Joe Rogan has a bone to pick with the UFC. On a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the longtime UFC commentator ripped into their decision to back slap-fighting. He’s got a better idea. Rogan wants the UFC to add kickboxing with MMA gloves in a cage.
Rogan Blasts Slap-Fighting
Rogan didn’t hold back.
“I think the UFC fked up when they went with slap-fighting. I’ve been telling them forever, ‘You guys should get into kickboxing.’ If you only like stand-up fights, it’s not like the old days of kickboxing where they were boring… The knockouts are fking crazy… Kickboxing with MMA gloves in a cage would be giant. It’d would be dope. Just have a striking-only segment of the UFC,” he said on his podcast.
He’s been pushing this for years. Slap-fighting, to him, was a swing and a miss.
Why Slap-Fighting Flopped
The UFC dove into slap-fighting in 2022 with Dana White’s Power Slap League. It’s two guys smacking each other until someone drops. Rogan’s not impressed. The league kicked off with big hype, but viewership tanked fast. Posts on X show fans calling it brutal but dull. Rogan thinks it’s a waste when kickboxing could deliver real action.
Rogan’s all about stand-up fights. He says modern kickboxing isn’t the slow stuff from decades ago. Today’s stars, like Alex Pereira from the UFC, bring knockouts that light up crowds. Pereira’s kickboxing record sits at 33-7, with 21 stoppages, per Glory Kickboxing stats. Rogan wants that energy in a UFC cage, not just fists like boxing or slaps.
Reiley made his mark in his return at #PowerSlap12 😳
[ B2YB @WOLFpaktrust ] pic.twitter.com/lbooXfyJKI
— Power Slap (@powerslap) March 22, 2025
MMA Gloves Make It Wild
Here’s his twist. Rogan pitches kickboxing with four-ounce MMA gloves instead of the big padded ones from old-school rules. Those small gloves mean harder hits and faster finishes. In a cage, it’d be tight and intense, unlike open-ring setups. He sees it as a fresh UFC segment, pure striking with no grappling.
Rogan’s been at this for a while. He’s called UFC fights since 1997 and knows what clicks. The UFC has boxing roots with stars like Conor McGregor, but kickboxing never got a shot. Slap-fighting launched with White’s backing, even airing on TBS in 2023. It didn’t stick. Rogan’s saying they picked the wrong horse.
Imagine a UFC Kickboxing Night. Fighters like Israel Adesanya, who’s 13-2 in pro kickboxing, could shine. Rogan thinks knockouts would pile up, drawing eyes. The UFC’s got the cage and gloves ready. It’s not about replacing MMA, just adding a striking-only slice. He’s betting it’d outdo slap-fighting by miles.
Why Rogan’s Pushing
Rogan loves combat sports. His podcast pulls millions, giving him a loud voice. He’s seen kickboxing’s rise with groups like ONE Championship, where Rodtang Jitmuangnon racks up viral KOs. The UFC could tap that wave. Slap-fighting’s stumble proves Rogan’s point. He wants the UFC to lead, not follow.
