UFC CEO says Rogan will stay
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO Dana White said Joe Rogan would remain with UFC after people contacted him about removing the longtime commentator from broadcast work following public backlash over his remarks.
White tied his decision to Rogan’s early UFC work and rejected outside pressure on company staffing decisions involving broadcasts, sponsors, money, and leadership authority within the UFC. His comments focused on Rogan’s status.
UFC frames Rogan as a core voice
Joe Rogan has been one of mixed martial arts’ most recognizable voices for more than 20 years, providing commentary and coverage for fight audiences at major events worldwide.
Rogan also has a wide podcast and comedy audience, but White focused on his long connection with UFC events, early promotion, broadcast work, fight fans, company history, and commentary.
UFC faced outside firing pressure
White said people contacted him and told him he had to take action against Rogan after public backlash over past remarks tied to politics and vaccinations in wider media coverage.
The pressure followed Rogan’s discussions about politics and vaccinations, but White did not name callers, identify sponsors, or provide a total number of removal requests.
UFC chief rejected the calls
White said outside callers should not tell him who to fire, placing the decision inside UFC leadership rather than outside business influence, sponsor pressure, public criticism, or removal demands.
White said he would not part ways with Rogan and would resist requests to remove him from UFC programming following criticism of past public remarks, commentary, and media disputes.
UFC cites 12 unpaid early assignments
White said Rogan worked the first 12 fights for his UFC group without pay, giving a clear number for Rogan’s early contribution to the promotion after ownership changed.
That unpaid work became part of White’s defense after the criticism, linking Rogan’s early service, company loyalty, and White’s current support for keeping him with UFC broadcasts.
UFC relied on early radio work
White said he and Rogan were the only 2 people who were good on the radio after the company changed hands during UFC’s early growth period under new ownership.
White added that nobody knew who he was then, while Rogan already had media skills and helped with repeated promotional interviews for UFC audiences across East Coast radio markets.
UFC used 3:00 morning radio hits
White said he and Rogan woke up at 3 a.m. to cover East Coast radio markets during UFC’s early media push after the ownership change under new leadership.
They repeated interviews for years, using radio appearances to promote UFC before the company gained broader mainstream visibility through later television exposure, major events, and audience growth.
UFC valued Rogan before fame
White said Rogan helped when UFC needed media voices, while White lacked public name recognition during the company’s early promotion period after the ownership change and business expansion.
That detail separates Rogan’s UFC role from his later podcast success because White focused on years of earlier broadcast work, radio interviews, promotion, and company service.
UFC links podcasts with fight fans
Rogan is popular in podcasting, but his UFC connection stands apart from his broader media career because fight fans know him through commentary and early promotion.
White defended Rogan’s UFC record through commentary, fan recognition, early promotion, and a long-standing role in mixed martial arts broadcasting, live events, and company history.
UFC notes backlash from remarks
Rogan made controversial comments over the years, including discussions about politics and vaccinations, that led to public backlash and later calls for the company to take action over his role.
That backlash connected to later attempts to remove Rogan from UFC work, with the dispute centered on broadcasts rather than podcasting, comedy, or other outside projects.
UFC downplays sponsor pressure
White said money, sponsors, and outside influence would not change his decision about Rogan’s place with UFC after calls about removing him from broadcast work.
That response widened the issue beyond one caller and showed White’s resistance to business pressure around Rogan’s broadcast role, company value, loyalty, and early service.
UFC chief makes loyalty the reason
White said Rogan earned trust during UFC’s early growth, when both men handled repeated radio interviews and helped promote events before broader mainstream visibility.
That history shaped White’s response to outside pressure, with Rogan’s free early assignments and long broadcast role weighing more than later criticism.
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UFC story ends with no firing plan
As of June 28, 2026, White has publicly said nothing is happening to Joe Rogan despite outside pressure over his role with UFC broadcasts and public criticism.
No firing date, replacement plan, or contract end date was included for Rogan’s UFC broadcast role after White defended him publicly against removal calls.
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Dana White says loyalty explains why Joe Rogan remains part of UFC, but should early service outweigh later backlash in broadcast decisions? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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