Joe Rogan calls UFC show-win pay model 'bullsh*t' in blunt podcast criticism

Joe Rogan used a recent episode of his podcast to deliver his sharpest public criticism yet of the UFC’s show-win payment model, telling former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling that tying a fighter’s pay to the outcome is fundamentally unfair.

Under the UFC’s standard structure, fighters receive a guaranteed purse for competing and typically double their earnings with a victory, though individual contracts vary considerably based on a fighter’s status and tenure. Rogan has long taken issue with the system, but his latest comments were unusually direct.

“That is the most bullsht part of the UFC, you get both your paychecks [only if you win],” Rogan said. “Fck off. F*ck off with that. I hate it. That drives me nuts.”

The veteran commentator’s core argument is that the win bonus fails as an incentive because elite fighters are already competing at maximum effort regardless of financial structure. He also pointed to the role that factors outside a fighter’s control — such as judging decisions — can play in determining whether they take home the full purse.

“There’s no one who’s fighting harder because you think you’re going to get a win bonus,” Rogan said. “You’re fighting as hard as you possibly can. At the highest level, you’re not incentivizing people to fight harder; you’re just giving too much of their career, too much of their future, too much of their actual ‘How are they going to feed their family?’ to the whims of people that sometimes get it wrong.”

Rogan’s preferred alternative is straightforward: fighters should be paid a single, larger guaranteed figure with no portion contingent on the result. “It should be you get paid what you get paid,” he added.

Fighter pay has been a persistent flashpoint in MMA, with critics arguing that the UFC’s model leaves athletes — particularly those lower on the card — financially exposed to outcomes that do not always reflect performance. Rogan’s comments carry unusual weight given his position as the promotion’s most prominent broadcast voice, making his public dissent on the issue notable.