Joe Rogan discusses Rousimar Palhares’ unparalleled grappling skills and the circumstances that led to his departure from the UFC, highlighting his ability to overcome adversity and leaving a lasting impact on the history of MMA.
Joe Rogan on Rousimar Palhares’ risky set of skills (Image via: IMAGO, X)
There are numerous fighters in the UFC who possess a diverse range of abilities. These versatile skills not only help them become champions in the organization but also make them popular among the fans. Renowned MMA legends such as , , and are often considered the greatest of all time due to their well-rounded skill set. However, there are some fighters who excel in specific areas, dominating their opponents in unique ways. Joe Rogan recently discussed one such fighter on his podcast.
Rousimar Palhares was the fighter that Rogan mentioned in his podcast. This conversation took place during the 59th episode of the Joe Rogan Experience. Here’s what Rogan had to say about Palhares.
Rogan described Palhares as one of the most intimidating fighters to ever compete in the UFC. During his time in the UFC, Palhares achieved an 8-4 record. He also holds the record for the third-highest number of submissions in the UFC’s middleweight division, a record he shares with two other UFC fighters, and .
Following his departure from the UFC, Palhares signed with WSOF, which later became the PFL. He won the welterweight title at WSOF and successfully defended it twice before being released by the promotion. Since leaving WSOF, Palhares has only managed to secure one victory in his last eight fights.
During a podcast episode, Joe Rogan mentioned that Rousimar Palhares was the first fighter the UFC released due to disciplinary issues. This was because Palhares continued to hold a submission lock even after the referee had stopped the fight. The fight Rogan referred to was Palhares’ match against .
This was not the first time Palhares had exhibited such behavior in the UFC. He had previously been suspended by the organization for 90 days for a similar incident involving . Prior to his stint in the UFC, Palhares exclusively fought in Brazil, where he had a notorious reputation for similar actions. Despite leaving the UFC, Palhares’ conduct did not change during his time at WSOF.
Oct 9, 2013, marks the ninth anniversary of Rousimar Palhares submitting Mike Pierce with a heel hook and refusing to release the hold when the referee intervened. The UFC terminated Palhares’ contract as a result of this incident. pic.twitter.com/XxLDKBPuSG
After achieving a 3-0 record in WSOF, Palhares was released by the promotion for his refusal to release an opponent’s leg even after the referee had stopped the fight. Nevertheless, Palhares remains the most dangerous leg lock specialist in MMA history. Out of his 16 submission victories, 12 were secured through devastating leg locks. Furthermore, Palhares has never been defeated via submission in his MMA career.
According to the Source firstsportz.com