Joe Rogan has expressed high admiration for Daniel Cormier, applauding his remarkable achievements as an undersized heavyweight and a light heavyweight champion.
During his illustrious MMA career, Cormier earned UFC titles in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, holding them simultaneously at one point. As his career concluded, he competed as a heavyweight, cementing his legacy in the division.
Cormier’s résumé includes victories over elite fighters such as Stipe Miocic, Alexander Gustafsson, Anthony Johnson and Dan Henderson. After retiring, he transitioned to a new role, joining Joe Rogan and Jon Anik as a commentator for UFC pay-per-view broadcasts and other programs.
“Daniel was a light heavyweight champion and heavyweight champion,” Rogan said on a recent episode ofthe Joe Rogan Experience. “He was a two-division world champion and was dominating in a weight class in Strikeforce that he didn’t even belong in – heavyweight. He’s like 5-(foot)-11 – he’s not a big guy.
“He’s just such an insane tank of a human being. His wrestling was so insane and just his will was so insane. He dominated two different divisions. He was a killer. The nicest f*cking guy you’d ever meet in your life. If you were hanging around him, you would never believe that he could pick up anybody in the room and smash them on their head.”
In 2022, Cormier’s storied career was honored with his induction into the Modern Wing of the UFC Hall of Fame.
Many fight fans agree that Conor McGregor hasn’t been the same fighter — or person — since earning generational wealth from his high-profile boxing match with Floyd Mayweather years ago.
Once tied to a potential bout with Michael Chandler this year, McGregor’s return to the Octagon was ultimately scrapped. Despite UFC CEO Dana White’s insistence that the irishman will fight again, the former two-division champion has been absent from competition since July 2021, when he suffered a gruesome leg injury.
Notably, McGregor has won only one fight since November 2016, posting a 1-3 record during that time.
During a conversation with YouTuber Derek Munro of More Plates More Dates on the Joe Rogan Experience, the color commentator weighed in on McGregor’s ongoing controversies, including a recent guilty civil verdict for sexual assault in Ireland and his turbulent behavior outside the cage. Rogan speculated that McGregor’s decline may be attributed to head trauma and drug use, including alleged cocaine use.
“I don’t know if Conor’s ever going to fight again,” Rogan said. “I don’t know the real details of that case. I know his version of it, her version of it, and what played out in court. But the reality is, that guy’s partying, and he’s partying real hard. He talked about it in the court case. He was talking about cocaine. That was the whole thing: ‘We were all doing cocaine and we were f**king.’”
Munro referenced recent viral videos showing McGregor seemingly under the influence, but Rogan emphasized that these allegations remain unconfirmed.
“A lot of fighters have sustained significant damage over the course of their careers, and there’s no way to avoid it,” Rogan continued. “We’ve all seen Conor get beat up and knocked out. We’ve seen his sparring footage with elite fighters. You’re getting hit in the head. A lot. And for many fighters, especially toward the end of their careers, drugs become an outlet.”
Rogan highlighted the cumulative toll of years of training and fighting, explaining how consistent head trauma disrupts brain chemistry and can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms.
“You’re not supposed to get punched in the head a thousand times a year,” Rogan said. “That’s the reality of consistent training. Then you mix in a little bit of coke, and you’re feeling good again. I bet it becomes addictive.”
He also drew parallels to other fighters with tumultuous personal lives, such as Jon Jones, emphasizing the wild and extreme nature of many elite athletes.
“The guy obviously likes extreme things, which is why he’s such a great fighter,” Rogan noted. “They’re wild people.”
People are still buzzing about Ilia Topuria’s stellar performance against Max Holloway at UFC 308, where Topuria made history by becoming the first fighter ever to finish Holloway.
This victory extended Topuria’s undefeated streak to an impressive 16-0. It came on the heels of his knockout win over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298, where he claimed the featherweight title.
The New High-Water Mark
During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan shared his thoughts on Topuria as the new “measuring stick” in MMA.
“Ilia is fast as f*ck,” Rogan said. “He’s not slow at all. He doesn’t have any disadvantages. He doesn’t have any weaknesses, man. That’s the thing. That’s why I say he’s the new high-water mark. There are people who think he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter alive.”
Rogan went on, “There’s a lot of discussion about that online. It’s a little premature, especially with Jon Jones still out there, and there are other elite fighters too – Islam Makhachev is another one. There’s a real argument that he’s the best pound-for-pound guy alive, but it’s f*cking close. Ilia – he might be the best.”
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña believes commentary “bias” has played a part in the negative reaction to her title win earlier this month.
The result, which came over two years on from “The Venezuelan Vixen’s” first reign being brought to an end by Amanda Nunes, caused considerable debate.
On MMA Decisions, 25 out of 27 media members scored the five-round contest in favor of Pennington. That sentiment was also shared by 78 percent of over 500 fan scorecards that were submitted.
The newly crowned queen has been left bemused by the post-fight ‘robbery’ narratives, and she seemingly placed blame on the commentary team during an appearance on the debut episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned.
Peña branded the commentary “garbage” while reiterating the reasons why she’s confident that four of the five rounds were won by her.
