that Paul needs to fight opponents who can attract pay-per-view buyers, indicating the fact that Tyson is still a huge draw, despite his age and this is why Paul has chosen to take on the legend instead of facing a younger boxer who might not have the public recognition as ‘Iron Mike’. And as the fight between Paul and Tyson approaches, the dynamics of fame, legacy, and profitability will continue to shape the narrative surrounding this high-profile matchup.

Do you think the UFC would have reached the heights it did without Joe Rogan’s voice on commentary? And what do you make of Dana White’s comments about the Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 

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