Joe Rogan gets 100% real about potentially retiring as UFC commentator, reiterates unique Dana White clause in contract: "He's my friend"
Joe Rogan opened up about his UFC future, citing his close relationship with Dana White. According to Rogan, he would quit his job as a commentator if White ever leaves the promotion.
Rogan joined UFC as a part of the broadcasting team in 1997, and has been in the multi-billion dollar organization ever since, sharing a tight bond with White, who played a significant role in the rise of the American podcaster in the MMA scene. The two have proved their loyalty towards one another on multiple occasions.
In a recent episode of the JRE MMA Show, Rogan spoke to former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and discussed his friendship with White, saying:
''I don't think about retiring. No, no if Dana White quits on my quit, but that's it. Yeah It's actually my contract, yeah, if he leaves I leave. Yeah, so in my contract if he leaves I don't have to stay. I wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't for him, yeah, he's my friend. He talked me into doing it. I mean I started working for the UFC before him. I started working for the UFC in 1997 when there was nothing then nobody was watching.''
Rogan continued:
''We did it at a small, like a high school auditorium in Dothan, Alabama. You had to take a propeller plane to get there like.''
Check out Joe Rogan's comments below (via Home of Fight's X post):
Along with his role as a color commentator in UFC, Rogan hosts one of the most popular online shows, the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, where he interviews a diverse range of guests. While there have been numerous rumors of him leaving the promotion, the 57-year-old is determined to stay as long as White does.
When Dana White displayed his loyalty towards Joe Rogan
Joe Rogan was accused of allegedly spreading misinformation about COVID-19, which resulted in him facing criticism. This incident in the past caused many organizations to end their association with Rogan.
In a conversation with Lex Fridman last year, Dana White threatened to leave the UFC over the news of Rogan's departure, saying:
''Anybody who is with me, has been with me, knows. When you're with me, you're with me. It's a two-way street, it's not a one-way street. I'm not one of these guys that's gonna roll over. It's like going through COVID, some of these people have been with me for 20 years, we're gonna lay them off? This motherf***er will burn before I would do that to my people... Joe knows what's up. It's a two-way street. Joe Rogan has been very loyal to me and I'm very loyal to Joe Rogan.''
Check out Dana White's comments below (37:01):