Comic who worked with Joe Rogan on TV show reveals surprise admission he made about the UFC

One of Joe Rogan’s former colleagues has claimed the podcaster made a surprising admission about the UFC.

Rogan, 57, is well known for his exploits as a UFC commentator, podcaster and for being a popular comedian.

However, back in the 1990s, he worked on a sitcom called ‘NewsRadio’ alongside his fellow comic Jon Lovitz.

Of course, this was decades before he founded the world’s most popular podcast, the 'Joe Rogan Experience’.

Back then, the American was a budding actor who played Joe Garrelli in the sitcom, which aired for five seasons between 1995 and 1999.

During this period, Rogan had also begun work as a back-stage interviewer for the UFC.

And Lovitz, 67, recalled his interest in MMA before it became a mainstream sport.

"And so he [Joe Rogan] started doing his podcast, and I think around the same time he started doing the UFC,” Lovitz told FOX.

“And I ran into him, I say, ‘That was so smart of you to do the UFC'.

"And he goes, ‘No, I just’ – the UFC wasn't huge when he started doing his podcast – he goes, ‘I just did it, and then it kinda happened.’"

Although he has now reaped the rewards of his relentless hard work, Rogan even worked for free in the early days of the UFC.

Joe Rogan has worked for the UFC since 1997 (Credit:Getty)

The company’s president, Dana White, once revealed how Rogan did his first 15 events without receiving a single penny for his efforts.

“We [White and Rogan] talk all the time,” White explained to Barstool in 2020.

“Rogan and I, since day one, have an incredible relationship. We care about each other, we respect each other.

“When I wanted Rogan to come and commentate, I reached out to him… Rogan did the first fifteen for free. He didn’t want the pay."

The New Jersey native first worked for the MMA promotion on February 7, 1997 at UFC 12: Judgement Day in Dothan, Alabama.

“He gets paid now…” White added.

“But you wouldn’t tell the difference from when Rogan was doing it for free from when Rogan is being paid sh**loads of money to do it.

“Because Rogan doesn’t do it for the money. Rogan does it because it’s his passion. That’s what he loves to do.”