[ad_1]
UFC 259 is the busiest fight card of 2021 with four world champions competing in three title fights, with middleweight champion Israel Adesanya attempting to become a two-division world champion when he challenges Jan Blachowicz for his light heavyweight title.
But with such a large card, one of the questions is whether Joe Rogan will be holding the commentary booth alongside Daniel Cormier or Jon Anik?
Perhaps the most recognizable voice calling for fights in the UFC has been conspicuously absent from the comments, and some have wondered if he is slowly stepping down from his role calling fights. He was not on the commentary squad when Dustin Poirier knocked out Conor McGregor at UFC 257, but found his way back to Kamaru Usman’s welterweight title defense against Gilbert Burns at UFC 258.
Is he here to stay?
Well, it looks like Rogan will take his place with his trademark jokes and cries at the UFC’s third PPV of the year.
AFTER: Register to watch UFC 259 on ESPN +
Why did Joe Rogan stop commenting?
It’s not that Rogan stopped commenting, but more than his initial decision – he would not make UFC cards outside of the United States – became more evident with Abu Dhabi’s Fight Island becoming the temporary home of the ‘UFC in 2020 and early 2021.
“I am not interested. I would take this for zero money rather than being in Phoenix right now, ”Rogan said in 2019 during a JRE Fight Companion after he was asked if he wanted a role with the new UFC deal from. ESPN.
“Even though I would like to see these fights live and call these fights live, I’m good with 10 [events] one year – 10 per year, that’s what I like. Once a month, two months off.
“Look, man, I thought I was dating, but I still love him. And I love him a lot more now because I don’t have to do that that much. And I love him a lot more. now because we love it. this because we can do all this bullshit and have fun and be dumb. “
Will Joe Rogan continue to call UFC fights in the United States?
It appears that way.
“Until I stop taking the juice,” Rogan told Unlocking the Cage in September 2020. “I get the juice, 100%. It hasn’t diminished that much. If there’s a big fight, it doesn’t even have to be a big fight. It can be a semi-big fight. I take the juice, man. I’m never going to not have the juice.
“I mean I got it for Junior dos Santos against Jairzinho Rozenstruik. I have it for everyone!
While calling out the domestic PPV fights certainly kept the Color Commentator interested, the eerie nature of UFC fights in empty arenas made Rogan appreciate his unique position.
“And one of the things about COVID is that I called these fights without an audience,” Rogan said.
“The one we did in Florida and the cards I made at the UFC Apex Center, I feel so lucky because I’m one of the very few people who live there. There is something really special about live fighting. I love to watch the fights at home. Love it, but there is an added benefit to seeing it live, ”he said.
“And when you know you’re part of, you know, twenty or so people who are inside the Apex Center – all the officials, the referees, the locals, the commentators and the cameramen – there’s a little handful of people and every time I’m there I think, “Dude, I’m so lucky.” “
AFTER: Anderson is not weighed down by the importance of the Nunes challenge
Joe Rogan leaving the UFC?
Rogan raised the possibility of finishing with the UFC as early as 2016, when his contract was coming to an end – although he later extended his tenure.
“You have to go through different things in life and I like to plan those things,” he said. “I’ve been in the UFC for a long time. I’ll never stop being a UFC fan, that won’t happen. I love the sport, but there will probably be a time when I stop commenting. , and it may be sooner rather than later. “
When the ESPN deal was struck in 2019, Rogan again discussed the possibility of limiting himself to PPV events – which he did – but did not set an end date for his working relationship with the ‘UFC.
Do Joe Rogan’s co-commentators care that he’s not always on shows?
It keeps popping up in corners of the internet, which led Jon Anik to drop his Modelo: Brewed for those with a fighting spirit and make it clear that it isn’t – and never has been. .
“I can assure you he’s not going anywhere,” Anik said on What The Heck. “Again I hate to put words in his mouth but he absolutely loves this job and I think we had a little international surge with pay-per-views at the end of the year – UFC 251, 253 , 254 – that he was not one of them because they were happening in Abu Dhabi. But I hope the national pay-per-views will come back more in 2021 and have the chance to go back more often.
“It’s not that easy to step in every eight weeks trying to do one of these things and constantly have a revolving door with the broadcast crew, but I love this guy. I’ve never been closer to the guy and I hope he’s here long after me.
Joe Rogan reacts to UFC 258 comment
As mentioned above, not everyone was excited about the King of the podcast’s return to commentary for UFC 258.
“I saw part of it,” Anik said of the criticism of Rogan.
“Again, the social media space after these live events can be a difficult space to engage and inhabit. But I think for Joe there are a lot of different factors. I think he’s never been happier in this broadcast booth.
“I hate putting words in his mouth, but I think he likes the dynamic. He was in a two man booth forever where he just worked with one guy game by game and he couldn’t bounce off a fighter. . I feel like this has been an adjustment for all of us. “
[ad_2]
