6-to-1 underdog
Some betting books had Gaethje as a 6-to-1 underdog heading into the Topuria fight, which Joe Rogan called 'very disrespectful.'
Snapshot · The Joe Rogan Experience
JRE MMA Show #181 with Justin Gaethje & Trevor Wittman
Explore episode
Jun 20, 2026
Where this was said
Intro & The Night Gaethje Became Champion
At 0:12 · chapter starts 0:00
The episode opens with Joe Rogan barely containing his excitement, declaring Gaethje's win over Topuria in front of the White House among the most epic accomplishments in combat sports history. Being listed at 6-to-1 odds — which Rogan calls 'crazy disrespectful' — made the win all the sweeter. [1] — Joe Rogan "6-to-1 underdog: Some betting books had Gaethje as a 6-to-1 underdog heading into the Topuria fight, which Joe Rogan called 'very disrespec…" 00:12 Gaethje, just days removed from the fight, admits the reality hasn't fully hit him yet. He expected some internal relief, some release of the pressure that had driven him for years. Instead, the recognition crept in slowly — finally arriving while he was sitting on the toilet ten minutes after his dad asked him what it was like to wake up as champion. His journey started 19 years ago when his father dropped him off in Colorado to wrestle, knowing nobody. The gap between that starting point and where he stands now, he says, is something he simply cannot explain.
19 years in Colorado since age ~20
Gaethje's father dropped him off in Colorado 19 years ago to wrestle, where he knew nobody — the starting point of his journey to the championship.
Similar snapshots
CrossFit athlete: top 2,000 worldwide
Thomas's wife is already ranked in the top 2,000 CrossFit athletes in the world — roughly the top 1% — and Thomas wants her to pursue the sport professionally now that he is graduating law school.
Athletes improve with mental rehearsal
Research shows athletes who mentally imagine practicing basketball or soccer have better performance than those who do not include imagination in their training.
~10 rounds dominated vs Usyk
Rico Verhoeven dominated approximately 10 of 12 rounds against undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk before a controversial post-bell stoppage.
Stopped after the bell
Rico's appeal confirmed the fight was stopped after the bell rang, and the ringside doctor found no concussion or disorientation — yet the result was never overturned.
Glory uses 5 judges vs boxing's 3
Glory Kickboxing uses 5 judges rather than boxing's 3, which Joe Rogan argues reduces the chance of a corrupt or incompetent minority swinging the result.
1 professional boxing match before Usyk
Rico Verhoeven had only one professional boxing match before fighting undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for the WBC title.
15 years of boxing training
Despite having just one pro boxing match, Rico Verhoeven had been training boxing for 15 years alongside his kickboxing career.
6-month boxing transition camp
Rico used a full 6 months to transition from kickboxing stance to a proper boxing stance under trainer Peter Fury, calling it essential rewiring.
75+ kickboxing fights in career
Rico Verhoeven has had approximately 75 professional kickboxing fights, giving him a massive combat sports experience advantage over pure boxers.
