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Brendan Schaub

Brendan Schaub is a former UFC heavyweight, turned podcast kingpin and stand-up comedian, whose post-fighting career has generated almost as much controversy as his bouts inside the octagon.

By · datastats · Updated June 15, 2026
Brendan Schaub

Who Is Brendan Schaub?

Brendan Schaub is an American former MMA fighter, stand-up comedian, podcast host, and media personality. He competed in the UFC’s heavyweight division from 2009 to 2014, finishing his professional MMA career with a record of 10–5. He was never a UFC champion, but he was a recognizable name on the roster and a cast member of The Ultimate Fighter 10.

After retiring from fighting, famously encouraged to do so by Joe Rogan during a live post-fight podcast, Schaub pivoted hard into entertainment. He co-hosted the massively popular comedy podcast The Fighter and the Kid alongside Bryan Callen for years, built his own podcast network (Thigio), and launched a stand-up comedy career that has been met with decidedly mixed reviews from critics and fans alike.

Schaub became a fixture in the Joe Rogan orbit and the broader combat sports media world, which gave him a huge platform. He’s appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience dozens of times, and his various podcast projects have attracted millions of listeners, and millions of opinions about whether he’s actually funny.

More recently, Schaub has been at the center of significant public drama, including high-profile feuds with fellow comedians and media figures, allegations surrounding his personal life, and legal action. This combination of sports nostalgia, comedy controversy, and personal drama is exactly why he remains one of the most Googled names in combat sports entertainment.

People also ask

Schaub relocated from Los Angeles, California to Austin, Texas. He made the move around 2021–2022, following a wave of other high-profile media personalities and comedians who left California around the same time.

Brendan Schaub is American. He was born and raised in the United States and has always competed and built his career under the American flag.

Brendan Schaub was born on March 18, 1983, making him 42 years old as of 2025. He spent his peak athletic years in his mid-to-late twenties before transitioning to media.

Brendan Schaub stands 6 feet 4 inches tall (193 cm). His size was a notable asset during his MMA career in the heavyweight division.

A precise, verified net worth for Brendan Schaub is not publicly confirmed, figures circulating online (often cited around $4–6 million) are estimates from third-party sites, not disclosed financials. What is documented is that he has earned income from MMA, podcasting, comedy tours, and brand deals over many years. Treat any specific number you see elsewhere as an educated guess, not a fact.

By any reasonable measure, Schaub has done very well post-MMA. He built a multi-show podcast network, tours regularly as a stand-up comedian, and has had long-running sponsorship deals. He is comfortably wealthy by most standards, though the exact figure is unconfirmed publicly.

His real name is Brendan Peter Schaub, no stage name, no alias. What you see is what you get.

Brendan Schaub is not married in the traditional sense, he has been in a long-term relationship with actress and model Joanna Zanella, with whom he has children. The two have been together publicly for many years, though they are not widely reported to have legally married.

Schaub's long-term partner is Joanna Zanella, a Mexican actress known for her work in telenovelas. They have been together since around 2013 and share children, but a formal legal marriage has not been publicly confirmed or widely reported.

Schaub has been involved in legal disputes that attracted public attention, but the specific and confirmed details of any active or recent lawsuits should be verified through current court records or reliable news sources, legal situations evolve quickly and it would be irresponsible to state specifics as settled fact here. What is widely reported is that he has been part of public feuds with figures in the comedy world that escalated beyond just social media drama.

Brendan Schaub and Joanna Zanella have two children together: a son named Tiger Pax Schaub and a second son named Boston Schaub. He has spoken openly about his family on his podcasts.

Schaub moved to the Austin, Texas area around 2021 to 2022. The exact date has not been formally announced, but he began referencing Austin as his home base during that period.

Like many California-based media personalities of his political and lifestyle inclinations, Schaub cited lower taxes, more freedom, and quality of life as reasons to leave Los Angeles for Austin. He was also part of a broader migration of the Joe Rogan-adjacent media world, after Rogan himself made the same move to Austin in 2020.

His older son Tiger Pax was born in 2014, making him around 11 years old as of 2025. His younger son Boston was born in 2019, putting him at approximately 6 years old. Schaub has shared their milestones publicly on social media and his podcasts.

Brendan Schaub is 6 feet 4 inches tall. That's firmly in the upper tier for a heavyweight MMA fighter, and it's a height he clearly hasn't let go unmentioned over the years.

Not officially, as far as publicly available information confirms. Schaub has been in a committed long-term relationship with Joanna Zanella for over a decade, and they have two children together, but a legal marriage has not been publicly reported or confirmed by either party.

No. Brendan Schaub is not Mexican, he is American with European heritage. His long-term partner Joanna Zanella is Mexican, which may be the source of the confusion for some searchers.

The short version: Schaub went from UFC fighter to one of combat sports media's biggest names, then became one of its most controversial figures. He faced sustained criticism over his stand-up comedy (including viral negative reviews), public feuds with comedians like Chris D'Elia and others, and allegations and personal controversies that circulated widely online. His friendship with Bryan Callen also became complicated after Callen faced public allegations. Schaub has remained active and defiant throughout, continuing to podcast and tour.

A podcast with 5,000 listeners per episode typically earns between $500 and $2,500 per month, depending on monetization method. CPM (cost per thousand listeners) rates for mid-roll ads generally range from $20–$50, so 5,000 listeners translates to modest but real income, enough to cover costs and maybe a part-time salary, but nowhere near quit-your-day-job territory unless you stack multiple revenue streams like Patreon, merch, and live events.

Schaub's arc is one of the most dramatic in combat sports media: retired UFC fighter turned podcast star, then became a polarizing figure who attracted fierce criticism over his comedy career and personal controversies. He has faced public feuds, online pile-ons, and persistent mockery from corners of the internet, yet he has continued building his media brand, moving to Texas, and staying in the public eye. Love him or hate him, and the internet has strong opinions both ways, he hasn't gone anywhere.

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