Joe Rogan is mostly known as a podcast host (the mega popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast), a stand up comedian, UFC commentator but most people do not know that he also has a legit combat sports background.
Rogan is a long time BJJ practitioner and BJJ black belt under BJJ legend Jacques Machado and a 10th Planet JJ black belt under Eddie Bravo. He was also a US Taekwondo Champion back in the days.
During high school, Rogan was a practitioner of Taekwondo and gained a black belt at age 15. He soon became the Massachusetts full contact Tae Kwon Do champion four consecutive years. By the age of 19, Rogan won the US Open Tae Kwon Do Championship and, as lightweight champion, went on to beat both the middle and heavyweight title-holders to obtain the Grand Championship. He started judo at the age of 20 and after a year of training received blue belt.
There isn’t much footage of Joe Rogan rolling or competing in BJJ so many people wonder about his level.
Rogan’s BJJ instructor Jean Jacques Machado recently was a guest on his podcast, and he shared some interesting insight on just how good Rogan is in Jiu-Jitsu:
Just How Good is Joe Rogan in Jiu-Jitsu? Jean Jacques Machado Answers The Question
The story is that in 2006, a strange guy got in a heated argument with Joe Rogan. At one point he put in hand on him. Joe didn’t like it and he warned him that if he touched him again, he would choke him out. The guy did touch again and Joe went for a snapdown to guillotine choke. Joe mercifully let go and the two eventually laughed it out and shook hands.
Great show of self control from Joe Rogan.
