“I Never Had the Same Enthusiasm After That” — Joe Rogan Explains Why He Never Fought Professionally

Longtime UFC fans are well-acquainted with Joe Rogan's commentary for the mixed martial arts promotion. For many, his presence is deeply intertwined with the sport. In fact, many may recall him discussing the sport during a 1998 appearance on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, where he highlighted how "ultimate fighting" differentiated greatly from other forms of combat.

His passion for the sport has left more than a few viewers wondering, however: did he ever fight professionally?

Joe's no stranger to training with professional fighters. One famous instance is this clip taken in a sweaty gym where Rogan has been seen showcasing a turning side kick to one of the most accomplished fighters in MMA history. The same man throngs of people would argue is the best to ever do it, Georges St. Pierre.

In the video, GSP can be seen avidly inspecting Rogan's technique, which yielded a resounding thud that sent the kick bag flying, amazing the longtime UFC welterweight champion.

After moving to Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts as a youngster, Joe Rogan's fascination with martial arts flourished.

He attended a Taekwondo school and fully embraced the martial art. By the time he reached 19 years old, he would go on to win the U.S. Open Taekwondo Championship in the lightweight division. Then, he'd go on to win the grand championship before eventually leaving the sport.

Afterward, he transitioned to amateur kickboxing, participating in three fights and accumulating a 2-1 record. However, he never committed to any professional fights after that. Reportedly, Rogan decided to move away from being a pro fighter, citing that he suffered from constant headaches in addition to numerous injuries he sustained while training. At 21, he shifted his career focus to comedy instead.

Moreover, Joe said that witnessing an opponent getting knocked out brutally by a kick he threw also changed his perspective on professional competition.

On episode 2139 of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, he detailed the beginning of the end of his desire to compete professionally as a martial artist.

"It’s my legs, it’s my upper body, there’s whip to it, it’s got all this torque, and I caught this guy perfectly. He came at me with what’s called a stepping roundhouse kick, so he had his front leg forward and he stepped forward with his left leg as he was going to throw a kick, and I spun with my right leg at the same time," Joe relayed.

The popular podcast host went on to state: "He went out, face plant, snoring, never woke up. Never woke up. He was unconscious for half an hour, they put him on a stretcher. I was watching. He never got out of that stretcher; they took him to the hospital. I have no idea what happened to him and it freaked me out."

Upon returning to Boston, Joe stated that he met with his coach and had a candid discussion about his desire to step away from being a professional fighter. After the visceral experience of seeing someone collapse to the ground right in front of him and not knowing if he'd ever be okay, Rogan told him that he didn't have it in him to be a pro fighter.

"It changed my feeling about it; I never had the same enthusiasm after that. That was the beginning of the end for me," Joe said on his show.

Despite not stepping in the ring or cage as a professional, Joe is still an avid fan of the fight game and still actively trains. He has three black belts: one in Taekwondo, and two in BJJ: one under Jean Marques Machado and another under Eddie Bravo.