Best of Brendan Schaub - Joe Rogan Experience - Volume 1

Episode Summary

Main Topics

This episode delves into the unique and often brutal experiences of Brendan Schaub's early MMA career, highlighting his intense training with powerhouse fighters like Shane Carwin and Andre Arlovski. It features a blend of candid fighting anecdotes, discussions on fighter respect and rivalries, and highly graphic, comedic personal stories. The conversation explores themes of physical endurance, navigating challenging personalities in high-stakes environments, and unexpected interactions that shaped Schaub's identity and career.

Key Discussion Points

• Brutal Training with Shane Carwin: Schaub vividly describes his formative years training alongside the colossal Shane Carwin, who weighed 315 pounds and necessitated the UFC to redesign its gloves (requiring a custom 5XL fit). He details constant, punishing sparring sessions under Trevor Whitman, including "rock'em sock'em robots" at the end of rounds, which honed Schaub's evasive footwork. Carwin's belief in Schaub was so profound he even paid for Schaub's training with Whitman, underscoring the profound impact of this partnership.
• Andre Arlovski's Unconventional Mentorship: Brendan recounts his bewildering experiences training with Andre Arlovski at Jackson's camp. Arlovski, known for his cold and distant personality, initiated Schaub by making him stand with his hands on his head, then mercilessly "wailing" on his body with kicks and punches, demanding Schaub reciprocate, critiquing his "girl hit." This bizarre ritual followed an earlier, equally strange interaction where Arlovski commented that Schaub's "coffee breath" was "much better than yesterday," implying his breath had been terrible.
• The Shocking Broken Penis Story: A highly graphic and memorable anecdote details a friend, a large man (6'6", 270 lbs), who broke his penis during aggressive sexual activity. Schaub describes the gruesome injury, the friend's "purple gecko skin" from internal bleeding, and the chaotic emergency room visit involving an overly inquisitive nurse and a urologist whose specialty stemmed from treating men in Egypt who religiously broke erections. The friend's recovery involved a six-week splint and medication to prevent erections, leaving a permanent hook.
• "Turbo Slut" Marketing Brainstorm: The episode features a comedic segment where the hosts passionately discuss marketing "Turbo Slut" t-shirts, potentially inspired by a previous guest, Assa. They brainstorm design ideas (e.g., glitter), target demographics (e.g., "Suicide Girls," Whitney Cummings), and the potential for the phrase to become a viral hashtag (#TurboSlut) for various comedic situations, even applicable to men.
• Racial Identity and Confrontation on The Ultimate Fighter: Schaub shares an unaired incident from The Ultimate Fighter house where a drunken, eliminated contestant, displaying "Aryan Nation" sympathies, started using racial slurs and making "Hitler stuff." Kimbo Slice, Marcus Jones, and Deo Rogers mistook Schaub for black due to his appearance and athletic ability, waking him to recruit him to "jump" the racist fighter, leading to Schaub's humorous clarification and Kimbo's surprised realization.

Notable Moments

• Interesting Story/Anecdote: Brendan shares a wild childhood memory where his dad got into a road rage fight, and his 12-year-old brother intervened by kicking the opposing adult in the balls, escalating the already tense situation.
• Surprising Fact/Revelation: It was revealed that Shane Carwin's exceptionally large hands (requiring a 5XL glove) were the direct reason the UFC redesigned its standard fight gloves to accommodate bigger fighters.
• Memorable Exchange: Andre Arlovski's first significant words to Schaub, after days of training, were about Schaub's "coffee breath," stating, "It's okay, much better than yesterday. Yesterday breath smelled like shit."

Key Takeaways

Listeners will gain an unfiltered perspective on the demanding physical and mental grind of a professional MMA fighter, particularly Schaub's unique journey training with formidable figures like Carwin and Arlovski. The episode masterfully balances raw, behind-the-scenes insights into the sport with absurd, often hilarious personal anecdotes that showcase Schaub's distinctive storytelling. It underscores the unpredictable nature of life inside and outside the octagon, from bizarre training rituals to incredibly graphic medical emergencies, all delivered with an entertaining, candid tone.