The Joe Rogan ExperienceJRE MMA Show #39 with Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone
CHAPTERS
- 0:02 – 2:58
Catching up: weight class plans, UFC PI testing, and the sudden Mike Perry matchup
Joe and Cowboy open with beers and immediately jump into what brought Cerrone back on the show: a messy series of matchmaking changes while he was trying to return to 155. Cowboy recounts UFC Performance Institute testing, Dana’s concerns about the weight cut, and how the Perry fight materialized amid short-notice reshuffles.
- 2:58 – 8:19
The Jackson-Wink split: why Cowboy says he was pushed out over money and loyalty
The conversation turns to the main controversy: why Cowboy is no longer welcome at Jackson Wink despite over a decade with the team. Cerrone alleges that Winkeljohn chose to corner and keep Mike Perry (a newer gym member) because it meant getting paid, while Cowboy only paid Greg Jackson directly.
- 8:19 – 16:51
“Puppy mill” gym culture: open-door sparring, unsafe intensity, and coaching quality complaints
Cerrone expands his critique of Jackson Wink’s current environment, saying it has shifted from elite, controlled pro training to an open, chaotic system. He argues uncontrolled sparring and inconsistent coaching hurt fighters and raise injury risk, contrasting it with boxing’s more curated sparring culture.
- 16:51 – 17:42
BMF Ranch training setup: building his own camp, needing direction, and living rural New Mexico
Cowboy explains why he created the BMF Ranch: he needed a controlled environment, better structure, and a safer training pipeline. He also describes the logistics of Greg Jackson coming out to the ranch and why Cowboy prefers rural living despite joking he’s ‘stuck’ there now.
- 17:42 – 21:48
Ranch life, wildlife talk, and the Copenhagen chew lesson
The tone lightens as they riff on living outdoors—antelope behavior, hunting, and the animals around Cowboy’s property. Cowboy also gets Rogan to try Copenhagen again, turning into a running gag about placement, spitting, and not swallowing it.
- 21:48 – 29:12
Loyalty lessons from family and the emotional fallout from the gym situation
Cerrone reflects on how his grandparents shaped his values—especially loyalty and respect—and how that informs his reaction to Jackson Wink. He shares advice from his grandmother about not burning bridges, then admits she encouraged him to stand his ground this time.
- 29:12 – 34:33
Vegas, Monster conference, and Cowboy’s surprise breakdancing battle
After a brief detour into Vegas nightlife and gambling, Cowboy tells a story from a Monster conference where he ended up breakdancing—while wearing cowboy boots—against another guy. They segue into how breakdancing athleticism translates to grappling and modern athletic evolution.
- 34:33 – 35:28
Social media negativity and why online criticism gets under Cowboy’s skin
Cerrone admits online trash talk bothers him more than it should, comparing it to confronting someone in a parking lot. Joe advises ignoring it and frames social-media cruelty as fear-driven ‘loser behavior,’ connecting it to lack of adversity and emotional fragility.
- 35:28 – 52:48
Cowboy’s first psychedelic: Aubrey Marcus DMT ceremony and the vivid two-trip experience
Cowboy recounts his first and only DMT session, done ceremonially with music, chanting, and intention-setting. He describes intense visuals, out-of-body perspectives, and a second hit that produced a ‘sideways’ keyhole experience—leaving him wanting to do it again and leading into mushrooms.
- 52:48 – 1:03:48
Parenthood and competitiveness: raising ‘Danger’ and rejecting participation-trophy culture
The conversation pivots to Cowboy’s newborn son and his excitement to raise a tough, adventurous kid. Cerrone rails against participation ribbons and overprotective parenting, while Joe argues kids need adversity and real consequences to build resilience.
- 1:03:48 – 1:08:09
The ‘high’ of fighting and the fantasy of future medicine that erases permanent damage
Joe and Cowboy discuss the unique rush of winning fights—especially KOs—and the cycle of fear, relief, and euphoria. They imagine a future where medical tech could fully repair injuries, changing the nature of combat sports, and reference brutal armbar moments as examples.
- 1:08:09 – 1:26:08
Near-death cave dive in Cozumel: panic, silt-out blackout, and finding the crack to escape
Cowboy delivers a long, detailed story about almost dying cave diving when a partner panicked and silted out the cave, eliminating visibility and threatening their exit route. He explains cave-diving protocols (thirds rule, lines, cookies) and how he fought his own panic, rationed air, and ultimately escaped by crawling along the ceiling to a crack leading out.
- 1:26:08 – 1:36:46
What’s next: Cowboy Fight Series on Fight Pass, film work with Denzel, and adrenaline hobbies (racing & mounted shooting)
After the cave story, Cerrone outlines his plans beyond fighting: launching an amateur promotion to develop talent, continuing stunt/fight choreography work in movies, and chasing new adrenaline outlets. He talks about racing the Chili Bowl with minimal practice and competing in mounted shooting with single-action revolvers firing blanks.
- 1:36:46 – 2:35:08
Time travel, pirates, Mayans, flat-earth tangents, and dinosaur evidence debates
The show closes in classic Rogan fashion with wide-ranging speculation: which era to visit via time travel, why the present might be the best time to live, and a comedic dive into pirates, Mongols, and ancient civilizations. They riff on flat-earth arguments, conspiracy thinking, and then land on tangible dinosaur evidence like trackways near Red Rocks and fossil finds.
