No one in mainstream media is more vocal about MMA than longtime UFC commentator Joe Rogan. As a former martial artist, the podcaster has been a passionate advocate for the UFC and martial arts in general, sharing his knowledge with the world. A thing of interest is the fact that he could have had an impressive MMA career if he hadn’t sacrificed his martial arts journey due to health reasons.
And while we know about Joe Rogan‘s martial arts background, the important question is—was he ever a champion? Did he win any championships or trophies? It begs asking consider Joe Rogan breaks down and analyses fighters and fights, at the highest levels, across multiple disciplines. So how does he know what he’s talking about when it comes to competition? Let’s dive a little deeper into that aspect of the famed UFC commentator’s life.
Was Joe Rogan a Taekwondo Champion?
Before delving into the history of Rogan in the competition circuit, let’s take a sneak peek into his life. The comedian and podcaster’s childhood was nothing short of a traumatic ride through the horrors of parental abuse. According to Joe Rogan, his biological father was abusive and an extremely aggressive individual. Courtesy of his behavior, Rogan’s mother, Susan, divorced him and moved to San Francisco, where she remarried. After his traumatic experience of growing up in Newark, New Jersey, Rogan settled in Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts, where he attended Newton South High School.
MMA: UFC 278- Albazi vs Figueiredo, Aug 20, 2022 Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Joe Rogan after the fight between Amir Albazi red gloves and Francisco Figueiredo blue gloves during UFC 278 at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports, 20.08.2022 17:42:50, 18903440, NPStrans, Joe Rogan, MMA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJeffreyxSwingerx 18903440
After moving to a new city, Joe Rogan found himself fascinated with the art of fighting. After a fair bit of searching, Rogan enrolled himself in a good martial arts academy and began learning Taekwondo. It took him very little time to win Massachusetts’s full-contact scene, securing the state championship for four straight years. At just 19, Rogan’s talent shined through on the national stage when he claimed the U.S. Open Taekwondo Championship’s lightweight title.
Finally, he won the grand championship after dethroning both middleweight and heavyweight champions. He had multiple championship victories under his name when he decided to leave the sport for his own good. On that note, let’s take a closer look at the records of Joe Rogan in full-contact striking arts like kickboxing.
Rogan’s boxing and kickboxing career
Comedians can’t fight, right? Think again — Joe Rogan could shut the lights out for most people with his thunderous, bullet-like kicks. Rogan was undeniably gifted in martial arts. Winning multiple Taekwondo championships was not enough for him, as he tried his mettle in kickboxing as well. Joe Rogan had an amateur record of 2-1 as a kickboxer. However, despite this record, the podcaster never fought professionally and stepped away from competition at the age of 21. Rogan, known for his kicks, never participated in boxing bouts, either—amateur or pro.
Joe Rogan retired from all forms of martial arts competition at 21 when he suffered from frequent headaches and injuries as a result of hard training. After leaving martial arts, Joe Rogan tried his hand at stand-up comedy, and it clicked for him. Interestingly, the podcaster also holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the legendary Jean-Jacques Machado and regularly trains in the sport.
But it’s worth asking—headaches apart, what are the other reasons for Joe Rogan quitting active competition? Let’s find out.
Why did Joe Rogan never fight professionally?
There comes a day in the life of every martial artist when they question their position in a sport and ability to fight in the sea of uncertainties. That’s one of the reasons for him quitting. But one incident in particular shook Joe Rogan and forced him to rethink his decision to pursue martial arts. It’s important to note that the comedian was at the peak of his martial arts career when the incident happened. So, what happened? Well, he hurt his opponent so badly that it made him rethink everything. What if he hurt someone so bad that it could change their life? Worse even, what if it eventually happened to him?
“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,” said Joe Rogan on JRE #2139.
MMA: UFC 165-Jones vs Gustafsson Sep 21, 2013 Toronto, Ontario, CAN UFC commentator Joe Rogan after the Jon Jones not pictured fight against Alexander Gustafsson not pictured during their Light Heavyweight Championship bout at UFC 165 at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto Ontario CAN, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xTomxSzczerbowskix 7485195
He further added, “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.” The podcaster went back to Boston after the event, and after having a discussion with his coach, came to the conclusion that competing was not for him. “It changed my feeling about it; I never had the same enthusiasm after that. That was the beginning of the end for me.”
Fortunately for us, Joe Rogan stepped away from competing in the sport but never truly left it. His continued his endeavor in MMA with UFC has helped elevate the sport to what it is today. Regardless, what are your thoughts on his story? State your opinions in the comments below.
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