UFC, Joe Rogan, and the Fertitta brothers appear in the latest Epstein files … but not how you’d think

Is the UFC included in the latest block of Jeffrey Epstein documents? It is, but not at the same level several other major American sports are.

On Friday, the U.S. Justice Department released 3 million more documents related to infamous pedophile, sex trafficker, and billionaire power broker Jeffrey Epstein. This latest tranche, which the government was forced to put out after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November 2025, features the names of many high profile individuals and implicates some in Epstein’s prolific sex crimes.

In addition to being well connected to government officials and the wealthy elite, Epstein was also involved with many people in the world of sports. This data dump has Epstein allegedly emailing back and forth with people like New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch and Josh Harris, who owns the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia 76ers, and the New Jersey Devils.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg, and some important context into just how enmeshed some top sports executives are with Epstein. In comparison, mentions of UFC and UFC-related figures in the Epstein files are (thus far) limited to odd mentions here and there. In one case, Epstein attempts to get in touch with Joe Rogan and is rebuffed. In another, he tries to buy a private jet from the Fertittas.

The first thing people noticed from these new Epstein emails: he was signed up to the UFC’s promotional email list from 2009 onward and made several orders for UFC pay-per-views. There’s a $44.95 receipt for UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira coming directly to Epstein’s email, and Epstein being asked to confirm if an Amex charge for ordering UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans was made by him.

Epstein also emailed one of his employees to ensure he’d be able to watch UFC on Versus 1: Vera vs. Jones.

“UFC Versus 1 Vera vs. Jones is not available ‘ONDemand’ but you can order it online. Would you like me to order it and have it ready for play on your iMac in Cabana?” Epstein ‘paralegal’ Story Cowles wrote, with Epstein replying “Yes.”

Jeffrey Epstein also tried to buddy up with Joe Rogan, reaching out to theoretical physicist and cosmologist Lawrence Krauss after Krauss appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience in 2017.

“I saw you did the Joe Rogan show, can you introduce me, I think he’s funny,” Epstein wrote Krauss.

“I will reach out to Rogan,” Krauss replied. A few days later he followed up, writing “Sorry about Rogan so far … he seems more timid than I would have thought.”

It’s worth noting that 2017 was nearly a decade after Epstein was arrested in Florida and convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor. While he was far from the infamous figure he is now, there were plenty of public allegations regarding his shady behavior and rumored sex trafficking. That didn’t stop many rich and famous from continuing to associate with him, but Rogan clearly wasn’t interested.

In another odd duck sighting, former UFC owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta show up in a 2016 email chain between Epstein and his longtime pilot Larry Visoski where they try to buy the Fertitta’s Boeing Business Jet (BBJ).

“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 nextgen mods.”

Epstein put in an offer of $17.5 million through Gary, which the Fertittas’ representative did not respond to.

With so many documents to dig through (and so many names redacted), it’s too early to say whether there’s any more connections between UFC and Epstein. But thus far the organization is looking pretty clean compared to NBA, NFL, and NHL, who are all embroiled in their own growing scandals over various owners and their direct involvement with Epstein.