Brendan Schaub

Brendan Schaub is a retired UFC heavyweight contender who competed in the octagon from 2009 to 2014 before transitioning to a highly successful career in podcasting and stand-up comedy. Born in Aurora, Colorado, Schaub initially pursued football, going undrafted in the 2006 NFL Draft and briefly signing with the Arena Football League before pivoting to combat sports. After training in boxing and jiu-jitsu, he signed with the UFC in 2009 as a competitor on The Ultimate Fighter season 10, becoming known for his size, striking power, and willingness to mix up his offensive arsenal with submissions. Early in his UFC run, Schaub posted wins over Gabriel Gonzaga, Chris Tuchscherer, Lavar Johnson, and Matt Mitrione (via a stunning D'Arce choke that earned him UFC Submission of the Year in 2013). He also scored a notable knockout victory over Mirko Cro Cop that netted him a Knockout of the Night bonus.

However, Schaub's career trajectory stalled when he faced elite heavyweight competition. He suffered back-to-back first-round knockout losses to Ben Rothwell and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in 2011-2012, exposing vulnerabilities against more explosive strikers. Later wins over Johnson and Mitrione kept him relevant, but a split-decision loss to returning former champion Andrei Arlovski at UFC 174 in 2014 signaled his ceiling in the division. His final fight came in December 2014 when Travis Browne knocked him out in the first round at UFC 181. In the aftermath, Joe Rogan famously advised Schaub on his podcast to abandon MMA and pursue comedy instead, a turning point that Schaub credited as pivotal.

Schaub officially retired from MMA in October 2015 and has since become a fixture in the podcast and comedy world. He co-hosts The Fighter and the Kid podcast with Bryan Callen, launched Below the Belt with Brendan Schaub, and co-hosts The Golden Hour podcast. He has released two comedy specials, You'd Be Surprised (2019) and The Gringo Papi (2022). Though his fighting record of 10-5-0 places him solidly in the mid-tier of UFC heavyweights, Schaub's post-MMA success and self-aware personality have made him a culturally larger figure than his record alone might suggest.