“They can push harder” - Joe Rogan shares interesting take on why most “elite MMA fighters” come from tough backgrounds

On the latest episode of the Joe Rogan Podcast the UFC commentator and host of the show, Joe Rogan, shared an eye-opening take on the top MMA fighters.

Rogan was discussing how AI could solve all our problems with his guest chemical pharmacologist and neurobiologist Andrew Gallimore. However, Rogan believed that there would be some opposition to letting everything be controlled by AI before discussing how the best motivation comes from adversity.

Rogan claimed that poverty was a great motivator but for MMA fighters, it was having a tough childhood.

“Like what is the best motivation for success? I think it's poverty. People that grow up poor have an extra gear, they get things done like as terms of like athletes, certainly in terms of fighters, I would I would say the vast majority of elite MMA fighters had a bad childhood, not all of them.”

While the podcaster admitted that some MMA fighters have great backgrounds and supportive families, more often than not, the ones who were roughed up in their childhood became great.

“The common one is someone who was beaten up a lot as a child, gangs, beaten into gangs, like been around violence a lot, had older brother, maybe abusive fathers. That's a big one. And those people, because of that, have a motivation to do something. that other people don't. They can push harder. They can solve complex combat sports problems that other people don't solve as quickly.”

Check out Joe Rogan's comments from 1:20:40

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Joe Rogan’s intense MMA training

Rogan might have made a name for himself via his podcast, standup comedies or TV shows, apart from his UFC role, but he is also an expert in martial arts.

The American has spoken about his love for MMA previously and in an old episode of the podcast highlighted how hard he would train when he was young.

Rogan was speaking to ex-Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich in episode 2245 and brought up his MMA training days.

“Hours. The whole day. It was all day. The moment I would get home from school, I would eat something...and then I would get on the t [a public transport] and head out and train”

Rogan also fought a few times in kickboxing, but ultimately gave it up after finding no money in the sport. He also was dealing with health issues from sparring and stopped participating in combat sports.