“When you throw less and land more, when you’re giving the other girl a bloody nose and a goose egg on her head, when you’re taking her down, when you’re frickin’ making her eyes get as big as plates because you’re hitting her so hard and rocking her sh*t…you can’t tell me that I lost the fight,” Peña said. “I won that fight, and I’m so sick of all these people trying to like, make me feel like I didn’t win.
“Rewatch the fight without all the commentary bias and you will see clearly that I won that fight,” Peña continued. “Obviously all of the frickin’ MMA media hates my guts. … Every single one of them scored it against me. They need to go rewatch it without all that frickin’ garbage commentary and look at the significant strikes. I threw less and I landed more and they were harder shots. Rewatch it, please!”
Alongside the controversy regarding the scoring, the other major topic to emerge from Peña’s title win is the next step in the bantamweight division.
UFC President Dana White sparked conversation this week after revealing the four figures that would make it into his MMA Mount Rushmore.
Unsurprisingly, White picked out the names that he believes have left behind the greatest legacies in the UFC and have made the biggest impact on the sport as a whole.
After the fans had their say on who they would exchange for their own personal lists, the founder of the promotion that hopes to stand side-by-side with the UFC in the future weighed in with his thoughts.
Dana White reveals his Mount Rushmore for the top 4 UFC fighters of all-time
Donn Davis Lists Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, Joe Rogan & Dana White As His Mt. Rushmore Picks
Via a post on X, PFL founder Donn Davis revealed who would make it into his exclusive club for their contributions to the sport.
Rather than naming four fighters, he went slightly outside the box by listing two influential figures who have helped bring the sport to a whole new level.
Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey were the two shared picks between White and Davis for the sheer amount of attention they have brought to MMA, with Rousey being credited for breaking down barriers in women’s MMA.
However, where they differ is in Davis’ two non-fighter picks, one of which was the UFC President, who Davis attributes with “Built the industry”.
It’s undeniable that White has been a massively significant figure when looking at the growth of the sport and in that same vein, the PFL founder included UFC commentator Joe Rogan on his list.
Not only does Rogan regularly feature on PPV broadcasts, his Joe Rogan Experience Podcast being one of the biggest in the world will have exposed so many new fans to the sport.
As Davis wrote in his social media post, Rogan has played a crucial role in “Explaining the sport to masses” which has helped to remove barriers to entry and stigmas surrounding mixed martial arts.
Joe Rogan recently reiterated his stance that the Olympic Games are primarily profit-driven ventures for the major investors that back them, while the athletes themselves receive negligible monetary compensation.
The Olympic Games stand as the pinnacle of global sporting events, drawing thousands of top-class athletes from across the globe to compete in an extensive array of competitions every four years.
The 33rd Summer Olympics are currently taking place in Paris, France. Since the opening ceremony on July 26, this year’s games have been shrouded in controversy. The organizers have had to apologize for certain performances held along the River Seine that were seen by many as blasphemous. Critics argue that these acts parodied Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, “The Last Supper.”
A pitch for seven Olympic rings, what do you all think? Shall we accept it?
However, the veteran UFC color commentator has a different bone to pick with the Olympics, primarily revolving around the meager financial rewards for the participating athletes…
Rogan Lambasts Olympic Stakeholders For Creating Unfavorable System For Athletes
During a recent episode of his JRE MMA Show, featuring UFC light heavyweight fighter Khalil Rountree as the guest, Rogan once again leveled scathing criticism at the modern Olympics and its underlying system.
The 56-year-old MMA commentator claimed that the substantial revenue generated by stakeholders and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from these events fails to benefit the athletes who actually perform. He accused the Olympic leadership of exploiting athletes while reaping enormous financial rewards.
“The Olympics is a giant scam,” Rogan said. “There are two things going on simultaneously, okay? You have the best athletes in the world participating in their disciplines. And then on top of that, you have enormous amounts of money being made, and none of it’s going to the athletes. It is a giant scam.”
Rogan further blasted the apparent parody of “The Last Supper” painting, asserting that it was deliberately crafted to offend religious sentiments.
“So the kind of people that are putting together that ridiculous ceremony, we got a bunch of drag queens in ‘The Last Supper’ that nobody understands because it’s not made by athletes, it’s not made by the Olympics, it’s made by the people that are in charge of putting the Olympics out. So they’re the ones who are reaping all the money and sucking all the cash out of these athletes.”
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games mark a groundbreaking first, as the IOC will directly compensate winning athletes, awarding $50,000 to each gold medalist.
Until this year, athletes typically relied on personal sponsorships for their income and received financial backing from their national Olympic organizations.
From being the youngest UFC champion in history to defending the belt 11 times consecutively and then going up to heavyweight and becoming champion in that division also, “Bones” has done it all.
The one issue that comes with arguing his case is whether or not you have to add a footnote to some of his wins because of several failed drug tests throughout his career.
There is some form of explanation for some of these, but not everyone is willing to accept these reasonings because of how often they’ve become talking points.
Joe Rogan References Lance Armstrong When Debating Whether Or Not Jon Jones Was Guilty Of Cheating
During a recent podcast episode, a former opponent of Jones’, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson appeared on the JRE MMA Show alongside UFC commentator Joe Rogan.
Jackson, like many fans, assumed that some of Jones’ career was up for debate because of the positive tests that he hadn’t looked into in lots of detail.
