"He called him a racist" - Chael Sonnen breaks down "awkward" Joe Rogan interview where 'The Rock' revealed MMA aspirations
UFC commentator Joe Rogan hosts one of the most popular podcasts on the planet, and the show's recent run hasn't disappointed.
In the past month, The Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) has hosted a plethora of world-famous figures, and 'The Rock' Dwayne Johnson was one of the most recent guests on the show.
However, MMA legend Chael Sonnen believes the almost three-hour segment was extremely awkward for both men because of their history.
While the podcaster has time and time again accused Johnson of using steroids, the pro wrestler seemingly faulted the MMA icon during his N-word controversy.
During episode #2063 of the JRE, Rogan and 'The Rock' discussed a range of topics, ranging from international politics to Johnson's MMA aspiration early in his pro wrestling days.
Although both men were nothing but courteous during the segment, 'The Bad Guy' believes it was all a ruse to trick the audience.
During a recent segment on his YouTube channel, Sonnen mentioned his amazement at the duo refraining from addressing their past during the podcast:
"I told you how awkward it was to watch these two famous, successful rich men pretending to be happy for the other one's fame, success, and riches. When Joe Rogan was at his absolute lowest, and they tried to cancel him... 'The Rock' piled on... 'The Rock' did not use the R-word, in all fairness. He did not call him a racist, but he called him a racist... and he tried to cancel him."
He added:
"And Joe took his little notes, right?... He's given receipts, and he'll mention a comment here and there about 'The Rock' being on steroids... There are little receipts over time."
Catch Chael Sonnen's comments below (1:30):
When 'The Rock' told Joe Rogan about his MMA aspirations
Dwayne Johnson is one of the biggest pro wrestling superstars of all time. However, his path to the top wasn't without adversity. Johnson once even considered leaving pro wrestling for MMA.
During the podcast, the Hollywood A-lister told Joe Rogan that he considered leaving the WWE early in his career to fight for the now-defunct Japanese MMA promotion PRIDE. The 51-year-old said he even discussed the possibility with various MMA pioneers:
"I started talking to [Ken] Shamrock... who was wrestling with us at that time, I run into Mark Kerr... I had this idea in my head: maybe I should train MMA and go to PRIDE and make real money."
Catch 'The Rock's' comments below:
However, his WWE career resurgence ultimately kept Johnson from pursuing MMA glory.