UFC president Dana White and color commentator Joe Rogan have seen the promotion grow together. The two public figures have remained synonymous with the UFC ever since it started making a name for itself in the combat sports realm. Having nurtured the company into the mammoth that it is today, the duo have shared quite a blooming friendship.
Joe initially landed a backstage interview gig for UFC 12 in 1997, back when Dana White wasn’t the president of the company. Twenty-five years later, Rogan is one of the longest-tenured employees, with Dana as his boss for the most part. Specifically, White and Rogan have worked together in the UFC since 2001, well over two decades now.
The two have spent countless nights together doing something they enjoy – watching MMA fights. And their fame has enjoyed steady growth ever since. Due to their ever-growing bond, many fans have wondered if they are friends in real life as well.
How Did Joe Rogan and Dana White meet?
Joe first joined the Las Vegas-based promotion as a post-fight interviewer in 1997 when it was a fledgling organization. Whereas Dana White got on board in 2001 after Zuffa LLC, a sports promotion company, bought the company. At this point, Dana was already aware of Joe’s interviewing gig.
Citing money issues as the main reason, Joe quit working for the UFC just two years in. Followed by this, Rogan happened to visit a UFC event in 2001. This is when White reached out to him with yet another offer to work for the company. Due to Rogan’s impressive knowledge of MMA and the inner workings of the UFC, White asked Joe on the spot if he wanted to begin working as a commentator.
The former Fear Factor host initially declined the offer. But Dana being persistent, convinced Joe to try it out for one fight. The event in question was ‘UFC 37.5: As Real As It Gets,’ starring Chuck Liddell vs Vitor Belfort. Rogan accepted Dana’s offer, thus making a return to his old employer.
The 55-year-old then committed to a series of fights. However, due to the company bleeding money in their early days, Joe worked for free in exchange for tickets for his buddies.
In this way, Dana gave room to grow and develop into the talented and renowned commentator he is today. This 2nd stint in the UFC continues to be more memorable than Joe’s first one. But more importantly, it kickstarted what appears to be a lifelong relationship between the dup that has transcended their work.
Are Dana and Rogan friends in real life?
Dana White and Joe Rogan seem to be absolutely good friends. Knowing each other at least since 2001, the two have developed a strong personal relationship with each other. Even when controversies hound the UFC head honcho, like fighter pay, for example, Joe shows continued support to his friend and long-time boss.
One thing that has seemingly prevented the duo from hanging out more often is time. Both Dana and Joe are incredibly busy men with a known strong work ethic. Although the two may not spend a significant amount of time outside the company, they do share a deep sense of admiration for each other.
In his appearance on The Jake Asman Show, Dana expressed how he feels toward Joe, almost two decades after knowing him. White said, “He does his thing and he kills it for us. Yeah, I think he’s the best ever. You could argue he’s the best ever on those [comedy and podcasting] too.”
On occasions more than once, Dana has mentioned in press conferences and media scrums that he spends hours speaking with Joe on the phone. The two “geek out over fights” several times a month. Even when White tested positive for COVID-19, the first person he called to seek medical advice was Joe Rogan.
Further solidifying their blooming relationship, Joe had White on his podcast multiple times. Over the course of their 20+ year friendship, things have only gotten better between the two. The UFC has also grown from a nice sport into a behemoth that has overtaken boxing as the premier combat sport. Fans strongly believe both White and Rogan are responsible for that.
In episode #1871 of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan shared that as part of his contract, if Dana leaves the company, he will follow him out of the promotion as well. Until then, Dana continues to remain the face of the UFC while Rogan is the voice. The two are inseparable and one wouldn’t be the same without one another.