Joe Rogan has consistently delivered JRE episodes that garner millions and millions of views rather quickly. However, the #166 JRE MMA Show segment featured one of the biggest MMA stars in the world as former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria made his long-awaited debut. As usual, the episode did very well, which added as a huge boost for Rogan’s on Spotify. Topuria’s appearance on Rogan’s podcast was a pretty interesting one, as we got to know the Georgian-Spaniard on a more personal level. The story about him travelling to Spain with his family, his views on Conor McGregor, his aspirations at 155lbs, and his journey from Cage Warriors to the UFC attracted many viewers.
As a result, the episode has garnered over 2.6 million views on YouTube, over 1.4 million views on Spotify since being uploaded 5 days back. And guess what? The success has translated into chart-topping success for his $250 million podcast. Yes, JRE is once again the No.1 podcast on Spotify, at this point of reporting. The recent episode with Topuria turned out to be one of his top 20 JRE MMA Show episodes.
Top podcasts on Spotify this week. (US) pic.twitter.com/k7euXtieg0
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) April 21, 2025
For a couple of weeks recently, it appeared as if a new rival popped up on Spotify when the 57-year-old saw his show getting knocked off the top spot on the charts by Jason Kelce’s wife, Kylie, who started her own podcast, Not Gonna Lie. However, her show appears to have been knocked out of the top 10, which includes the likes of The Tucker Carlson Show and Crime Junkie. The Joe Rogan Experience is the host’s biggest source of income, because it’s not just limited to Spotify. In 2024, Rogan made a comeback to YouTube after signing a new deal that allowed him to have more flexibility. Moreover, he has also aired an episode of X, especially the one with President Donald Trump in it.
Besides topping the Spotify charts, some new information came to light recently about the financial side of things. While it may not come as a big surprise, Joe Rogan appears to top the list of the highest-earning podcasters as well. Let’s take a look at that front.
Joe Rogan is the highest-paid podcaster
Podcasting has really grown since Joe Rogan started his endeavor. As such, many new podcast hosts have gained prominence, but the UFC color commentator remains the highest earning podcaster, raking in $83 million a year from his $250 million Spotify deal (over three years). Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark follow the list in the second spot, who reportedly make $100 million for their show, My Favorite Murder.
Dax Shepard of the Armchair Expert grabs the third spot with an $80 million distribution deal with Amazon’s Wondery division in 2024. Nonetheless, Joe Rogan remains a permanent fixture in the media world and a prominent feature on Spotify. However, it’s important to note that another big podcast host has had a pretty meteoric rise. We are talking about Shannon Sharpe and his Club Shay Shay podcast, which has hosted many pop culture icons and superstar athletes.
Spotify and Vaccines Photo Illustrations The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Spotify displayed on a phone screen and headphones are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on February 3, 2022. (Photo Illustration by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto) Krakow Poland
Will Shannon Sharpe be the one to edge past Joe Rogan in the podcasting world when the day comes? Well, that remains to be seen because, as far as the current landscape is concerned, the 57-year-old is leading the charge. Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
The post Joe Rogan Top Charts as $250M Podcast Gets a Massive Boost From Ilia Topuria Episode appeared first on EssentiallySports.