The UFC event held on the White House lawn became one of the most talked-about moments in recent political and sports entertainment history, and Joe Rogan and Tim Dillon spent a significant portion of their conversation on The Joe Rogan Experience discussing about it.
The exchange began when Rogan referenced Dillon’s earlier comments about the White House UFC card.
“I was listening to your take on the White House UFC card being the end of MAGA,” Rogan said. “And that the moment when that guy said Michelle Obama is a man.”
Dillon agreed that the moment carried significant cultural weight, particularly among a certain segment of supporters.
“It’s just the greatest thing for if you’re a deep deep hardcore and I don’t even mean the like the America first principles,” Dillon said. “I just mean like you’re along for the ride. You’re here for the part.”
According to Dillon, many of the people most invested in the movement are less interested in politics itself and more drawn to the sense of community and spectacle.
“There’s a lot of MAGA people that I’m friends with that are deep that… they’re not political,” he said. “They’re along for the part. They like the party.”
Dillon then painted a picture of the atmosphere he believes surrounds those supporters.
“They want fun,” he said. “They’re in Florida. It’s 4 pm. They’re drunk. You know what I mean? And they’re in for the fun.”
From there, Dillon focused on the moment athlete Josh Hokit grabbed the microphone and made the controversial remark.
“When they’re watching that UFC event in their house in St. Augustine or Tampa or West Palm, whatever it is,” Dillon said, “and that guy stands up and goes, ‘Michelle Obama is a man.'”
“It’s the culmination of things that they’re not going to beat that,” he continued. “It’s hard to beat that. There were houses that cheered when that happened.”
When Rogan asked whether people were actually celebrating the comment, Dillon had no doubt. “100%,” he replied. “It cheered.”
He then doubled down on that point.
“Florida I know for sure was audible,” Dillon said. “For sure. People cheered.”
Rogan responded by placing Hokit’s comments within the context of his public persona.
“That guy Josh Hokit,” Rogan said. “You know that’s like he’s got a character. The Incredible Hulk.”
Rogan argued that Hokit essentially operates like a professional wrestling heel while also being a legitimate athlete.
“And so he’s basically like a pro-wrestling bad guy who also is a really good athlete,” Rogan said. “So there’s a real problem there. And he says crazy stuff.”
Looking back, Rogan suggested the organizers may have underestimated the possibility of something controversial happening.
“They probably in retrospect, if they wanted to avoid this, probably shouldn’t have had him compete on the White House lawn,” Rogan said.
He contrasted the setting with a traditional combat sports venue. “Because if he said that at the T-Mobile Arena or in Madison Square Garden, totally outrageous, but not that big a deal.”
Dillon agreed and talked about how the situation could have escalated into a full-blown wrestling-style spectacle.
“But here’s what should have happened afterwards,” Dillon said. “Michelle Obama should have made an Undertaker-like entrance.”
Rogan immediately joined in on the hypothetical.
“All of a sudden, the lights go dim,” Rogan said, “and then the light goes on on the balcony. Michelle Obama and she comes on a cord that she flies over.”
Dillon continued the fantasy booking.
“If Michelle Obama had made an Undertaker-like entrance and got in the stage and then body slammed him, can you imagine?” he said. “Unbelievable.”
“That would have been amazing,” Rogan replied.
Dillon then broadened the joke into a commentary on modern media and politics.
“The country just exists for ratings now anyway,” he said. “It’s all it exists for. It’s just that’s all we’re doing anymore.”
Dillon concluded by joking that such a moment would have instantly transformed Michelle Obama’s political future.
“She would have been president next,” he said. “She would have been president next with no election. No election. Vance is going to stand up to that?”
