Joe Rogan picks UFC Apex experience over Madison Square Garden: ‘It’s silent, it’s amazing’

Joe Rogan still reminisces about having UFC world title fights without a crowd in attendance.

Of the 12 events announced on the UFC’s schedule leading up to the White House card, five of them will take place at the Meta Apex.

Tonight’s card, headlined by Josh Emmett taking on Kevin Vallejos, will be the second time that the venue has hosted a UFC event in 2026.

While few would have expected it to still be in regular use after it became a crucial part of the promotion’s plans during the pandemic, Joe Rogan has fond memories of it.

Joe Rogan would pick the Apex over the atmosphere of iconic combat sports locations

Aside from the quality of the cards, the Meta Apex has become such a source of negativity for a lot of fans due to the lack of atmosphere generated inside of it.

The UFC may be taking steps to improve this but this is exactly why Joe Rogan still holds his experiences of calling fights there so highly.

He put the promotion’s venue up against the feeling of other iconic combat sports locations because it offers, specifically during the pandemic, something completely different.

“My favourite was during the pandemic, we had fights at the UFC Apex with no crowd,” he recalled on the Joe Rogan Experience #2468. “It was insane. World championship fights with no crowd…

“There’s no one else there, it’s silent. It’s amazing. That’s my favourite. There’s something about when you’re watching a big world title fight like in Vegas or Madison Square Garden… but my favorite is the Apex.”