Joe Rogan didn't hold back when discussing UFC fighter pay on his latest podcast, delivering a brutally honest take that has fans buzzing. The longtime commentator addressed the uncomfortable reality of fighters having to publicly beg for bonuses after their fights—a trend that's becoming all too common in the octagon.
It all started at UFC 328, where veteran Jeremy Stephens raised concerns about the promotion's bonus system, arguing it hasn't kept pace with the sport's growth. After Stephens was stopped in the first round at the Prudential Center, his opponent used the post-fight interview to campaign for a Performance of the Night bonus. Spoiler alert: they didn't get it.
Rogan, speaking on the Joe Rogan Experience, made his feelings crystal clear. "I hate all of it. I hate people that have to ask for bonuses. You know, look, the money is there, right? We know the money's there," he said, referencing the UFC's massive $7 billion valuation. "I'm not a businessman, I'll say that right now... Listen, all this is hippie talk. But I feel like if I owned the UFC, I would not feel good if people didn't feel compensated correctly."
Rogan even admitted he'd take a different approach if he were in charge. "This is just my feeling and I'm not a good businessman. If you want to be a good businessman, you've got to make the most money possible," he added, contrasting his own values with the profit-driven reality of the fight business.
This isn't an isolated incident. Just last month, Brazilian featherweight Danny Silva suggested that his lack of a bonus after calling himself "broke" during his post-fight interview in London might have been a direct result of his comments about fighter pay. It seems the promotion may have taken issue with him highlighting an already hot-button topic.
Rogan's comments come as he continues to back Ronda Rousey's stance on fighter pay ahead of her MMA comeback, which will be streamed on Netflix this weekend. For fans and fighters alike, the conversation around compensation shows no signs of cooling down—and with Rogan speaking out, it's only getting louder.