• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Michael Franzese revealed reason he hasn't appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast despite being 'most wanted guest'

Home> MMA> UFC> UFC News

Published 13:37 27 May 2025 GMT+1

Michael Franzese revealed reason he hasn't appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast despite being 'most wanted guest'

The former mobster has yet to appear on the Joe Rogan Experience despite fans' wishes.

Luke Davies

Luke Davies

Featured Image Credit: Michael Franzese YT

Topics: Joe Rogan, Donald Trump, UFC

Luke Davies
Luke Davies

Journalist with expertise covering football - both in England and abroad - as well as combat sports.

X

@lukedaviesmedia

Advert

Advert

Advert

Former mobster Michael Franzese is widely regarded as Joe Rogan’s ‘most requested guest’ but has yet to appear on his podcast – but he has already given his reasons why it hasn't happened.

Rogan, 57, hosts the world’s most-listened-to podcast, the ‘Joe Rogan Experience’. In over 2,000 official episodes, the UFC commentator and comedian has shared countless hours of conversation with some of the most famous people on the planet.

From U.S President Donald Trump to billionaire Elon Musk, Rogan has welcomed guests from all industries, professions and walks of life onto his show, but not Franzese despite being inundated with requests.

Advert

During a 2020 episode, Rogan delved into the life of crime boss Franzese, who was born into the Italian-American Colombo family in New York City and introduced to the mob through his father, Sonny - also a crime boss.

Rogan said: “He's a motivational speaker now? He sounds like a f***** hustle. I saw him being interviewed recently. Wait a minute, they contacted me! Really recently, I got a request to have him on."

He added: “I don't know if I want him to know where we are.”

Michael, now 74, has been in and out of prison for much of his life. In 1986, he “pleaded guilty... to Federal racketeering and tax conspiracy charges”, as reported by The New York Times. The 74-year-old served around three years of his ten-year sentence before being released in 1989.

These days, he is a motivational speaker and has appeared on several popular podcasts, apart from Rogan’s.

Advert

Michael has claimed he was making upwards of “$10m per week” over seven years by collecting gasoline taxes using shell companies based in Panama. Once enforcement agents attempted to collect the tax from the dummy company, it declared bankruptcy.

“I think there was there was some others doing it, but we mastered it,” Franzese told the Metro in 2024.

“I would say we had the system that was really impenetrable at the time, because the Government couldn’t figure it out.

“Next to Prohibition, that gas tax scheme was the biggest deal we ever had because we’re bringing in millions a week.”

Advert

Former mob boss Michael Franzese (Credit:Getty)
Former mob boss Michael Franzese (Credit:Getty)

The Colombo crime family were and still are one of the most well-known organised crime gangs in the world and attract interest from around the world.

So, the question remains, why hasn’t Michael appeared on Rogan’s podcast?

Well, he gave a simple reason when speaking on his show several years ago.

Advert

Franzese said: "Everybody's telling me 'Mike, Joe Rogan mentioned you on his show, he spoke about you for five or six minutes'.

"I haven't seen it, but I heard he had a graphic up about me, was reading things about me, him and his guest for a couple of minutes.

"Everybody is saying, 'Mike, you've got to get on Joe Rogan'. Hey, it's not up to me to go to him; if he would like to invite me, I'd be happy to go.

"He is the number one guy, no doubt about it. In podcasts, he does a brilliant job."

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
18 hours ago
20 hours ago
2 days ago
  • 3 hours ago

    Derrick Lewis stuns UFC fans with comment to his wife seconds after beating Tallison Teixeira in 35 seconds

    Lewis took his professional record to 29-12 with victory over Teixeira.

    MMA
  • 18 hours ago

    Ben Askren reveals heartbreaking journal entry as former UFC star provides new health update following lung transplant

    The ex-UFC star has given an update on his health.

    MMA
  • 20 hours ago

    Hollywood star reveals details of 'mysterious' contract Joe Rogan makes all of his podcast guests sign to appear on show

    The UFC color commentator has a unique clause which those who appear on his podcast must abide by.

    MMA
  • 2 days ago

    Dana White leaks strict rules for 'crazy' UFC White House event as US Secret Service demands revealed

    Dana White revealed how the proposed UFC White House event will go down.

    MMA
  • Joe Rogan's 'most hated' podcast guest stunned fans after 'relieving himself' midway through episode
  • Joe Rogan's staggering earnings from podcast revealed as guest confirms how much people are paid for appearing on show
  • Wife of Joe Rogan podcast guest warned him about UFC legend before he appeared on show
  • Over 100 episodes of Joe Rogan's podcast are not available to view anywhere including highly-controversial guests