Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, now fighting at light heavyweight, talks shop with Joe Rogan for almost three hours: Khamzat vs. Dricus, weight cuts and natural weight classes, why too much cardio can wreck skill work, training in the gi, Anderson Silva’s flying knee on Bisping, lightning-strike videos, and Australia’s crocodiles and spiders.
Chapters
- 1:00 Six kids, a mortgage and a new supplement line with Musashi, then Jared Cannonier as an outlier at 42.
- 14:00 Paulo Costa looking better at light heavyweight, and flipping wheel kicks that land like a cat.
- 22:00 Manny Pacquiao playing pool and chess at the same time between sparring.
- 28:00 The real damage in pro wrestling, and talent versus hard work.
- 34:00 Khamzat Chimaev’s grappling against Dricus du Plessis, and Roman Kopylov’s first-round stoppage after a big weight cut.
- 50:00 Merab’s endless cardio, Robbie Lawler’s early fights and B.J. Penn, and why title fights need controlled conditions.
- 58:40 Fighters who skip water in training, from Gaethje to Marvin Hagler and Carlos Condit.
- 1:04:00 “The garage,” Rob’s training base, and why exhausting yourself before skill work is a mistake.
- 1:12:00 Why Rob trains in the gi, Demian Maia and Eddie Bravo, Craig Jones, and something Rickson Gracie once told Joe.
- 1:30:00 Lightning-strike videos, including one man hit more than once.
- 1:40:00 Finding his weight class at middleweight, natural divisions, Anderson Silva’s flying knee on Michael Bisping, and Michael “Venom” Page.
- 2:32:00 Recovery tech, Rob’s Ascend Fitness app, Australian wildlife, and his MMArcade podcast.
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People
On this episode
Joe Rogan
The Comedian List · Wikipedia · The Celeb List · Best Movies & TV Shows
Host and UFC commentator. Talks his own archery tendonitis and recovery routine. 1:26:00
Robert Whittaker
The Celeb List · Wikipedia · Official site
Discussed for: Musashi Reaper range — Amazon
Former UFC middleweight champion, now at light heavyweight. Runs the Ascend Fitness by Rob app and co-hosts the MMArcade podcast. 2:32:20
People mentioned
Jared Cannonier
One of the true outliers in the sport, still elite in his 40s. 2:00
Paulo Costa
Looks like he should have been a light heavyweight all along. 14:00
Manny Pacquiao
Ran pool and chess games at once at his gym. 22:00
Khamzat Chimaev
His wrestling against Dricus is Rob’s example of a huge grappling gap. 34:00
Dricus du Plessis
Held down for most of that title fight. 34:00
Roman Kopylov
Has good hands; stopped an opponent who cut from 231 to 185. 40:00
Craig Jones
“A freak” who loves the game of jiu-jitsu. 1:18:00
Rickson Gracie
Joe recalls his best conversation with him, and his glacier-river cold plunges. 1:20:00
Anderson Silva
Hit Michael Bisping with a flying knee and gassed himself chasing the finish. 1:50:00
Michael Bisping
Survived that knee and once memorized an eye chart to pass a medical. 1:50:00
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Products
Musashi Reaper range — Rob’s supplement line with Musashi. Amazon 1:20
Concept2 RowErg — One of the machines Rob says camps overuse for cardio. Amazon 1:10:00
Concept2 SkiErg — “Too many ski ergs” in fight camps. Amazon 1:10:00
Ascend Fitness by Rob — Rob’s training and sports-science app. Official site 2:32:20
MMArcade — Rob’s podcast about fights and video games. YouTube 2:45:40
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Discussed on the show
Places
Las Vegas — Home of RAF 14 on Oct 23. Wikipedia 58:00
Japan — Where Rickson Gracie fought Vale Tudo after cold plunges in glacial rivers. Wikipedia 1:21:20
Australia — Crocodiles, spiders and a friend’s recent bite. Wikipedia 2:40:00
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Ads
- DraftKings (19:00) — dkng.co/rogan · code ROGAN · spend $5, get $200 in bonuses (new customers; gambling problem? call 1-800-GAMBLER).
- RAF on Fox Nation (57:20) — foxnation.com/raf · RAF 14 live from Las Vegas, Friday Oct 23, 9 PM ET.
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