JRE Database

Josh Thompson & "Big" John McCarthy

Guest: Josh Thompson

Guest: "Big" John McCarthy

Date: 2026-05-27 | Duration: 2h 45m

Category: Combat Sports, Health & Medicine

Episode Overview

Joe Rogan welcomes Josh Thomson and "Big" John McCarthy for a comprehensive MMA discussion, kicking off by lamenting the temporary halt of Thomson and McCarthy's own MMA show due to McCarthy's return to refereeing. They immediately delve into the complexities of MMA officiating, debating the controversial 12-to-6 elbow rule and side kicks to the knee, with Joe advocating for fewer bans while McCarthy highlights the severity of knee injuries versus head trauma. The conversation veers into fight-altering kicks, recalling Edson Barboza's devastating wheel kick KO and Cro Cop’s legendary left kick, which McCarthy praises as arguably the best in MMA history. The trio extensively discusses the contentious issue of weight cutting, unanimously agreeing it's the "grossest thing in MMA" and a significant danger to fighters. They explore potential solutions, such as random weigh-ins or stricter weight-gain limits, acknowledging the logistical and financial hurdles for promotions like the UFC. McCarthy shares insights from his refereeing experience, detailing how extreme weight cuts diminish a fighter's ability to take a punch and shorten careers, citing examples like Anthony Johnson and Alex Pereira. They also touch on the longevity of fighters like Andrei Arlovski, attributing his sustained success to a strategic shift in fighting style to minimize damage. The episode wraps with a look at upcoming fights, including Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated return, and a shared skepticism about the planned outdoor UFC event at the White House due to potential environmental challenges and fighter safety concerns.

About "Big" John McCarthy

"Big" John McCarthy is a legendary MMA referee and administrator who has officiated hundreds of fights throughout his career and is widely considered one of the most respected authorities on the sport's rules and safety standards. Known for his deep expertise in MMA officiating and fighter welfare, McCarthy has been at the center of major discussions about controversial rules like the 12-to-6 elbow ban and the dangers of extreme weight cutting. His insights from decades of ringside experience make him a crucial voice in debates about how to protect fighters while maintaining the sport's integrity.

About Josh Thompson

Josh Thomson is an accomplished MMA fighter and analyst who co-hosts an MMA discussion show with referee John McCarthy. Known for his deep expertise in fight mechanics and sport issues, Thomson participated in a wide-ranging conversation with Joe Rogan about officiating rules, weight-cutting dangers, and legendary striking techniques. His perspective as both a fighter and commentator brings practical insight to complex MMA debates, particularly around fighter safety and the sport's evolving standards.

Key Moments

Transcript Excerpt

[00:00:01] Joe Rogan podcast, checking out. The Joe Rogan Experience. Train by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night, all day. Gentlemen, live. What's happening? Good to see you. What is up? I enjoy your show. [00:00:18] Your show's excellent. You guys have a really good M.M.A. show. It's really solid. Thank you. I kind of blew that. How'd you both? We can talk about that. You guys are not doing it anymore? [00:00:29] I stepped back away when I started refereeing again. God damn. You got to go back to doing it. You guys are great. You guys are a great combination. So what we did is we started doing McCarthy Mondays. Because when he went back to refereeing, he's not a lot of talk about promotions, not a lot of talk about fighters and what's wrong. And the things that possibly can make some changes in. [00:01:03] created it. It's his input. I was just trying to find ways to keep him involved. I love that you're refereeing again. We need great referees, but I wish you were out there doing both. It doesn't make sense to me that you can't do both. It's not like you're not going to be a great referee while also still being able to comment objectively about [00:01:19] promotions. It's important. It is important. It's important. Transparency, where's ever the problem with that? Exactly. But you get these people that, oh no, because you might say something that is going to create a problem. And it's like, it's not a problem. if it's a truth. [00:01:57] That's a benefit to everybody. So that is what I'm trying to create with him. I believe you're right. But what you run into is you. run into some issues where the referee says too much and then people come back at them and then the commissions have to answer for it and the and the fight and then the fighters dig on them and then good people are talking yeah that's how shit gets solved that's how you don't have like two one hand down does not in a downed opponent anymore why because we fucking complain forever [00:02:22] 12 to ...

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Frequently asked about this episode

Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #10179?

Josh Thompson & "Big" John McCarthy was the guest on JRE #10179. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #10179?

On Joe Rogan Experience #10179 with Josh Thompson & "Big" John McCarthy, topics include JRE MMA Show #179 Introduction and Big John McCarthy's, Debate on referee objectivity and speaking the truth, Discussion on controversial MMA rules like 12-to-6 elbows, and Comparing danger of side kicks to knees versus head kicks.

Where can I read the transcript for JRE #10179?

The full searchable transcript for Joe Rogan Experience #10179 with Josh Thompson & "Big" John McCarthy is available on this page, along with key topics and timestamps.