Last month, MMA fans witnessed an unexpected clash between two generations of fighters when UFC veteran Quinton “Rampage” Jackson hosted 32-year-old welterweight Kevin Holland on his JAXXON Podcast. Initially, Holland was there to promote his UFC 311 fight against former ONE Championship standout Reinier de Ridder. However, the conversation soon took a sharp turn when he made a bold and disrespectful remark toward ‘Rampage’: “I don’t give a f–k about the fight on Saturday. That sounds good. Sometimes, people don’t know what they want. You [directed to Quinton] don’t want to fight me.”
As time passed, the controversy did not fade away. Instead, it resurfaced weeks later—this time on The Joe Rogan Experience (#2266). During the episode, stand-up comedian Brian Simpson brought up the incident, asking Rogan, “One of the young fighters now talking shit to him?” In response, Joe Rogan confirmed, “It was Kevin Holland,” recalling their disagreement. At this point, Simpson stepped in to defend the former 205lbs champ, pointing to his “legend status.“
Consequently, Rogan took the opportunity to criticize the younger generation for their apparent lack of respect toward MMA veterans: “I don’t know. Young guys—you know how they are.” To further emphasize his point, Simpson compared it to disrespecting a legend like Randy Couture, prompting Rogan to agree: “Right, right. You’re a fighter—you kind of gotta let it slide. He’s a legend. (Quinton) Rampage is a legend. There are a lot of guys where you just—when you talk about BJ Penn, you talk about him with respect.”
MMA: UFC 165-Jones vs Gustafsson Sep 21, 2013, Toronto, Ontario, CAN UFC commentator Joe Rogan after the Jon Jones not pictured fight against Alexander Gustafsson not pictured during their Light Heavyweight Championship bout at UFC 165 at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto Ontario CAN, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xTomxSzczerbowskix 7485195
People have long recognized Joe Rogan, a veteran figure in the sport, as the ‘official voice of MMA.’ With nearly three decades of experience, he has witnessed the UFC’s evolution, from minor changes to major milestones. He witnessed firsthand Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson in his prime—an unstoppable force in Dana White‘s multi-billion-dollar promotion, conquering legends like Chuck Liddell and Marvin Eastman, which earned him the iconic “Rampage” moniker.
Even after retiring from the UFC, ‘Rampage’ continued to make waves in Bellator. But wait—didn’t Rogan himself disrespect UFC veterans at some point? Let’s take a closer look at that.
Joe Rogan warns non-UFC MMA fighters
Joe Rogan once remarked on his podcast, “There are very good fighters in other organizations, but I often feel like they’re wasting their careers. I see these elite fighters fighting in Bellator and PFL, and I’m like, ‘Hey guys, no one’s watching.” While UFC has undeniably been the top combat sports promotion for over 20 years, his statement raises a question: Is it the right approach to address fighters from other organizations this way, implying their value is lessened?
After all, not every fighter has the chance to compete in the UFC. Take MMA veterans like Wanderlei Silva, Tito Ortiz, Chael Sonnen, and Quinton Jackson—after their UFC careers, they continued to fight in Bellator, maintaining prominence. Moreover, many elite champions like Shinya Ayoki, and Vadim Nemkov made their name outside the banner of the biggest MMA promotion in the world. What’s your take on Rogan’s remark?
Could it be that his comments are directed at the younger generation of fighters, even though it’s clear not everyone can make it to the UFC? Drop your opinion below.
The post “Talk About Him With Respect” – Joe Rogan Confronts Kevin Holland for Disrespecting MMA Legend Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson appeared first on EssentiallySports.
