Joe Rogan First UFC Commentary Appearance
Comedian and colour commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championships Joe Rogan. Looks back at his first-ever appearance at UFC 12. Doing backstage interviews in 1997, with fighters pre and post-fight. He is joined by one of the promotions founders Campbell McLaren, who was the original EP for the show.
Talking about he picked up the job, Joe said that his manager called him up and asked if he wanted to test for a gig. And that it was something he probably not going to want to do. Now 20 years later, here he is! Campbell McLaren talks about his own role in running the promotion which he was at since UFC 1.
Rogan on how Young he looked
Joe can’t get over how young and skinny he looked all those years ago. And now, look at him, lifting weights, doing Jiu-Jitsu. McLaren thinks he looks a lot more like a fighter now than he did then. Rogan says that he was tired of getting manhandled in BJJ. So decided to pile on some muscle, so he could handle himself better on the mats.
Campbell talks about how he was invited by the Gracie’s to train Jiu-Jitsu and how they offered not to break his ribs. At least the first couple times. That was his payment for getting the Gracie’s UFC on television, nice. To which Joe says that it’s impossible not to get your ass kicked in BJJ and get better. You have to get your ass kicked in order to improve he says.
McLaren asks Joe is he’s any good at Jiu-Jitsu. To which he replies that he has a couple of black belts. And as far as regular people go, he’s good. But when it comes to high-level BJJ guys, he’s not really that good.
The clip is taken from Joe Rogan Experience #458.
