In an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience featuring comedians Kim Congdon and Sara Weinshenk, Joe Rogan couldn’t contain his admiration for Mark Zuckerberg‘s surprising athletic prowess, declaring the Meta CEO “a f***ing savage” when discussing his Brazilian jiu-jitsu achievements.
The conversation took an unexpected turn when the topic shifted to Zuckerberg‘s gold medal victory at a Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition. What made this achievement even more remarkable was the lengths Zuckerberg went to maintain his anonymity during the tournament.
“Mark Zuckerberg is a f***ing savage,” Rogan proclaimed, clearly impressed by the tech mogul’s dedication to the martial art. “This dude has been training jiu-jitsu. This is what he did – he wore a COVID mask and he f***ing put a hat on and he hid, and he used an alias.”
The image of one of the world’s most recognizable billionaires disguising himself to compete anonymously struck a chord with Rogan, who painted a vivid picture of the scenario:
“Imagine you’re right about to compete and like maybe your first competition, well just give it a try. What’s the worst thing that could happen? The worst thing can happen you get strangled by a super nerd.”
Rogan‘s enthusiasm for Zuckerberg‘s commitment to the sport was palpable throughout the discussion. He noted that this isn’t just a casual hobby for the Facebook founder – Zuckerberg has been legitimately investing in his martial arts education by bringing in top-tier talent.
Zuckerberg is legitimately into BJJ and MMA, having invited countless pros to train with him from both UFC and BJJ. He’s also invited business people to train with him.
The podcast host emphasized the significance of Zuckerberg‘s blue belt achievement, explaining that by the time practitioners reach this level, “you’re dealing with people that know how to submit people.” He noted that tournament competition at the blue belt level often features opponents who “really should be a purple belt” due to some instructors being “stingy” with promotions.
What impressed Rogan most wasn’t just the athletic achievement but the mindset behind it.
“I think that’s amazing. It’s amazing that he did that. There’s a few people have done that,” Rogan said, comparing Zuckerberg to other celebrities who have competed anonymously in jiu-jitsu tournaments, including actor Tom Hardy.
The conversation highlighted an interesting paradox about success and risk-taking. As Rogan pointed out,
“He doesn’t have to do anything. He’s one of the richest people on Earth and he just takes a chance and tries to get good at this thing and then goes and competes in this thing. We should all celebrate that.”
Rogan‘s analysis went beyond just praising the athletic achievement. He saw Zuckerberg‘s approach to jiu-jitsu as emblematic of the mindset that made him successful in business:
“That’s probably why he’s one of the richest guys on Earth because he just goes for it. He commits. He’s focused.”
