As revealed in a recent episode of the JAXXON Podcast, an insightful revelation came out about Joe Rogan, a name synonymous with comedy, podcasting, and UFC commentary.

Vitor Belfort, an MMA legen, disclosed that Joe Rogan was once his student. In a direct quote from Belfort, “Joe Rogan was my student, he was in no way… yeah, you trained Joe Rogan, yeah. Joe was a white belt.”

This revelation sheds light on Rogan’s early days in martial arts, highlighting his time at the Carlson Gracie Gym in West Hollywood, Los Angeles. Belfort further shared, “He just moved to LA, to Hollywood. We had a Carlson Gracie Gym in West Hollywood, and he was training there. I was teaching him.”

Rogan’s approach to learning martial arts under Belfort’s tutelage was marked by a keen desire to learn and improve. Belfort observed, “He was so humble, he wants to learn, very authentic, very authentic. He loves to learn, he was to be there and try.”

The respect and admiration Belfort holds for Rogan is evident. He noted Rogan’s contribution to the MMA community, stating, “He’s a great martial artist. Besides the podcast, that guy has done more for mixed martial arts than probably anybody in mixed martial arts. I mean, he put it so mainstream because of his podcast. He brought such a light, that guy doesn’t get enough credit, forget the podcast. The guy has done so much.”

The journey of Joe Rogan in martial arts, starting as a white belt under the guidance of Vitor Belfort, showcases his dedication and passion for the sport. This background, combined with his extensive career in podcasting and commentary, underscores the significant impact he has made in popularizing and supporting mixed martial arts.

Joe Rogan also talked about his experiences training at the Carlson Gracie Academy in Hollywood, where he trained alongside the former UFC fighter Vitor Belfort during the mid-1990s.

At that time, Belfort was considered one of the top heavyweight fighters. Holding the title of a former UFC light heavyweight champion, he was globally recognized for his rapid and forceful striking abilities. Rogan recalled observing Belfort’s training sessions as being astounding.

“I got into Jiu-Jitsu in like 96’, I was actually at the same gym that Vitor Belfort did when he was making his debut in the UFC. I was training at his gym. It was Carlson Gracie’s Academy, which was in Hollywood. I was learning from his coaches. It was crazy, to watch Vitor Belfort.”