Joe Rogan says ‘subconcussive’ head trauma is the reason so many pro fighters turn to drug use

Joe Rogan explained that he believes a lot of fighters turn to drugs like cocaine late in their careers to deal with head trauma they’ve suffered.

Rogan was assessing former UFC champion Conor McGregor’s recent court case, which ended in him facing civil charges over an alleged sexual assault, where the fighter’s cocaine use was addressed.

“That guy’s partying, and he’s partying real hard,” Rogan said about McGregor.

Rogan continued, saying the Irishman has likely sustained significant amounts of brain damage over the course of his career due to being beaten up and knocked out, or even by just training with elite fighters.

‘You’re not supposed to get punched in the head 1,000 times a year.’

“You’re getting hit in the head, a lot,” the comedian said on his podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience.”

“A lot of fighters, especially toward the ends of their careers, turn to drugs,” Rogan went on, likely pulling from firsthand knowledge as a UFC commentator.

Rogan described the likelihood of a “constant state of discomfort” veteran fighters live with, due to disrupted dopamine and cortisol levels.

“You’re not supposed to get punched in the head 1,000 times a year. It’s just not supposed to happen, and that’s the reality of consistent training.”

A former martial artist himself, Rogan broke down the sheer number of strikes to the head a professional fighter is likely putting himself through over the course of a career:

Spar five rounds, three times a week, five rounds of five minutes each. You might hit me 15-20 times a round, and then we’re doing that three times a week and we’re doing that over and over again … you’re gonna get brain damage. Fact! No ifs, ands, or buts about it, you’re going to get brain damage.”

The reality of head trauma got a bit more scary when Rogan explained what he has learned from experts in traumatic brain injuries.

Rogan described “subconcussive trauma” in soccer that is resulting in long-term brain trauma for athletes in that sport. Rogan also claimed that people who ride jet skis consistently can suffer from brain trauma, as well.

Whether the listener believes Rogan or not, there exist studies on the matter that are worth a look.

“A little bit of coke and you’re feeling good again, I bet you get addicted to it,” Rogan said about fighters with the injuries.

The 57-year-old concluded by saying some of the best fighters are also thrill-seekers, meaning cocaine fits in with their personality.

“They’re wild people. They want to fight in a cage for a living.”

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