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.
- •Volk jokes about not remembering the previous Vegas podcast
- •Rogan’s take on how conversations blur together after recording
- •Craig Jones introduced as elite grappler and frequent troublemaker
- •Early setup for cross-talk between MMA and jiu-jitsu worlds
- 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.
- •Volk describes Alex Jones as even funnier in person
- •Idea of Alex Jones appearing at the grappling event (and cornering)
- •Rogan jokes about clashing personalities (Alex Jones vs Danaher)
- •Danaher travel/podcast timing and Gordon Ryan’s health mentioned
- 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.
- •TUF filmed ~4.5 weeks; expected 12–13 episodes on ESPN
- •Volk praises the fighters’ skill level and professionalism
- •Rogan notes modern prospects show higher fight IQ and smoother transitions
- •Discussion of how knowledge-sharing and big gyms raised the baseline level
- 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.
- •Craig describes TUF/camp grappling level as high and fun
- •Kickboxing session recap: Craig gets pressured, Volk gets ‘rules’ revenge
- •Craig explains why MMA (TBI risk) isn’t worth it to him
- •Gabi Garcia jokingly raised as a ‘fair’ MMA matchup scenario
- 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.
- •Volk suspects shadowban; Rogan tests Instagram search live
- •Rogan’s skepticism: many people think they’re shadowbanned due to metrics
- •Craig explains being flagged for showing Nazi symbols despite museum-like context
- •Debate over whether banning symbols gives them more ‘power’
- •Swastika history: Buddhist/Hindu origins vs Nazi association and symbol direction
- 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.
- •Volk likely had COVID while doing back-to-back high-load sessions
- •Symptoms escalated after positive test; headaches, then pneumonia, coughing blood
- •Hospital treatment included IV support and dexamethasone with rapid improvement
- •Rogan compares it to other fighters’ experiences (e.g., Garbrandt) where camp load worsened outcomes
- •Discussion of how camp structure and recovery spacing normally works
- 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.
- •Craig had fever/exhaustion plus unusual swelling and ‘pregnant stomach’ fluid retention
- •Missed ~7 days of training; symptoms resolved gradually without drainage
- •Craig opted out of the second shot due to training/competition concerns
- •Rogan discusses reports about stronger reactions in previously-infected individuals
- •Team comparison: others vaccinated had typical short-term side effects
- 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.
- •Danaher’s obsessive detail and innovation: borrowing from other sports/eras via tape study
- •Leg locks surged around 2015; EBI and no-gi platforms helped popularize heel hooks
- •Palhares: holding submissions too long, controversial restarts, and rule-skirt behavior
- •Craig’s match anecdotes: weight issues, stalling penalties, and tactical non-engagement
- •Examples of extreme ‘no-tap’ culture: broken legs/ego, long-term damage vs pride
- 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.
- •Between-camp period used for skill expansion; camp used for opponent-specific structure
- •Eight-week camps mapped day-by-day with recovery baked in
- •Training aligned to fight-time (Australia vs U.S. broadcast timing)
- •Volk’s view: professionals must avoid ‘yes-men’ and embrace hard sessions
- •How strategic drilling differs from conditioning and sparring priorities
- 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.
- •Volk credits nutritionists/S&C staff for better recovery and fewer chronic issues
- •Rogan discusses Pavel-style strength training: long rests, never to failure
- •Volk explains alactic/power sessions where full recovery preserves 100% output
- •Pace and endurance as a competitive separator; training to remove ‘uncomfortable’ surprises
- •Craig admits minimal warmups/stretching and the long-term injury risk tradeoff
- 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.
- •Staph as a major risk in grappling; need for prevention and gym education
- •Rogan recommends Defense Soap; probiotics discussed for skin/gut health
- •Craig describes staph nearly monthly during the ‘blue basement’ NYC period; improved after Puerto Rico move
- •Severe cases and deaths: contact lens on mat leading to brain infection
- •Viral ‘pink eye’/EKC story: long recovery, eye scarring, high contagiousness in gyms
- 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.
- •Volk describes adjusting 24/7 and reading Ortega’s personality during TUF
- •Craig recounts prank escalation and near-disciplinary consequences
- •COVID-testing logistics on set become prank territory (the infamous swab photo)
- •Rogan on entertainment economics: conflict increases interest and pay-per-view value
- •McGregor/Aldo cited as the archetype of psychological warfare done well
- 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.
- •Volk considers eventual move to lightweight after further featherweight defenses
- •Rogan argues UFC has too few divisions; cites large gaps (205–265, etc.)
- •Discussion of heavyweight size reality (Ngannou as a unique physical outlier)
- •Bellator pay as leverage: examples of fighters earning more after switching promotions
- •Why having multiple thriving organizations strengthens the sport overall
- 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.
- •Rogan’s disc issues and why spine injuries are uniquely limiting and scary
- •Examples of athletes with disc replacements (Eddie Bravo, Weidman, Sterling)
- •Volk’s neck stingers and cortisone shot; MRI shows expected ‘ugly’ wear from sport
- •Iron Neck and other decompression devices; Teeter inversion/decompression gear
- •Stem cell clinics in Panama/Colombia and anecdotal recovery stories
- 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.
- •Rogan previews Volk vs Ortega and expresses excitement for the matchup
- •Craig confirms he’s facing Luiz Panza as Gordon’s replacement
- •FlowGrappling/Who’s Number One promoted as a recurring high-level event in Austin
- •Instagram handles shared: @alexvolkanovski and Craig Jones BJJ
- •Volk ends with playful trash talk toward Ortega
