The Joe Rogan ExperienceJRE MMA Show #110 with Craig Jones & Alex Volkanovski
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 1:20
Volkanovski returns (and Craig Jones joins): forgetting the last Vegas podcast
Joe kicks off with introductions and jokes about Volk’s hazy memory from their last Vegas episode. The trio settles into the tone of the show—MMA seriousness mixed with constant grappling banter.
- 1:20 – 2:41
Volk on Alex Jones + hype for the upcoming Who’s Number One event
Rogan asks Volk about appearing on the Alex Jones show and the chaos/fun of Jones’ personality. The conversation pivots to the upcoming grappling event, with talk of corners, personalities, and Danaher’s presence.
- 2:41 – 4:32
The Ultimate Fighter return: filming schedule, talent level, and what viewers can expect
Volk explains the TUF production schedule and what it’s like being part of the show’s return. They discuss how the overall MMA talent pipeline has improved over the years and how the new season emphasizes serious fighters.
- 4:32 – 7:28
Craig Jones as Volk’s grappling coach: sparring, OnlyFans-style training, and why Craig avoids MMA
Craig talks about joining Volk’s camp and experiencing MMA-style sessions, including wall work and striking. The segment also covers Craig’s reluctance to fight MMA due to brain injury concerns and the realities of striking.
- 7:28 – 19:17
Shadowbans, Instagram algorithms, and Craig’s pawn shop mistake with WWII/Nazi imagery
The conversation turns to social media reach, shadowbanning, and how hard it can be to tell what’s algorithm versus moderation. Craig explains how filming Nazi symbols in a pawn shop triggered reports and restrictions, leading into broader discussion of context-free censorship.
- 19:17 – 23:47
Volk’s COVID ordeal in fight camp: training while infected, pneumonia, and recovery timeline
Volkanovski details testing positive late in camp, unknowingly training hard while infected, and then deteriorating into pneumonia with alarming symptoms. Rogan connects the pattern to other fighters who got hit hardest while overtrained and depleted.
- 23:47 – 29:46
Craig’s vaccine side effects: swollen lymph nodes, fluid retention, and skipping the second dose
Craig describes severe post-vaccination side effects that disrupted training and forced a match withdrawal. They discuss uncertainty around second doses, competing schedules, and the difficulty of risk decisions without clear medical assurances.
- 29:46 – 49:44
Danaher’s “wizard” coaching and the leg-lock revolution (plus Palhares horror stories)
Rogan and Craig dive into Danaher’s influence, the rise of modern leg-lock systems, and how competitive rules shaped what athletes trained. The discussion includes infamous examples—Palhares’ dangerous finishes, stalling tactics, and why some grapplers refused to tap even during catastrophic breaks.
- 49:44 – 59:10
Camp mindset: tape study, evolving between fights, and building an eight-week fight blueprint
Volk explains how he separates learning phases from fight-specific camps, arguing that evolution happens between camps while camps themselves are narrowly targeted. The segment covers structured scheduling, high/low intensity planning, and training at the time-of-day you’ll fight.
- 59:10 – 1:32:14
Nutrition, recovery, and strength training philosophies—plus Volk’s pace as a weapon
They contrast Volk’s highly managed performance setup with Craig’s more chaotic grappler lifestyle. Rogan and Volk discuss strength as a skill (long rests, avoiding failure), why recovery enables harder high-intensity work, and how Volk trains to thrive in discomfort.
- 1:32:14 – 1:53:46
Mat hygiene and infections: staph, MRSA, antibiotics, and a brutal viral pink-eye story
The conversation gets dark and practical as they discuss how common serious infections are in grappling environments and the tradeoffs of treatment. Craig and Rogan share alarming stories, including repeated staph cycles, antibiotic impacts, and a viral conjunctivitis that permanently scarred an eye.
- 1:53:46 – 1:58:58
TUF dynamics and “pranks as strategy”: living with your future opponent for weeks
They unpack the strange psychology of coexisting with a future opponent during reality TV filming. Craig and Volk describe how pranks and small provocations can reveal triggers, fuel storyline conflict, and potentially translate into fight-week psychological edges.
- 1:58:58 – 2:23:51
Future ambitions and the bigger fight ecosystem: moving to lightweight, weight-class gaps, and other promotions
Volk discusses the long-term possibility of moving up in weight, but only after cementing featherweight legacy. Rogan critiques MMA’s large weight gaps, then broadens to the business landscape—Bellator, PFL, ONE—and how competition can benefit fighters financially.
- 2:23:51 – 2:57:14
Wear-and-tear realities: discs, neck tools, stem cells, and training limits over time
They shift to the long-term cost of combat sports—disc degeneration, neck injuries, and how aging changes what “hard training” can look like. Rogan and Volk discuss decompression tools, neck strengthening, replacement discs, and emerging stem-cell treatments abroad.
- 2:57:14 – 2:58:49
Closing plugs: Volk vs Ortega, Craig vs Luiz Panza, and Austin’s Who’s Number One
Rogan wraps by promoting Volk’s next title defense and Craig’s short-notice match filling in for Gordon Ryan. They plug Flow Grappling, social handles, and end with a final jab at Ortega for good measure.