Rogan then explained what the issue is with some of these findings and why some still believe that the current heavyweight champion is in the clear.
“He did but the problem that he got popped with, there were so miniscule levels that it didn’t make sense.”
Jackson responded, stating that given the fact that the conversation began by talking about Alistair Overeem, his former opponent never appeared to give off signs of performance enhancing drugs from his appearance alone.
“He don’t look like somebody that does steroids.”
Rogan made the point of how some of the most famous examples of athletes using steroids or other drugs to cheat didn’t necessarily give it away just by looking at them, referencing Lance Armstrong who was stripped of his record-setting seven consecutive Tour de France victories.
“No he doesn’t… but neither did Lance Armstrong… he was doing testosterone, he was definitely doing that too. Those guys were doing a lot of s***.”
Fight fans may have to brace themselves after the opening bout of UFC 302 saw quite the controversial scorecard in a one-sided victory.
The early prelims for UFC 302 opened with a bout between The Ultimate Fighter alumnus Mitch Raposo and Andre Lima. While Lima committed a couple of fouls in the opening round to get a hard warning, Raposo put together little offence of note throughout the fight.
One judge, Dave Tirelli, however, seemed to be watching a completely different fight and awarded the bout to Raposo with a 29-28 score. The remaining two judges, however, scored the fight for Lima, earning him a split decision.
The score in Raposo’s favor, however, was enough to get Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, on the commentary desk for UFC 302, to openly criticize officiating and scoring of fights.
“I’ve really been an advocate for open scoring and more judges,” Rogan said. “I think three judges is too few.” He also said that “they should be ashamed” to produce a scorecard in favor of Raposo.
Daniel Cormier also echoed Rogan’s sentiments, heavily criticising the judge with the errant scorecard – Dave Tirelli.
MMA Community Goes Off On Judge Who Scored Fight For Mitch Raposo Over Andre Lima At UFC 302
Bro wtf. How is this a split decision???? Clearest 30-27 I’ve ever seen. That scorecard must be investigated immediately. Is this a sick joke??? #UFC302
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) June 1, 2024
🚨| NOTE: Dave Tirelli, the judge who scored the fight for Mitch Raposo, is scheduled to judge the #UFC302 co-main event between Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa. pic.twitter.com/Ll1bbHyYBP
I think you could make an argument for giving Raposo Round 2. But giving him Round 1 should be grounds for an immediate dismissal for Dave Tirelli tonight. #UFC302
As Joe Rogan said on a recent episode of his podcast, Ilia Topuria didn’t need any additional inspiration to believe that he was going to become the UFC featherweight champion.
Having not been stopped since his fourth pro fight, Volkanovski has now been on the end of two decisive knockouts in his last two fights.
The Aussie fighter was already planning to defend his title against Topuria when he got the call to step in on a few weeks notice to move up a weight class and face Islam Makhachev.
With Charles Oliveira out, a generous offer from the UFC and the chance to earn some revenge after he was beaten by Makhachev that same year, Volkanovski knew he had to say yes.
Joe Rogan Wishes We Could Have Seen Alexander Volkanovski Face Ilia Topuria Without Fighting At UFC 294
On The Joe Rogan Experience, elite grappler and coach of Volkanovski, Craig Jones, spoke about this with the UFC commentator.
Rogan believes that the knockout and quick turnaround undoubtedly affected Volkanovski at UFC 298.
“This is a short amount of time and then everything kind of falls apart and I think it wouldn’t have fallen apart if not for the rematch. If it wasn’t for the rematch, if he just waited for Topuria, I got to think that head kick has a factor. I mean to get brained like that with a shin to the dome, which is the worst way to get knocked out, it’s so much power in legs.”
Rogan went on to say that he would have tried to talk Volkanovski out of taking the fight so that he could face Topuria in the best shape possible.
“It’s so tricky cuz I’m just such a huge Volk fan that I just wish I had his ear. I don’t know if he would have listened to me but if I had his ear…”
Former US president Donald J. Trump has again come to Joe Rogan’s defense.
Joe Rogan recently came under fire for past race-related remarks on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience. There were two videos, in particular, that went viral after multi-platinum R&B singer India Arie among others shared them on social media.
In one video, Rogan says he was in “Planet of the Apes” when he unexpectedly found himself in an all-black neighborhood while on his way to watch that very movie. The other video is a compilation of Rogan saying the N-word multiple times in various conversations held on his podcast.
Rogan apologized for both videos and was showered with support from the vocal majority of the MMA community, including UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya, who strongly vouched for Rogan. Other figures outside of the sport, such as Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, have spoken out against Rogan.
Donald Trump Defends Joe Rogan Against Racism Accusations
Image Credit: Steven Ryan/Getty Images
During an appearance on the FULL SEND PODCAST, Trump doubled-down on his advice for Rogan to not apologize while also vouching for Rogan not being racist.
“Joe Rogan’s not a racist,” Trump said. “And he’s a very interesting guy that people like listening to. But they’ve been hitting him very hard. I did tell him one thing: stop apologizing. Stop apologizing.”
Trump may not be done with his legacy as president, as he also hinted that he might run in the 2024 US Presidential Election, stating that “people will be very happy” when he was asked if he will run again.
