Joe Rogan Hands Dana White’s Rivals Biggest Tip as UFC Veteran and Royce Gracie Criticize MMA Rules

Joe Rogan really had an interesting conversation with Royce Gracie when the UFC legend paid a visit to his multi-million-dollar podcast show recently. And what do you know? Their conversation came to a certain point when both reminisced about the ‘Old UFC days’, prompting Rogan to share a tip for the many MMA rivals of Dana White.

It was the first time that fans saw the candid side of Royce Gracie on the ‘Joe Rogan Experience’ because it was indeed his first-ever appearance on the show. As such, we were bound to hear him talking with the 56-year-old about the time when the rules were not exactly what you think it is now. And guess what? Both of them want those rules to return.

Joe Rogan wants the old rules to come back and tips other MMA promotions to adopt those

Long before BKFC became the hub for fights without any protective gloves, UFC did that during the early ’90s, during its infancy. Now, the promotion and the MMA sport itself have undergone significant changes, and this change was very necessary to make this sport legit and regulated by various sporting commissions. But Joe Rogan doesn’t see the fun in that and wonders why nobody tries to get back to the bare-knuckle ways.

Joe Rogan asked Royce Gracie, “Do you think it [fights] should be bare knuckle?” As a response, the UFC legend did one better than the JRE host, claiming that, “I think you should go back to the old ways. Just try out one time.” Rogan seemed to agree with that and claimed that applying the old rules just once to test the waters may not be that bad of an idea. “One time would be great.”

But Royce Gracie wasn’t only talking about the bare-knuckle rule. He wanted more of the old rules to be applied in modern times, where anyone could fight in any way they wanted. Whether heavy or light, everybody should be able to compete against anybody without any rounds, according to Gracie. He added, “No time limit, no weight divisions.” However, Joe Rogan doesn’t think that pitting a smaller guy against a heavier opponent would be that much of a wise decision because the sport’s rapidly developing and so are the athletes.

But the no time limit suggestion? He’s up for that one for sure and wants to see other promotions do that since UFC is not going to make any changes to rules anytime soon. It is the premier organization in MMA, after all. “Why doesn’t someone do that? I don’t know about the weight limit thing. Guys are too good now,” Rogan added. But Royce Gracie believes that’s not really a big deal, and he explains why.

Gracie claims no weight limits won’t be an issue for fighters of certain weight classes

The first-ever UFC champion has seen it all! From no-holds-barred fights to witnessing fights stop only when the opponent is completely done for. But coming back to his suggestion about no weight limits, he believes it would perfectly match the rule of no time limit because it will be fair for all fighters. Gracie further told Joe Rogan, “If there’s no weight division, you cannot have time limit. So if you take [away] the weight, you have to take [away] the time.”

Moreover, Royce Gracie is fully confident that the competitors in the lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight divisions can easily compete against the heavyweights. And this could be true because most fighters make some serious weight cuts before their fights. “You get some of the lightweights over here, man. The 170s, the 180s. They will fight the heavyweights with no time limit.”

Do you think Royce Gracie and Joe Rogan have made an important point? Or is it just an impossible scenario? Drop your comments below.