Joe Rogan has given up on Conor McGregor ever stepping foot in the octagon again.
In a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience with former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, the two men debated what was in McGregor’s future. Topuria believed McGregor would lose to Paddy Pimblett. Rogan was of the opinion that we’d seen the last of “The Notorious” in the UFC, and it had to do with money, partying … and drugs.
“If I had to bet, no. No, I don’t think he comes back,” Rogan said. “Because he hasn’t come back yet, and he could have. If he really wanted to, he would have been back in the gym, had a fight scheduled, drug tested, clean, training, gone through a camp, and had a fight.”
McGregor is already 36, which is right around where fighters in lower weight classes statistically start to fall off a cliff. And it doesn’t help that the Mac is notorious for hard partying. During his recent civil rape trial, McGregor confirmed what many already suspected in that he was using cocaine.
“When you hear guys are doing coke, that one’s the worst, that’s the one that deteriorates you more than anything,” Rogan said. “That’s a scary one for fighters too because the thrill of cocaine is exciting for people who like exciting things. Fighters are adrenaline junkies that like to be pumped up.”
“Conor seems to enjoy it which is one of the things that makes me bet he probably won’t come back.”
During the podcast, Rogan suggested McGregor wasn’t even currently in the DFSI drug pool, which is backed up by the Irish sports star’s lack of testing in 2025 compared to 2024 when he was one of the most tested athletes on the UFC roster.
It all paints a picture of a man uninterested in serious competition, which is backed up by his willingness to box KSI … if the money is right. McGregor said greatness does not rush, but it probably should in combat sports.
“If he does come back, it’s gotta be now,” Rogan declared. “At 36 years old. Now.”
He had a broken toe before his fight against Chandler. I understand that. OK, why should you fight with a broken toe? Especially a guy who moves a lot like Conor, he relies on movement so much. Yeah, I get it. So heal that toe up. What’s that, two months? And so then you’re back in camp, and then you reschedule a fight, and then you fight again. But he didn’t.”
“Also partying, constant partying,” Rogan pointed out. “All these legal problems that he has, scooting around on yachts, and driving around in a Lamborghini. He’s wealthy. What’s really sad is if he comes back when he’s like 39 or 40 and his body just doesn’t have it anymore.”
Thanks @Arod_CTT
The irony of Rogan suggesting that drug use could hamper achievement and success.
In the FIGHT game
In all fairness Joe isn’t a prof athlete and isn’t doing blow on the regular.
This is just a dumb statement.
I don’t support Joe’s promotion of psychedelics and pot but this is apples and oranges.
I’m sure Conor will be calling Rogan a traitor and a rat here soon.
I’m sure Joe knew that before he said it and it made him enjoy saying it a little more lol
It’ll be something really weird and exotic like a hairy goat cock