As for Joe Rogan, after sitting out UFC 271 at the peak of this controversy, the iconic commentator returned to the booth for UFC 272: Covington vs. Masvidal last weekend, where Covington and many fans had the opportunity to shower him with support in person.
What are your thoughts on Donald Trump’s support for Joe Rogan?
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan believes that Dana White and his promotion may have decided to re-book Islam Makhachev’s fight with Beneil Dariush in order to lay the groundwork for Conor McGregor to return into a title bout.
At UFC Vegas 49, Makhachev added a 10th win to a lengthy win streak. After the withdrawal of Dariush, who suffered a broken fibula in training earlier in February, the Dagestani faced short-notice opponent Bobby Green, finishing him with ease in the first round.
Despite Green being unranked, many expected the win to secure Makhachev the spot immediately behind Justin Gaethje in the queue for a title shot. Judging by the #3-ranked contender and his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov’s comments, they seemed to share that sentiment.
Dana on Islam/RDA: "I thought we had it done. I went to bed one of the nights I thought it was done and woke up the next morning and [Makhachev] turned it down."
While the revelation came as a surprise to some, not least to fans of Makhachev, renowned UFC personality and podcast host Joe Rogan believes he’s identified the method behind the promotion’s decision.
Talk of Conor McGregor, who’s been out of action since breaking his leg last July, returning to the Octagon straight into a title fight has increased in recent weeks, largely after White appeared to leave the door open to the idea.
According to Rogan, the UFC likely re-booked Makhachev vs. Dariush in order to set up a championship opportunity for the Irishman when he makes his comeback.
“When Dana said that Makhachev now has to fight Beneil Dariush before he can fight for the title, I think that sets up a Conor fight (for the title). I think that’s probably why he really did it,” Rogan said on his podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience, this past week. “It’s kind of crazy.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
White Previously Slammed Those Criticizing A McGregor Title Shot
“Crazy” is perhaps the adjective used by a large portion of the MMA community. While some have suggested McGregor’s past achievements, immense drawing ability, and superstardom mean an immediate title fight, despite his two-fight skid, is justified, others have used it as another example of the rankings being wrongly discarded.
During an appearance on My Mom’s Basement with Robbie Fox, White responded to those who have criticized his willingness to have the former two-division champion return from injury straight into a title fight. He had some choice words for his detractors.
“The problem is, every time I do a f*cking interview, all anybody wants to ask is, ‘You think Conor McGregor will get a f*cking title shot?’ That’s all they f*cking ask,” said White. “So, I’m gonna say, ‘Well Conor McGregor isn’t anywhere near coming back yet, so I don’t know, let’s see what happens..’ It’s a dumb f*cking question for the media to ask, but the media asks dumb f*cking sh*t all day, every day. That’s what happens.
“And anybody who’s p*ssed off because Conor might f*cking get (a title shot), you’re a f*cking idiot too. If that p*sses you off, Jesus Christ. Calm down, buddy,” concluded White.
UFC President Dana White has confirmed that Joe Rogan will return to commentate on the upcoming pay-per-view at UFC 272.
Rogan was absent from the UFC 271 commentary team for reasons that are still unclear. After it was originally reported by some outlets as a scheduling conflict, White later shut down those rumors and said that Rogan chose not to work.
“Yeah, he’ll be here,” White said. “[Rogan is] on this week, [Daniel] Cormier’s off.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Rogan will make his return to the broadcast alongside play-by-play broadcaster Jon Anik and former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping.
Rogan has been under fire over the past few months for allegedly spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines and also after a racial-slur-filled compilation went viral. In the compilation of a series of past podcast episodes, Rogan can be heard using the ‘n-word’ without context.
Despite being absent from UFC 271, Rogan’s presence was still felt by the fans. Chants of “Free Joe Rogan” were prevalent throughout the fight card.
Cormier will miss this weekend’s pay-per-view due to the recent death of his mother, as he announced earlier this week.
UFC 272 will be headlined by a welterweight grudge match between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington, two fighters who Rogan has praised many times in the past.
What is your reaction to Joe Rogan returning for UFC 272?
World-renowned movie star Samuel L. Jackson isn’t buying Joe Rogan’s explanation regarding his past use of a racial slur.
Rogan has been under fire in recent weeks after videos of him using language considered to be racially insensitive went viral, including a video compilation of him using the ‘N-word’. Calls for Rogan to be canceled and removed from streaming platform Spotify skyrocketed after the video’s release.
Jackson, like Rogan, is never afraid to speak his mind on world issues. During a recent interview with The Sunday Times, Jackson explained why he believes Rogan’s excuse that the clips were taken out of context is invalid.
“He is saying nobody understood the context when he said it,” Jackson told the Times, which describes him as rolling his eyes over Rogan. “But he shouldn’t have said it. It’s not the context, dude — it’s that he was comfortable doing it. Say that you’re sorry because you want to keep your money, but you were having fun and you say you did it because it was entertaining.”
Jackson went on to explain why Rogan’s use of the ‘N-word’ is different than his filmmaking colleague and award-winning director Quentin Tarantino.
“Every time someone wants an example of overuse of the n-word, they go to Quentin — it’s unfair,” he told the U.K. publication. “He’s just telling the story and the characters do talk like that. When Steve McQueen does it, it’s art. He’s an artiste. Quentin’s just a popcorn film-maker.”
