We all know Joe Rogan as a long-standing American UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) commentator. You may even know his comedy podcast, ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’. With a long and varied climb to success, though, there’s a lot you probably don’t know about the famous interviewer.
He’s been a UFC commentator for 26 years
56-year-old Joseph James Rogan, born August 11th, 1967, has been working as a UFC color commentator since 1997. On The Rosie Show, Rogan recalls the beginnings of his career with UFC:
‘I started out in 1997 with them. I was the post-fight interviewer. This is what they did: they brought me there, they gave me a microphone, they put an earpiece in me, and they go, ‘OK, ready, Joe? We’re going to come to you in three seconds.’’ Rogan adds ‘Nobody explained to me what I was going to do, how to interview people; it was a weird organization back then.’
With this in mind, it’s without question that Rogan’s popularity and the growth of UFC are inextricably linked. Often hailed as one of the best commentators in the sport, Rogan has certainly brought his skills to the world of UFC and changed it for the better.
How tall is Joe Rogan?
This is a tricky one. While Joe himself claims to be around 5’8, most sources report that he is actually 1.72 meters tall, coming in at 5′ 7. Joe Rogan weight is roughly 197-198 pounds. Potayto, potahto.
He’s a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu
Yep, you heard that right. Joe Rogan is quite an accomplished martial artist. He became a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under the renowned Jean Jacques Machado and also attained the same rank in TaeKwonDo, in which he competed in his youth.
He was a television show host
In 2001, Rogan took an offer from NBC to join Fear Factor as a show host. Rogan accepted the position primarily to help him gain new ideas for his shows and did so for five years, from 2001 to 2006.
He does stand-up
Joe Rogan is, perhaps surprisingly (or perhaps not), quite the prolific stand-up comedian. With several stand-up specials ranging from 2018’s Joe Rogan: Strange Times TV special all the way back to his 2001 video Joe Rogan: Live from the Belly of the Beast and a heck of a lot in between, it’s safe to say he’s garnered a few laughs over the years.
He had a stint as an actor
Rogan’s position in Fear Factor opened several doors for him into the acting world. He spent one year hosting The Man Show (aired on Comedy Central) and was casted in several TV shows like the sitcom Just Shoot Me.
Rogan’s podcast covers more than comedy
Joe Rogan’s podcast, named The Joe Rogan Experience in 2010, had a name change in 2023 to PowerfulJRE and covered topics ranging from the comedic to the social, cultural and political. Rogan has had a vast range of guests on the show to discuss, at length, topics such as free speech and the importance of Artificial Intelligence.
Rogan scored a deal with Spotify in May 2022 worth $200 million – one of the biggest deals made in the podcast industry. PowerfulJRE is no longer free to listen to as of September 2020 and is streamed on Spotify.
What’s next?
It’s safe to say that Joe Rogan has and continues to have quite a varied career. As the year draws to a close, it begs the question: what will we see him do next in 2024? Your guess is as good as mine.
Charles
January 9, 2025 at 2:30 pm
Very nice, informative and to the point. Excellent