JRE 706 · October 10, 2015

Brendan Schaub & Fight Companion ? (Part 1)

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Who is Brendan Schaub & Fight Companion ? (Part 1)?

Brendan Schaub is a mixed martial artist and also a former college & pro football player. He also hosts a podcast with Bryan Callen called "The Fighter & The Kid" available on iTunes.

Topics and Timestamps

01Brendan Schaub discusses his MMA career and transition to podcasting with Bryan Callen on The Fighter and The Kid
02Joe and Brendan watch and commentate on live UFC fights from October 9, 2015
03Discussion about fight analysis, fighter performance, and combat sports insights
04Brendan shares stories from his time as a professional fighter and college football player
05Real-time reactions to fight outcomes and fighter technique during the live broadcast
06Talk about the podcast industry and building an audience through consistent content
▶Brendan discusses his transition from fighting to podcasting0:15:00
▶First fight of the night begins and they start live commentary0:25:00
▶Brendan breaks down fighter technique and strategy from his professional experience0:40:00
▶Discussion about The Fighter and The Kid podcast success0:55:00
▶Real-time reaction to a significant fight finish1:10:00

The Show

Joe Rogan Experience 706 brings back Brendan Schaub for a fight companion episode where they watch live UFC action from October 9, 2015. This is a classic JRE setup where Joe and Brendan hang out, break down fights in real time, and just riff on what's happening in the cage.

Brendan Schaub is a legitimate voice in combat sports having fought professionally in the UFC and Strikeforce before transitioning into media. He's also a former college and pro football player, so the guy understands athletics at a high level. By this point in 2015, Brendan had already established The Fighter and The Kid podcast with Bryan Callen, which became one of the early successful comedy fighter podcasts.

The format here is straightforward but entertaining. Joe and Brendan sit down with the fights playing and just commentate like they're watching with buddies. They break down striking, wrestling, game plans, and what fighters are doing wrong or right. This is pure fight nerd stuff without the corporate ESPN polish. It's the kind of conversation that happens in gyms and locker rooms, now broadcast to thousands of people.

The episode captures what made early JRE special: bringing in someone knowledgeable about a specific world (in this case MMA) and just letting them talk while something interesting is happening in the background. No rigid structure, no commercial breaks, just real discussion. Brendan's perspective as someone who's actually been in the cage and felt what it's like to get hit adds credibility and honesty to his takes.

These fight companion episodes became a JRE tradition during big fight nights. The appeal is that you get genuine reaction and analysis instead of manufactured commentary. When a fighter does something stupid, they call it stupid. When someone shows real skill, they appreciate it. It's refreshingly honest compared to mainstream sports broadcasting where everything is sanitized.