Rogan is expected to be on the call for the upcoming UFC 272 card featuring a welterweight grudge match between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington. He has been with the UFC since 1997.
What are your thoughts on Samuel L. Jackson’s take on Joe Rogan’s N-word controversy?
And like every other fighter in any promotion, with a loss comes criticism and hate from the public.
It is a cold world. Trolls on social media tried to tear him down after every defeat. So Kevin Lee may know, through experience, how Joe Rogan feels at the moment.
Following accusations of spreading COVID-19 misinformation on his podcast and videos showing him using racially insensitive language, many have called for The Joe Rogan Experience to be shut down and taken off of Spotify.
In Rogan’s defense, he claims his words were taken out of context. Kevin Lee admits to having a similar experience because social media has also misconstrued his words in the past as well.
“Sometimes I hate being on social media. Sometimes I hate communicating with people because it can always be taken out of context. So it’s like, maybe I should just do actions and not say anything. Even though that’s not where we want to be either. You got a voice, it’s worth something. It’s not always worth something bad, especially if you don’t have no ill intention behind it,” Lee explained in an interview with Middle Easy.
No matter how much Joe Rogan apologizes for certain behaviors, it seems much of the public cannot be pleased. And Kevin Lee, among others, has spoken out in his defense.
Lee blames the “culture” for the negative spotlight on Rogan.
“One daymaybe we’ll figure out a way to solve these types of issues. But one thing we can’t do is turn our back on each other, even when you do like make little mistakes or slip up. That comes in everybody’s life. At some point, I’m going to say some dumb sh*t. I have said some dumb sh*t. It’s real easy for people to write people off. I think that’s just a f*cked up way to be. It’s just a f*cked up culture,” Lee continued to say.
“Cancel culture” has taken aim at the careers of many. One prime example is Gina Carrano, who claims she was ‘canceled’ when she was removed from LucasFilm after using social media to voice some of her political opinions.
Many UFC fans missed Joe Rogan at UFC 271. And according to Dana White, he could have been there.
The absence produced many questions and sparked a debate: Was it because of scheduling conflicts, or is the recent controversy at fault?
What are your thoughts on Kevin Lee’s opinion of the Joe Rogan controversy?
UFC analyst and former middleweight champion Michael Bisping has heard the critics of his fill-in for Joe Rogan at the desk at UFC 271.
Bisping was on the call with play-by-play broadcaster Jon Anik and color commentator Daniel Cormier for the recent UFC 271 pay-per-view in Houston, TX. One notable absence from the event was Rogan, who has been marred by controversy in recent weeks.
Fans were divided on Bisping’s performance at the commentary desk, with some accusing him of showing bias and not replacing Rogan adequately. Bisping has commentated UFC Fight Night events but has been rarely seen for pay-per-view broadcasts.
During a recent Q+A session on his YouTube channel, Bisping addressed his critics and whether or not he would return to work pay-per-views in the future should he be needed.
“Well, considering all the backlash from all the motherfuckers out there, probably not. They’re probably like, ‘Whoa, we gave him a try. He was fuking awful. He was biased.’ Nah. I don’t know. We’ll see. We’ll see because I was only filling in for Joe Rogan; so, probably not. Joe will more than likely be back on the next one. So, therefore, I will not. I don’t wanna take anyone’s job. And you know what? I like enjoying the pay-per-views as a fan. Now, don’t get me wrong. The best seat in the house is literally right there, working the shows.
“If nobody can make it and they need somebody to fill in, I would be absolutely over the moon to do so. But I don’t want to take anyone’s job.” (h/t SportsKeeda)
It was initially reported that Rogan would miss UFC 271 due to a “scheduling conflict”, which was later shut down by UFC president Dana White. After Rogan stepped away from his usual post just days before the event, Bisping filled in on short notice to help boost the commentary team.
While Rogan wasn’t present at the event, some fans chanted “We Want Rogan” throughout the fights. Bisping appears to be unbothered by the unwavering support for Rogan by his fans.
It’s not 100% clear whether or not Rogan’s absence will be long-term or short-term ahead of the UFC 272 pay-per-view next month. If Rogan opts to once again step aside, Bisping could get the call to fill once again.
What were your thoughts on Michael Bisping’s commentary at UFC 271?
India Arie has provided an explanation for why she no longer accepts Joe Rogan’s apology for past race-related remarks.
Joe Rogan has dominated headlines across the mainstream media arguably as much as any public figure in 2022 thus far. First, he was the focal point of a COVID-19 controversy where he was accused of spreading and facilitating “deadly misinformation” related to the pandemic. And more recently, he had to answer for past race-related comments made on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience.
The individual who many are crediting for making these past remarks widely known is multi-platinum and Grammy-Award winning artist India Arie.
India Arie, Credit: Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
On her Instagram page, Arie shared a pair of videos that played back Rogan’s past remarks. The first video is a compilation of Rogan saying “the N-Word” multiple times. In the second video, he compares an all-black neighborhood to “Planet of the Apes.”
Arie has expressed that her reason for sharing those videos was not to “cancel” Rogan but rather to protest Spotify choosing to pay him $100 million (now reportedly $200 million), while herself and working musicians worldwide are paid scraps.
