Veteran UFC commentator Joe Rogan has declared that the Ultimate Fighting Championship has transformed martial arts more dramatically in three decades than it evolved over millennia.
Speaking on his podcast with comedian Jimmy Carr this week, Rogan didn’t mince words about the organization’s historical impact.
“Martial arts has changed more since the invention of the UFC,” Rogan explained. “And the invention of the UFC was by Rorion Gracie. And that was in 1993. Since that time, martial arts have evolved more in these 30 years, than they have in the last 30,000 years. That’s a fact,” the long-time podcast host asserted.
Rogan, who joined the UFC in 1997 during an event in Alabama, has remained a loyal figure in the organization throughout its rise to prominence under Dana White’s leadership. Beyond his commentary role, Rogan brings substantial personal experience to his analysis as a decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Jean Jacques-Machado and Eddie Bravo, with an impressive amateur kickboxing background as well.
Despite his admiration for the UFC’s revolutionary impact, Rogan has consistently advocated for a significant change to the competition format. He believes the iconic Octagon itself may actually limit fighters’ technical abilities.
“I don’t even think they [fighters] should fight in a cage,” Rogan has stated previously on his podcast. “I think the cage is an unnecessary element in fighting. To push someone against something or to be able to get up from something. I don’t think it’s necessary.”
His alternative suggestion? An open venue, potentially as large as a basketball court, with a warning track system where competitors could lose points for stepping outside designated boundaries too frequently.
While Rogan continues to champion the UFC’s transformative influence on martial arts culture and technical evolution, his vision for the sport’s future setting remains at odds with one of its most recognizable symbols. The Octagon has become synonymous with the UFC brand, making his proposed open-format competition an unlikely change despite his persistent advocacy.
The commentator has also noted the UFC’s massive reach through modern distribution platforms, pointing out on his podcast that “Netflix has 94 million monthly active users. The company has over 300 million paid global subscribers. So 300 million worldwide.”
Rogan’s commentary on its historical significance highlights not just the organization’s business success but its fundamental reshaping of martial arts practice, theory, and cultural relevance worldwide.
