"Take it public and they can make 50% on their money in a week" - When businessman Dan Pena suggested that the UFC should go public while speaking with Joe Rogan in 2017
Back in 2017, Joe Rogan invited Dan Pena on the JRE podcast episode #959. The duo discussed the financial model of the UFC and Pena suggested that the only way for the new investors to make money out of the organization was to go public. Four years later, Dana White announced UFC's IPO.
Pena also predicted that the UFC investors would make 50% of their money back within a week of the company being publicly traded by investors on the stock market.
Dan Pena said this to Joe Rogan after the podcaster asked Pena how he would drive income:
"The way I would do it is I would take it public. I mean it's a no-brainer, you've heard it here first on Joe's show, take it public and they can make 50% on their money in a week. I mean a week after they take it public."
Watch the full JRE clip here:
UFC president Dana White announced that the organization was going public in 2021 on his social media, making Dan Pena's predictions in 2017 look scarily accurate.
It’s official the UFC is now a public company #EndeavorIPO https://t.co/wP9Qfjzumr
Endeavor bought the UFC back in 2016 for just over $4 billion dollars, but the company was valued at about $10 billion dollars after going public in 2021.
Does Joe Rogan have his own energy drink?
Somewhat of a savvy businessman himself, Joe Rogan has managed to create a podcasting empire that has also opened the doors to other business opportunities.
Rogan teamed up with Kill Cliff in 2020 to launch his own energy drink.
The energy drink contains 25 milligrams of CBD per drink and is called 'Flaming Joe' after the podcaster's name. Rogan's drink will cost you $5.75 a can, but is sold in 12-packs costing $69.
The UFC commentator was very excited to announce the collaboration on his Instagram account and stated that he worked on the drink for months:
"I’ve teamed up with @killcliff to release a flaming pineapple CBD energy drink that goes on sale tomorrow. We worked on this motherf**ker for months to get it right, and they nailed it! Pineapple and jalapeño! 25 milligrams of CBD per can!"
Rogan is also the co-founder of Onnit, a fitness and supplements brand. The company was sold to Unilever back in 2021 for a reported nine-figure amount.