Arie Believes Rogan’s Behavior Was “Consciously Racist”
Earlier this week, India Arie appeared on The Daily Show With Trevor Noahto discuss, among other topics, the Joe Rogan situation. The conversation began with Arie defining the difference between “conscious racism” and “unconscious racism.”
“I think there are two things that we consider when we talk about racism,” Arie began. “And one is conscious racism, and the other is unconscious racism. And so I have learned in my life to make room and forgiveness for people who are unconsciously racist. Because our whole society is built on racist concepts. So if you’re born into it, if you’re not actively working to not be racist, then you have some of it in you…
“And then there’s conscious racism, when you know you’re doing it…and if a person keeps doing it, is that when we call them a racist? So if you know you’re doing it and you keep doing it, I would say that is a racist. And so for me, when I think about Joe Rogan, I think that he is being consciously racist.”
Arie went on to argue that it was unrealistic to think Rogan did not already know there was no appropriate context for him to use “the N word” and that he said it anyway to get “a rise out of people.” Arie would go on to say that she takes no pleasure in making this categorization of Rogan, but she feels the evidence cannot be denied.
“And I don’t even like saying that because I’m a sensitive old soul, and I want to believe the best in people. So when I first heard his apology, my instinct is to go, ‘He tried.’ But when I go deeper and ask myself what I really think from my commitment to truth that I made this last year, what I really think is that he was being consciously racist, and it makes me wonder what he talks like behind closed doors. If you have even a consciousness where you can call black people apes, that’s something there.”
Arie Presents Path For Rogan To Prove Apology Was Sincere
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Arie would then turn her attention to Rogan’s supporters. Ever since Arie shared the videos of Rogan and this story went viral, she claims she has been met with racist and abusive comments and messages on social media. Thus, Arie says that if Rogan wants to prove that he really cares about making change, he can use his platform to help guide his followers down a better path.
“And so I want to tell you: My DMs and my comments are wild right now of people just—all kinds of racial slurs and misogynistic ones, too. All kinds. And so that says to me that these people who want to defend Joe Rogan think that this is the right language to do it.
“So Joe Rogan needs to do more than go, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m sorry.’ He needs to—if you really want to lead your listeners down a new path—then lead them to the point where they don’t feel that its the right language to come into my DMs and call me an N-word in defense of him. He needs to teach them that they shouldn’t feel that way. They’re not making him look good.”
Arie and Noah would then point out the irony of Rogan’s supporters defending Rogan against accusations of racism while themselves being openly racist. For Noah’s part, he stressed the importance of people being allowed to reform and grow from past mistakes, otherwise no one will ever admit to doing anything “racist,” let alone being one.
Rogan has not addressed this controversy again after his initial apology. Beyond his allegedly abusive supporters on social media, some black fighters who have stood up for him include UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya, Terrence McKinney, and Mike “Biggie” Rhodes. However, Hollywood megastar and UFC superfan Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is among those who have disavowed him.
You can view Trevor Noah’s full interview with India Arie below.
A pair of anonymous sources told The Times that Rogan is making roughly $200 million to stream his podcast on Spotify, with the possibility of more. The deal covers three and a half years, dating to when he first signed the original deal in May 2020.
Rogan has been under fire in recent weeks regarding his views on the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines, along with a viral compilation video with him using a racial slur. Spotify has elected to keep him on the platform despite calls for him to be removed, such as from musical artists like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.
Rogan was also notably absent from the UFC 271 commentary team, for a reason which is still unclear. After it was originally reported as a “scheduling conflict”, UFC president Dana White downplayed it and said that it was Rogan’s choice not to attend.
While Rogan’s podcast has skyrocketed Spotify to the top of the streaming world, the podcast’s tenure with Spotify hasn’t come without controversy. He’s been accused of spreading alleged misinformation regarding the pandemic and more specifically, vaccines and vaccine side effects.
Rogan has yet to respond publically to the latest report from The New York Times.
What is your reaction to Joe Rogan’s massive Spotify deal?
Israel Adesanya’s head coach Eugene Bareman has shut down Joe Rogan’s in-fight assessment that the UFC champion broke his hand at UFC 271.
Adesanya earned a unanimous decision win over former champion Robert Whittaker in the UFC 271 main event. He utilized an efficient striking attack to out-pace Whittaker, especially in the later rounds.
Eyebrows were raised when Rogan texted play-by-play commentator Jon Anik in the middle of the broadcast that he thought Adesanya had broken his right hand. Adesanya appeared to curl his right hand and not be as active with it as the fight went on.
“No, that’s more to do with something that happened in Rounds 2 through 4, trying to get that right-hand side going,” Bareman said. “But for whatever reason, Robert was making Israel a little anxious to throw not just the right hand but the right side in terms of the leg going a little bit. [Israel] said not just the right side in terms of the upper body moving, but there was a block there that [Israel] tried to mitigate [his] way through each round. But for whatever reason, [he] wasn’t able to successfully get that right hand going the way we wanted to. So it wasn’t about a broken hand or anything, it was [mental].”
Rogan was absent from the commentary team due to an unknown conflict. It was originally reported by some outlets that it was due to a scheduling issue, but UFC President Dana White has since shut that theory down.
