Former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub has found himself at the center of mockery after what many are calling a transparent attempt to reconnect with his former mentor and podcast host Joe Rogan.
The controversy stems from Schaub’s sudden claim that he’s not only taken up bow hunting, but has childhood experience with it. This is a detail that has never surfaced in his years of public storytelling, and he recently talked about it in a podcast episode.
The saga began when Schaub encountered renowned bow hunter Adam Greenree, whom he described as “probably the best bow hunter on planet Earth.” After showing Greenree photos of a deer he’d hunted with a gun, Schaub was met with an unexpected response. “That’s gay, mate,” Greenree allegedly told him. He explained that in the bow hunting community, using guns is viewed the same way Americans view electric cars.
This interaction apparently sparked an immediate transformation in Schaub’s hunting philosophy. But it was his next move that raised eyebrows: claiming he’d been familiar with bows since childhood.
“When I was a kid, my dad would take me not bow hunting, but to a range and we’d shoot bows,” Schaub stated, recounting memories of a camouflage bow his father allegedly bought him when he was around six years old.
He went on to say: “The only reason why I got into the bow is because of Rambo, and like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Those were my heroes.”
Attempting to weave a story about bow hunting since a young age, he said: “So my dad got me a cheap used bow and arrow, and it was all camouflage. Anyway, we go shoot it, play twice a month. Growing up prior to the age of 6 to 12, you know, So I was a little familiar with it, but he had never hunted. And it’s pretty close when you hit the range and you’re a kid.”
The timing of this childhood memory is suspicious to observers, particularly since Schaub has never mentioned this formative experience in his extensive podcast appearances over the years. Even more curious is that despite this supposed background, Schaub required extensive instruction from a professional at Archery Country to learn proper bow technique.
Schaub spared no expense in his new pursuit, walking out of the bow shop with a complete setup after a four-to-five-hour session. He enthusiastically detailed his rapid progress under the tutelage of an instructor named Tank, claiming he hit a bullseye within five arrows.
The former star also made sure to mention specific details about the sport that align with Rogan’s interests, noting that “Rogan and Cam shoot 90 pounds” when discussing bow draw weights.
Critics have pointed out that Schaub’s sudden passion for bow hunting conveniently coincides with his apparent distance from Rogan, who is an avid bow hunter himself. The level of detail Schaub provided about Rogan’s equipment preferences suggests someone trying to demonstrate common ground rather than genuine personal interest.
Adding another layer to the story, Schaub reportedly sold truck wheels on Facebook Marketplace the morning of his bow shopping expedition, raising questions about his financial situation. The desperation to align his hobbies with Rogan’s interests, combined with what appears to be a fabricated childhood backstory, paints a picture of someone going to extraordinary lengths to recapture a friendship that may have run its course.
Whether this bow hunting phase will lead to the Rogan reconciliation Schaub apparently seeks remains to be seen.
