Joe Rogan Made UFC’s $12B Success Possible as Dana White Reveals the Turning Point in the History of the Sport – “Everybody Started Training in It”

UFC CEO Dana White recently pulled back the curtain on Joe Rogan’s contributions to making the UFC the premier MMA organization in the world. The former ‘Fear Factor’ host, stand-up comedian, and host of the immensely popular podcast ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’, has been a part of the UFC since 1997 when he made his debut as a back-stage and post-fight interviewer at UFC 12: Judgement Day. After the promotion was taken over by ‘Zuffa’, Rogan joined the broadcast team as a color commentator and has since become an integral part of the UFC for a generation of fans!

The UFC boss recently revealed the challenges faced by the promotion in its early days when it was perceived as a ‘freak show’. But it was Joe Rogan’s knowledge and passion for martial arts that helped to change the perception of MMA from a niche spectacle into a legitimate sport!

Dana White breaks down how Joe Rogan helped to “educate” the UFC’s audience in its early days

During his conversation with Shannon Sharpe on ‘Club Shay Shay’, Dana White revealed the struggles the UFC faced when it was trying to establish itself in the early 2000s. He stated, “So yeah, our goal was to make this a real sport, this many people want to watch a freak show, this many people want to watch a real sport with real athletes.”

However, he explained that one of the main challenges the promotion faced was educating its audience about this new and complex sport that involved jiu-jitsu and fighting on the ground. White stated, “How are you going to educate people about the jiu-jitsu? Because you know again, you and I are close to the same age, we came from, you know the old John Wayne movies where you’d hit a guy and you go over and you’d stand him back up and hit him again…”

As such, MMA tactics like ground and pound and submissions were all something that needed to be ‘taught’ to the audience. This is where Joe Rogan’s presence became a critical factor for the UFC. According to the UFC boss, “He’s a guy who’s really educated on the sport, has actually done it, loves and respects the sport and the athletes and Joe Rogan had this ability to walk you through what was happening before it actually started to happen you know and jiu-jitsu as a sport and as a martial art, completely took off and everybody started training in it.”

Today, the UFC stands head and shoulders above the competition as the prime destination for elite fighters to test themselves. As evidenced by White’s statements, Joe Rogan’s role in educating the audience has played a massive role in the growth of the sport which is now worth over $12 billion.

The relationship between Dana White and Rogan has also been a major part of the UFC color commentator’s decades-long association with the promotion and Rogan has previously stated that his time with the UFC will end when White steps away from the sport.

Rogan revealed a stunning clause in his UFC contract  

Dana White and Joe Rogan’s friendship has become a cornerstone of the UFC and in 2022, White even offered to resign from the promotion when Rogan found himself mired in controversy over a video compilation of him making questionable remarks on old episodes of his podcast. As such, speaking on the JRE MMA Show no.142, Rogan revealed that his contract with the UFC contains a clause that ties his association with the promotion with Dana White.

The podcast host revealed, “He f***ing loves this sh*t. If he ever, it’s in my contract that if he ever leaves, I leave. I’m like, ‘I don’t want to do this for anyone else’.” In conclusion, Rogan’s commitment to the UFC, anchored by his relationship with White, highlights the unique and influential partnership that has helped shape the sport.

What are your thoughts on the UFC head honcho’s revelation about Joe Rogan’s role in ‘educating’ the audience and helping to grow the sport? Share them with us in the comments below.