The UFC’s new multi-billion-dollar broadcast deal with Paramount has raised questions about the future of some key figures within the organisation.
On Monday, Dana White confirmed that pay-per-view would be scrapped and announced a new home for the UFC, moving to Paramount+ once their current agreement with ESPN runs out.
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The deal with ESPN ends in 2025, after which all UFC Fight Nights and main cards will be available on Paramount+ for a subscription fee between $8 and $13. Some events will also air on CBS.
Since then, fans have been debating what this means for fighters and staff alike. One name that keeps coming up is commentator Joe Rogan, who many are wondering about now that the move is official.
Joe Rogan’s Role Unchanged by New UFC Broadcasting Agreement
Joe Rogan first joined the UFC in 1997 as an interviewer at UFC 12 before stepping into the commentary booth at UFC 37.5 in 2002. While he no longer covers every event, Rogan has stayed a consistent presence at most domestic pay-per-views.
With the move to Paramount and CBS, nothing appears to be changing. White addressed questions about Rogan’s status during a recent appearance on Pardon My Take, confirming that his role with the promotion will continue as usual.
The UFC CEO highlighted Rogan’s longstanding passion for MMA, saying that if time allowed, he’d still be calling every card.
“Everything is good for Joe Rogan,” White said. “Joe Rogan has no problems in life whatsoever. Joe Rogan was doing great before the deal; he’s going to do just fine after the deal.
“Listen, Joe Rogan isn’t here at the UFC because of the money. He did the first 12 events for free. Joe Rogan has a time problem; that’s the only thing Joe has.”
“If Joe didn’t have a time problem, he’d even be doing the Fight Nights. S—, he’d be at the Contender Series!”
Joe Rogan set to stay with UFC as Dana White confirms broadcast team stability
Joe Rogan has been part of the UFC for a long time, first stepping in as an interviewer at UFC 12 back in 1997 and later moving into commentary at UFC 37.5 in 2002. Although he’s not at every event these days, Rogan is still a familiar voice for fans, especially during major pay-per-view cards in the US.
That doesn’t appear likely to change anytime soon. During an appearance on Pardon My Take, Dana White made it clear that Rogan’s role isn’t being affected by the new Paramount deal.
The CEO went on to highlight how much Rogan cares about the sport and suggested that if his schedule allowed, he’d be even more involved.
“Everything is good for Joe Rogan,” White said. “Joe Rogan has no problems in life whatsoever. Joe Rogan was doing great before the deal; he’s going to do just fine after the deal.
“Listen, Joe Rogan isn’t here at the UFC because of the money. He did the first 12 events for free. Joe Rogan has a time problem; that’s the only thing Joe has.
“If Joe didn’t have a time problem, he’d even be doing the Fight Nights. S—, he’d be at the Contender Series!”
Georges St-Pierre voices concerns over Paramount deal impact on fighters
During that same interview, White explained why he feels confident that this is a good move for everyone involved – fighters, fans, and the organisation itself. But not everyone shares his optimism.
St-Pierre told Covers: “It could be good for the UFC as a promoter but terrible for fighters because when I was competing I was able to have a great argument to negotiate my contract.”
The former two-division champion pointed out that having fewer promotional responsibilities meant less leverage when it came to contract discussions.
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