The Joe Rogan ExperienceJRE MMA Show #15 with Brendan Schaub
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 0:58
Live show teases & Joey Diaz as Yoel Romero translator
Brendan hints at doing a live show with Joey Diaz in New York, but stays vague on details. Joe pivots into a plan for a podcast featuring Yoel Romero, with Diaz helping translate if Romero switches into Spanish.
- 0:58 – 2:06
Romero’s intensity, ‘Stoolgate,’ and fight corner gamesmanship
They riff on how terrifying Romero is: calm until sudden explosion. This leads into the Tim Kennedy fight controversy and broader discussion of corner tactics and ‘dirty’ but common fight-night tricks.
- 2:06 – 4:05
Matt Brown’s ‘died and came back’ story & training in Cuba
Joe recounts his recent podcast with Matt Brown, including Brown’s near-death experience and unbreakable mindset. They then dive into Brown’s unusual decision to spend weeks training in Cuba—boxing and wrestling with Cuban athletes.
- 4:05 – 5:24
What elite grappling strength feels like (Maia, Shields, Askren)
The conversation shifts into the lived experience of high-level jiu-jitsu and wrestling strength—how it differs from gym strength. Demian Maia’s constricting style becomes the centerpiece, with comparisons to Shields, Askren, and others.
- 5:24 – 7:02
RDA at 170, Whittaker praise, and fixing weight cutting with hydration testing
Joe and Brendan react to Rafael dos Anjos looking stronger and healthier at welterweight, surprising them against Neil Magny. They connect this to Robert Whittaker’s success after moving up and propose hydration-based weigh-ins (ONE FC style) to reduce dangerous cuts.
- 7:02 – 10:24
Ben Askren’s marketability problem & why ‘best vs best’ matters
Brendan argues Askren could beat elite UFC talent and is a missed opportunity, while Joe agrees he’s underappreciated. They debate promotion vs purist matchmaking and the entertainment value of brawls versus technical longevity.
- 10:24 – 15:06
Luke Rockhold’s swagger, camp changes, and Romero stoppage debate
They unpack Rockhold’s skill ceiling versus recent performances, focusing on lost swagger and tactical choices against Romero. The discussion includes coaching environment differences, Rockhold’s vulnerability to left hands, and whether the stoppage timing was fair in real time.
- 15:06 – 20:00
Frankie Edgar’s durability, concussions, and Brian Ortega’s submission danger
Joe highlights Frankie Edgar’s unbelievable recoveries (especially vs Gray Maynard), while Brendan recounts Edgar downplaying concussion signs. They then pivot to Brian Ortega’s elite jiu-jitsu, especially his triangles and guillotines, and why Ortega is uniquely dangerous even if taken down is hard.
- 20:00 – 23:16
Khabib vs Tony: pressure wrestling vs chaos jiu-jitsu from the back
They describe Khabib’s freight-train pressure and psychological toll on opponents, then frame Tony Ferguson as the rare stylistic counter. The key debate is how judging and optics might treat Tony’s offense from guard, and how five rounds could change the fight dynamic.
- 23:16 – 32:13
Stipe vs DC as a true heavyweight superfight (and the Jon Jones shadow)
Brendan calls Stipe–DC a legitimate superfight and they analyze DC’s wrestling leverage versus Stipe’s size and knockout ability. Jon Jones’ dominance over DC becomes a recurring reference point, including discussion of Jones’ talent, turmoil, and PED controversy narratives.
- 32:13 – 1:00:26
Heavyweight ecosystem: Francis’ wrestling gaps, Blaydes vs Hunt, and Cain’s endless storm
They argue about Francis Ngannou’s wrestling defense and how elite grapplers could exploit him. The talk expands to Curtis Blaydes’ smart wrestling choices against Mark Hunt, and then to Cain Velasquez’s famously relentless pace as the model for inescapable pressure.
- 1:00:26 – 1:10:13
MMA circus hypotheticals: Sage, CM Punk, Floyd in MMA, and absurd betting odds
The show turns comedic as they mock promotional pushes (Sage Northcutt) and debate CM Punk’s UFC jump as irresponsible. They spiral into wild crossover talk—Floyd in MMA, Floyd vs CM Punk—alongside incredulous reactions to posted betting odds and how money drives ‘spectacle’ fights.
- 1:10:13 – 1:13:32
Legendary kicks: Pedro Rizzo, Barboza, and heavyweight leg-kick rarity
They reminisce about terrifying leg-kick power, with Rogan describing Pedro Rizzo as the hardest bag-kicker he’s ever seen. The discussion compares modern kickers like Barboza and Overeem and why heavyweights who kick at that elite level are rare.
- 1:13:32 – 1:37:17
Woodley’s next move: RDA vs Nate Diaz, promotion politics, and distraction vs focus
They close by analyzing Tyron Woodley’s career positioning after low-action matchups (Maia and Wonderboy) and his need for a fan-pleasing fight. The discussion includes Dana White tensions, the realities of negotiating power, and the tradeoff between building media ventures and staying locked in for elite competition.
- 1:37:17 – 2:50:17
Flat Earth, confirmation bias, Bigfoot skepticism, and Gigantopithecus lore
The conversation veers into belief systems: flat earth fundraising, simulation talk, and Joe’s warning about confirmation bias. Rogan recounts his former Bigfoot belief, what he learned meeting ‘experts,’ and the scientific hook—Gigantopithecus and migration lore that may have seeded Sasquatch folklore.
