The name Donald Frye must be unknown to MMA fans of this era. However, Frye was amongst the best MMA fighters in the early 2000s. ‘The Predator’ has an MMA record of 20-9 and is often considered a legend of the sport. Therefore, when the veteran fighter sat for an interview with Joe Rogan, many expected the show to be a lesson in MMA.
However, the thing that struck everyone was Frye’s memory of Rogan. Remembering their first interaction, Frye said, “First, the only time we met, I insulted you. Down there, Alabama right, no. 12 (UFC 12). We were backstage and you know they introduced us, and says this, ‘do you know who this guy is’ and I said ya he plays rough dumb guy on news radio shows.”
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“You worked so hard and then I find out you carried out an actual part of who you are. You are a smart b*st*rd- I am impressed.”
Whenever two people meet each other, many a times people judge each other. However, the most important thing to realize is that your first judgment of a person wasn’t necessarily correct. That is what Don Frye has done. As he actually talked about how he was impressed with Rogan and what he has achieved.
Where are Joe Rogan and Donald Frye today?
Since the time when Frye first met Rogan, both individuals have moved on further in life. Joe Rogan today is one of the most popular faces associated with combat sports while Frye has been retired from MMA since 2011. Frye last competed at the Gladiator Challenge: Mega Stars event on December 11, 2011.
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‘The Predator’ lost that fight via a first-round KO to Ruben Villareal. They also inducted Frye into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2016. Talking about Rogan, the stand-up comedian, podcast host, and commentator has now become synonymous with the UFC.
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Frye and Rogan are both among the most respected names in the MMA community. Therefore, to see how one of them felt about the other when they first met them is quite exciting.