McCall Teams With Rogan On Psychedelics For Veterans

Former UFC flyweight Ian McCall is working alongside podcast host Joe Rogan to advance psychedelic therapy for retired fighters and military veterans dealing with mental health struggles and addiction.

McCall, who battled oxycodone addiction after his fighting career ended, discussed the initiative during an appearance on BetOnline's The Fight Guys podcast this week, per BJPenn.com. He credited Rogan with helping secure an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in April that fast-tracks FDA research into psychedelic treatments.

McCall's Push For Psychedelic Research Funding

"I'd never thought I would be a politician, but I take this with a lot of responsibility," McCall said on the podcast. "We have some serious players in the space, at least 10 former UFC champions who we're talking to. It speaks volumes; it's big." He added that Rogan "deserves an award" for getting Trump to sign the order, which allocates hundreds of millions of dollars in state-by-state funding for psychedelic research.

McCall said he has been pitching the UFC on psychedelic therapy since 2019 and is now in contact with Jeff Novitzky and other major figures in combat sports. "I've been failed by academia and pharmaceuticals," he told the podcast. "Not just in my personal life, but in my business life. I turned around and said that I needed to do this myself."

McCall and former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez are scheduled to host an ayahuasca retreat for retired athletes later this month. The retreat aims to address mental health trauma and traumatic brain injuries common among former fighters.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Ian McCall teaming up with Joe Rogan to help former fighters, military veterans through psychedelics