Invitations come easily when your platform is as large as Joe Rogan‘s. Powerful people circle, introductions are casually made, and occasionally the ask itself becomes the story. That dynamic surfaced unexpectedly on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, when the UFC commentator pulled back the curtain on a moment he never entertained but was still documented for refusing.

During a conversation on his podcast about the recent Jeffrey Epstein-related file releases, Joe Rogan described how odd it felt to find his name included in those documents for a reason that ran completely counter to speculation. He wasn’t there because he agreed to anything. He was there because he shut it down immediately.

How Joe Rogan dodged a bullet by declining Jeffrey Epstein’s offer

Speaking candidly with Emmy Award-nominated actress Cheryl Hines, Joe Rogan described being approached in 2017 about meeting Jeffrey Epstein. He confessed, “I’m in the files for not going because Jeffrey Epstein was trying to meet with me. And I was like, What?” The idea alone surprised him, but he made it clear that there was never a decision to consider.

After a quick Google search, the answer was obvious. “It’s not even a possibility that I would’ve ever went,” he said. “Especially after I Googled him. I was like, What the f— are you talking about? This was like 2017.” The disbelief turned into outright ridicule for the guest who brought it up, with Joe Rogan saying he couldn’t even understand why the proposition was made.

He further added, “I was like, ‘B—- are you high? What the f— are you talking about?'” What makes the story stranger is how it aligns with the recently revealed emails involving former JRE guest Lawrence Krauss. In those conversations, Jeffrey Epstein requested that Krauss introduce him to Joe Rogan after seeing an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience. Krauss answered as if he’d take care of it, saying he’d contact the UFC commentator or his producer.

That outreach did not go far. According to Joe Rogan, once Epstein’s name was mentioned, the conversation came to an abrupt halt. Krauss later sent Epstein an apologetic follow-up, stating that Rogan was “more timid” than he would have thought. Rogan laughed at that characterization, framing it not as fear but as common sense.

Joe Rogan’s conclusion wasn’t about ego or proximity to power. It was about recognizing how some people become “intoxicated” with access, while others walk away without hesitation. In his situation, he claimed, the decision was never complicated—and the paper trail simply proves how quickly he wanted nothing to do with it. However, it is worth noting that the JRE host isn’t the only UFC entity that found itself mentioned in the list.

How all UFC entities appear in the latest Epstein files

When the broader document dump is stripped of headlines and hysteria, the UFC’s presence seems minimal and ordinary. Unlike other big sports leagues, where ownership and executives appear to be inextricably linked to Epstein, the UFC generally appears at arm’s length—emails, receipts, and failed efforts to contact, rather than relationships.

Most of the mentions are transactional. Jeffrey Epstein ordered UFC pay-per-views, signed up for promotional emails, and had staff arrange live broadcasts for him. That is the extent of it. The more memorable instances are the ones that didn’t happen: an attempt to see Joe Rogan that was immediately shut down, and an unreturned offer to buy a private plane from former UFC owners Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta.

The brothers appear in a 2016 email exchange between Epstein and his longtime pilot Larry Visoski, in which they try to purchase Fertitta’s Boeing Business Jet. Apparently, the Fertittas just sold the UFC business for $4.4 billion and are moving up to something else,” a redacted person named Gary wrote. ” Their expectation is 25 million. Everything is negotiable, as you know. They haven’t done any next-gen mods.”

Epstein made an offer of $17.5 million through Gary, but the Fertittas’ representative did not respond. And just like this, each thread ends abruptly, with no engagement or follow-up. Jeffrey Epstein tried to associate himself with strong figures in sports and media, and the UFC appeared in the files mostly as a door he knocked on but could not go through.