Joe Rogan: “If Dana (White) leaves, I’m gone”
Joe Rogan is a UFC staple. The popular comedian and podcast host has been a part of the Ultimate Fighting Championship long before Dana White was ever even introduced as the organization’s president.
Rogan first did professional commentary for the UFC at UFC 37.5 event in 2002. Prior to that, Rogan worked as a post-fight interviewer beginning at UFC 12: Judgement Day in 1997 but was never paid for the gigs so eventually had to give it up.
After the UFC was taken over by Zuffa in 2001, Rogan attended several events and became friends with its new president Dana White, who offered him a job as a color commentator. Rogan initially declined as he “just wanted to go to the fights and drink”. In 2002, White was able to hire Rogan for free in exchange for prime event tickets for him and his friends. After about 15 free gigs as a commentator, Rogan accepted pay for the job, working alongside Mike Goldberg until the end of 2016.
With the growth and expansion of the sport of mixed martial arts and the rise of the UFC, more and more events were being held and Rogan eventually had to scale back his duties which allowed for other commentators to help fill in.
“I’m a professional fan,” Rogan said with a smile on a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” as he spoke to film producer Jon Peters. LISTEN BELOW
Along with his podcast and comedy touring acts, Rogan landed one of the biggest deals in Spotify history, valued at more than $100 million. So how much longer does Rogan have with the UFC then if he is making so much money elsewhere?
“If Dana (White) leaves, I’m gone,” Rogan said. “That’s in my contract.”
White has stated over the years that he currently has no plans to leave the UFC anytime soon. In 2019, he also signed a new seven-year contract to remain president of the UFC until 2026.
