Does Joe Rogan Still Work for the UFC? Here’s the Latest

Joe Rogan's affiliation with the Ultimate Fighting Championship has been one of the longest and most influential roles in the company's history. 

Rogan first became involved with the UFC in 1997 when he started as a backstage interviewer at UFC 12. At the time, the sport was still in its early stages and far from the mainstream acceptance it enjoys today. 

Rogan briefly left the company only to return in 2002 as a co-commentator, a role which would elevate him to legendary status among fight fans. His insight, passion for the sport, and ability to break down complex techniques in an understandable way made him a beloved figure within the MMA community.

As of 2024, Rogan continues to serve as a co-commentator for the UFC, although his involvement has become more selective over the years, limiting his appearances to just US-based pay-per-view events. Like at UFC 304 for example, the pay-per-view card was held in Manchester, England, and because of this, Joe Rogan was replaced by the first-ever UFC champion, Michael Bisping.

What is Joe Rogan's Background in MMA? Did He Ever Fight in the UFC?

Image Credits: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Before Rogan became an interviewer and commentator for the UFC, he had a very deep understanding of several martial arts due to years of practising multiple disciplines.

Rogan began training in karate and taekwondo at a young age, earning a black belt in taekwondo and becoming a national taekwondo champion during his teenage years. He later transitioned to Brazilian jiu-jitsu BJJ, earning black belts under Eddie Bravo in 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, with no-gi, and under Jean Jacques Machado in the traditional gi-based BJJ. 

Rogan also has experience in Muay Thai and boxing, making him well-rounded in multiple martial arts disciplines.

Although Rogan never competed professionally in MMA, his technical knowledge of the sport has been invaluable. He has stated that training in martial arts gave him a sense of purpose and discipline, as well as giving him the ability to give great insight into his fight breakdowns.

Rogan did compete as an amateur kickboxer however, but unfortunately his career was very short. After amassing a 2-1 record, he would retire at the age of 21 because he suffered from constant headaches at the time and feared taking a huge blow to the head could make it worse.

Has Joe Rogan Ever Coached UFC Fighters?

While Rogan has not been directly involved as a coach for UFC fighters, his technical knowledge and deep understanding of various martial arts have certainly influenced many in the community. Fighters, coaches, and fans alike have praised Rogan’s breakdowns of techniques on-air and some have even admitted to learning from his commentary.

Rogan has also famously demonstrated techniques in various public settings, including on his podcast and during training sessions with well-known fighters. His spinning back kick, for example, has been widely discussed and even taught to some fighters who respect his striking knowledge. One of those fighters Rogan showed his spinning back kick to was Georges St-Pierre, arguably the greatest MMA fighter of all time. GSP implemented Rogan's advice into the technique and it instantly became a signature strike of his moving forward.