The Art of Hit and Don't Get Hit

Ethyn Ewing, a rising UFC fighter who burst onto the scene with a two-day-notice win over feared knockout artist Malcolm Wellmaker, believes the most important lesson in combat sports is deceptively simple: "I like to fight with finesse. I like to hit and not get hit. And champions don't take return fire." In a wide-ranging conversation with Joe Rogan, Ewing lays out a philosophy of martial arts that prioritizes technique, intelligence, and longevity over the crowd-pleasing chaos of brawling — while also being honest about the hard personal lessons that shaped him.

The Trap of Being Exciting

Ewing and Rogan identify a dangerous dynamic in combat sports: the audience rewards fighters who stand in front of each other and trade punches. But that adoration comes at a steep cost. "The crowd will cheer. They will love to see you, but your career will be shorter and the end will be bad," Rogan says. "And then you'll probably fight past the time where you should, and no one's gonna stop you."