Joe Rogan Defends UFC White House Event
On a recent episode of his podcast, Joe Rogan responded to critics of the UFC event held at the White House, describing it as a unique, nonpartisan occasion that was quite patriotic.
President Donald Trump marked his 80th birthday on the South Lawn, celebrating ahead of America’s 250th anniversary, while 14 fighters from around the globe competed in the UFC Freedom 250 event.
Approximately 4,300 people attended, including around 1,200 active-duty military members, who cheered for the president with enthusiastic applause and sporadic “Happy Birthday” chants.
The event, costing about $60 million, kicked off with a rendition of the national anthem by country singer Zac Brown performed by Marines and ended with a spectacular flyover by the Navy’s Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds.
Rogan, in conversation with author Chase Hughes, reminisced about an extraordinary fight he witnessed over the weekend. He mentioned that beyond the official attendees, an additional 85,000 fans were watching on a large screen set up outside the venue.
“It was insane. Just the size of it was insane,” Rogan noted. Though he tends to be hyperbolic, he insisted, “That was the wildest experience I’ve had in my 20 years in martial arts. Nothing else comes close. It was the greatest fight night of all time, and it was the only time in the history of this sport where each fight ended in a knockout.”
He remarked that he had to persuade several friends to attend, saying, “I thought, ‘You have to come. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event. It probably won’t happen again.’”
Hughes nodded in agreement, adding, “Probably not.”
Rogan further expressed frustration with how some folks were reacting, suggesting they were turning the event into a partisan issue. “There’s a sense of anger directed at people who attended, as if it’s about supporting Trump or something. It feels like there’s a conflict brewing in the White House. Just let it be,” he urged.
He emphasized that both sides need to take a step back, commenting, “The right sees this as a triumph of masculinity and patriotism, but let’s all just calm down. We’re supposed to be united.”
