UFC commentator and podcast host Joe Rogan has suggested that former two-division champion Conor McGregor’s recent behavior patterns could potentially be linked to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive brain condition associated with repeated head trauma.
Speaking on his popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan discussed the potential long-term effects of sustained head impacts on mixed martial artists, specifically addressing McGregor’s situation.
“A lot of fighters when they’ve sustained a significant amount of damage over the course of their career and there’s no way to not get that, right? We’ve all seen Conor get beat up and knocked out,” Rogan said. “We’ve all seen Conor’s sparring footage. He spars pro boxers, he’s sparring elite fighters… You’re getting hit in the head a lot and a lot of fighters, especially toward the end of their career turn to drugs and I think there’s probably a constant state of discomfort that they live in where their dopamine levels are all f*cked up. Their cortisol levels are all f*cked up.”
CTE has become an increasingly concerning issue in combat sports. The condition was first identified in an MMA athlete in 2016, when former Bellator competitor Jordan Parsons was diagnosed posthumously following a tragic hit-and-run accident.
Rogan particularly emphasized the role of regular training in potential brain trauma: “You’re not supposed to get punched in the head 1,000 times a year. It’s just not supposed to happen and that’s the reality of consistent training.”
The podcast host also highlighted how even seemingly less intense impacts can contribute to CTE, noting that “sub-concussive trauma to the head is what causes soccer players to CTE. Now, soccer players getting CTE from a soccer ball — I played soccer when I was a kid. That doesn’t hurt, but that thump is giving you CTE. People who ride jet skis get CTE.”
Currently, CTE can only be definitively diagnosed after death, and symptoms typically manifest around a decade after repeated head impacts begin. Some UFC stars, like Julie Kedzie, have pledged to donate their brains to science to advance research into this condition.
The disease’s symptoms can include mood changes, behavioral issues, confusion, difficulty concentrating, mobility problems, headaches, speech difficulties, and sleep disturbances. Medical experts continue to study CTE to better understand its progression and potential treatments.