Adesanya has now successfully defended his title four times since knocking out Whittaker at UFC 243. He also challenged for the light heavyweight title against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 but fell short in a decision.
Bareman has clarified Adesanya’s health status with his hand and it sounds like the middleweight champion is still anticipating a return for some time this summer.
Who do you want to see Israel Adesanya fight next in 2022?
The following article was published on this day seven years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Seven Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 13, 2015, 4:16 PM]
Headline: Joe Rogan Says PEDs Are An “Epidemic” In MMA
In light of the recent PED problem in the sport of MMA, longtime UFC commentator Joe Rogan went on a rant about the subject on his latest podcast, referring to the situation as a legitimate “epidemic.”
“The UFC and MMA, in general, is a steroid epidemic,” said Rogan. “They’ve started this really stringent testing and everybody is getting popped. They’re just getting popped left and right. It’s one of the things fighters have been saying for a long time, that everyone is on steroids, a huge percentage. Give a number 50, 60 [percent]. Whatever the f**k it is that are on steroids.”
Rogan touched on the highest-profile case in recent weeks, that being Anderson Silva.
“Anderson was coming back from a broken leg and he tested positive for metabolites,” said Rogan. “It was leaving his system, a very trace amount. If that was the case, it could very well be that he got on some steroids to heal up quicker. Because what steroids do, is they allow you to recover quicker.
“So if he’s 39 years old and he broke his f***ing leg, you’re talking about a long-ass period of recovery. Or you take steroids and you recover in nine months instead of 15 months or fill in the blank. That could be what’s going on, but the reality is it’s illegal. You can’t do it. If it takes you 15 months, the excuse can’t be, ‘I’m going to give you some illegal drugs so you heal quicker. This is the only reason you take these drugs. Don’t worry about it, you’ll be fine.’ No, you’re never allowed to take steroids.”
Rogan also shared his thoughts on Hector Lombard’s positive test, news of which came out this week.
“This thing that Hector Lombard got popped for, I’ve never even heard of this s**t before,” said Rogan. “It’s apparently a designer anabolic steroid, so what I think that means is that it’s one of these steroids that’s been concocted to get around the rules.
“The test are getting way more sophisticated, so who knows? Lombard must have thought that he couldn’t get in trouble for this s**t. I don’t understand it.”
Check out the latest Joe Rogan Experience podcast by clicking here.
Joe Rogan will not be interviewing any fighters tonight at UFC 271 because he will not be on commentating duty. There were rumors that Rogan was replaced by ESPN due to his recent controversies, particularly viral race-related remarks from the past, but the UFC has reported that it is really due to a scheduling conflict. It should be noted that in recent years, Rogan has missed the occasional UFC pay-per-view due to such conflicts.
In the following article published on this day three years ago, Rogan opened up on interviewing UFC fighters after bouts. It is presented to you in its original, unfiltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 12, 2019, 3:49 PM]
Headline: Joe Rogan Discusses Interviewing UFC Fighters After Bouts
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) color commentator Joe Rogan has revealed the goal of interviewing fighters after their bouts.
Rogan has been with the UFC since 1997, so going in-depth on the background and styles of fighters is nothing new to him. Upon his transition as a color commentator, Rogan eventually found himself interviewing athletes inside the Octagon right after their bouts. It’s a task that Rogan has proved to be more than capable of handling for years.
Joe Rogan Talks Interviewing UFC Fighters
On an edition of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the UFC color commentator spoke on his interviews (via BJPenn.com):
“One thing that I hope the fighters realize is that what I’m trying to do is only get them to express themselves. I want them to shine. I really genuinely want them — they won this big fight! I want them to express themselves. I want them to maybe maximize their marketing, their marketing ability, and just tell the world how they feel. That’s an incredibly unusual experience to win a big fight in the cage on pay-per-view in front of millions of people… My goal is only to try to get them communicate better and to let them know that I’m there to support them.”
The UFC recently posted a tribute video to Rogan for being a part of the promotion for 22 years. While Rogan has scaled back on his commentary duties, he has no plans to retire anytime soon.
Do you think Joe Rogan does a good job interviewing the fighters after their bouts?
India Arie has softened her position on Joe Rogan.
Last week, multi-time Grammy-Award winner India Arie posted two videos on her Instagram page containing clips of Joe Rogan using controversial language tied to race. The clips were from past episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience, in some cases from several years ago.
In the first video, Rogan can be heard saying “ni**er” multiple times. In her Instagram post, Arie commented on this compilation by stating that she knows what it is like to be a victim of hand-picked clips being taken out of context for the sake of sensationalism. And though she conceded that Rogan could have been the victim of the same thing, that did not change her position that Rogan shouldn’t have said the word at all in any context.
In the second video containing a clip from over a decade ago, Rogan compares his arrival to an all-black neighborhood to being in “Planet of the Apes” as he was en route to watch the actual film Planet of the Apes.
After playing back this video, Arie shifted the conversation to Spotify, stating that if the platform insists on paying Rogan $100 million in spite of him saying such things, then they should remove her music if they will simultaneously pay working artists pennies.
