“He came from a really bad childhood,” Joe Rogan on the scariest leg lock specialists to ever compete in the UFC

Joe Rogan discusses Rousimar Palhares' unmatched grappling prowess and the circumstances leading to his UFC departure, emphasizing his transition from adversity to becoming a memorable figure in MMA history.

“He came from a really bad childhood,” Joe Rogan on the scariest leg lock specialists to ever compete in the UFC

Joe Rogan on Rousimar Palhares' dangerous skill set (Image via: IMAGO, X)

There are many fighters in the UFC who have a well-rounded skillset. These well-rounded skills enable them to become champions in the promotion. Moreover, it also enables them to be a fan favorite. The arguable GOATs of MMA, Jon Jones, Demetrious Johnson, and Georges St-Pierre, have a well-rounded skill set. However, some fighters have a specific skill set to dominate their opponents. Joe Rogan spoke of one such fighter on his podcast.

Rousimar Palhares was the fighter whom Rogan mentioned in his podcast. It was on the 59th episode of the Joe Rogan Experience. Nonetheless, this is what Rogan said of Palhares.

There's one fight from Brazil where it's cr*zy; he's just not letting go. I think he (Palhares) came from a really, really bad childhood, and he's talked about it in depth, about growing up on a farm and being forced to eat pig slop when he was a little boy. The cut that he has on his chest, that big scar, he had sealed that up with glue. They kicked him out of the UFC, the first guy ever to get kicked out of the UFC for holding onto a submission.
Joe Rogan via JRE
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Rogan stated Palhares was one of the scariest fighters to ever compete in the UFC. In the UFC, Palhares had 8-4 record. Moreover, he still holds the record for the third-most submissions in the UFC’s middleweight division. It is a record he shares with Demian Maia and two other UFC fighters.

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After his UFC release, Palhares signed with WSOF, the precursor of the PFL. At WSOF, Palhares won the welterweight title and defended it twice before the promotion released him. Since his WSOF departure, Palhares has won only once in his last eight fights.

Joe Rogan on Rousimar Palhares’ disciplinary issues

Joe Rogan remarked in a podcast episode that the first fighter the UFC released due to disciplinary issues was Rousimar Palhares. This was due to him holding a submission lock even after the referee stopped the fight. The fight Rogan mentioned was Palhares vs Mike Pierce.

Rousimar Palhares has had issues with discipline inside the cage
Rousimar Palhares has had issues with discipline inside the cage (Image via: X)

It was not the first time that Palhares did something like this in the UFC. The UFC had earlier suspended him for 90 days for a similar issue against Tomasz Drwal. Before the UFC, Palhares fought exclusively in Brazil, where he was notorious for a similar reputation. Despite his UFC departure, Palhares’ character did not change at WSOF.

After he went 3-0 at WSOF, the promotion released him for not letting go of Jake Shields‘ leg even after the referee stopped the fight. Nonetheless, Palhares remains the most dangerous leg lock specialist ever. Twelve of his 16 submission victories. Moreover, nobody ever defeated him via submission in MMA.

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