Did Dana White Nearly Quit UFC In 2022 Due To Joe Rogan Controversy?

UFC president Dana White is not only true to himself, he is true to those closest to him.

During a recent interview with Lex Fridman, White explained how he was willing to leave the UFC to defend Joe Rogan in 2022.

“Anybody who is with me, has been with me, knows,” White said (thanks to MMA Mania for the quotes). “When you’re with me, you’re with me. It’s a two-way street. It’s not a one-way street.

“I’m not one of these guys that is gonna roll over.”

White was referencing the video that came out before UFC 271 involving Rogan. In it, several previous clips of Rogan from old Joe Rogan Experience podcasts, were put together with an expletive word being used.

“It’s like going through COVID,” White said. “I wasn’t layoff (off) of these people. Some of these people have been with me for 20 years. We’re gonna lay’em off? Uh uh.

“This (expletive) will burn, burn before I would do that to my people. It’s just never – none of that type of stuff is ever going to happen while I’m here.”

White added “Joe Rogan has been very loyal to me, and I am very loyal to Joe.

“I can’t say what’s gonna happen when I leave,” White said. “But when I’m here, the people who are with me and have been with me, they know exactly what’s up.”

Dana White, Joe Rogan Have Been Together For Decades

Rogan got his start before White took over. He worked in 1997 with the UFC conducting backstage and post-fight interviews.

After a failed attempt to bring Rogan back in 2001 by White after Zuffa took over, the two came together a year later. For the first several events he worked on, Rogan was not paid.

Instead, he and his friends were given prime event tickets. Rogan would sign a deal later and worked alongside Mike Goldberg until 2016.

He still calls events today along with several other ventures.