India Arie Accepts Joe Rogan’s Apology
India Arie, Photo credit: Benedict Evans
Although Spotify has stood steadfast by Rogan’s side through this controversy as well as the “deadly misinformation” controversy, they did decide to invest $100 million to historically marginalized groups. This decision came after Arie had a conversation with Spotify on the issue. However, it is unclear if this conversation was the sole or even primary reason behind Spotify’s decision to make this investment.
While there are no reports of a change in Arie’s position of having her music removed from Spotify, she did take a different tone when discussing Rogan. The R&B legend had some complimentary words about Joe Rogan’s apology for the use of “the N-Word” in an appearance on CNN.
“I have to say, I do think he did a fine job with his apology,” Arie said. “He said a lot of the things I would want to hear someone say. The thing that stuck out for me most was when he said, ‘It’s not my word to use.’ And I think change behavior is what we’re really looking for. If it went all the way to allyship, that would be wonderful. But also, change behavior would be wonderful, too.”
Arie went on to reiterate that she had no issue with Joe Rogan’s podcast because she could simply opt not to listen to it. However, the issue became unavoidable for her when she considered the wide gap in pay Rogan is receiving from Spotify despite some of his past language on race.
But as far as the specific use of the N-Word goes, Arie does not believe that alone makes Rogan a racist.
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
“I know why [black people] use [the “N-word”], but explaining that to everyone every time is not where I want to be or anybody should have to be. We should just be able to say, ‘Just don’t.’ And also, I don’t think that Joe Rogan is racist for using it. I think he’s insensitive for using it. So just don’t.”
While Arie has not met Rogan, other African-Americans who know Rogan more directly have also vouched for him not being a racist despite his N-word usage. This includes Rashad Evans and Terrence McKee among others. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was one notable figure who did pull his support, but it is unclear which of Rogan’s resurfaced videos prompted this denouncement from Johnson.
Joe Rogan is sticking with Spotify because they stuck with him.
Joe Rogan has been in some hot water recently. The podcaster and UFC commentator found himself on the verge of being canceled when videos of him making controversial race-related remarks went viral. Rogan released an apology video but many were still calling for his streaming platform Spotify to release him.
In the midst of all this, Rogan began to receive offers from other services. One, in particular, Rumble, a self-proclaimed “rights management video platform” offered Rogan $100 million to make the switch to them. Rumble is the home of UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal and his vlog.
The CEO of Rumble offered this statement, “We stand with you, your guests, and your legion of fans in desire for real conversation,” he said via Hollywood Reporter. “How about you bring all your shows to Rumble, both new and old, with no censorship, for $100 million bucks over four years? This is our chance to save the world. And yes, this is totally legit.”
In light of all this drama, Rogan has returned to stand-up comedy where he used himself as the punchline to his jokes. He spoke about the controversy and his loyalty to Spotify.
“I talk sh-t for a living — that’s why this is so baffling to me,” he said. “If you’re taking vaccine advice from me, is that really my fault? What dumb sh-t were you about to do when my stupid idea sounded better? ‘You know that dude who made people eat animal d–ks on TV? How does he feel about medicine?’ If you want my advice, don’t take my advice.”
“Spotify has hung in with me, inexplicably, let’s see what happens.”
Rogan’s issues have not been addressed by his UFC employers publically. There is no reason to believe at this time that he will be released from his commentating duties. The last UFC event Rogan was a part of was UFC 270.
Joe Rogan is hitting back at criticisms of his apology for a viral video that showed him repeatedly using a racial slur in past podcast episodes.
Rogan has been under fire in recent weeks on a variety of issues. Many subscribers and musical artists on Spotify have called for him to be canceled after past race-related remarks along with alleged misinformation regarding COVID-19 vaccines.
Shortly after a compilation of Rogan saying the ‘N-Word’ went viral courtesy of musical artist India Arie, Rogan took to Instagram to apologize for his past racial slur use. This prompted some, including former U.S. president Donald Trump, to question why Rogan felt the need to apologize for past statements published without context.
During a recent stand-up comedy performance at the Vulcan Gas Company in Austin, TX, Rogan addressed critics of his recent apology video. The following was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
“You should apologize if you regret something,” Rogan said. “This idea that you should never apologize. Like if you regret something, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with apologizing…
“Somebody made a compilation of every time I said that word over 14 years and they put it on YouTube, and it turned out that was racist as f*ck. Even to me!” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Many UFC fighters, including former champion Rashad Evans, have come to the defense of Rogan after the racial slur-filled video went viral. Rogan is expected to remain on the commentary team for the upcoming UFC 271 pay-per-view, headlined by a middleweight title fight between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans thinks Joe Rogan saying a racial slur on his podcast in the past is wrong, but he isn’t racist.
Evans and Rogan go back years from their respective time together in the UFC. Rogan has been a longtime color commentator for the promotion while Evans began his championship run after winning The Ultimate Fighter 2.
Rogan has been under heavy fire from all sides as of late, particularly following a video compilation of him saying the ‘N-Word’ went viral on social media. During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Evans showed support for his longtime friend and answered whether or not Rogan has racial prejudice.
“It’s very tough for me,” Evans said. “That compilation of the ‘N-Word’ it really is hard to go against that. But I know Joe, and I know the kind of person Joe is, and Joe’s never gave me any kinda feeling or any kind of indication that he’s racist or anything like that. I believe that people make some off-kilter remarks sometimes. And when you’re a comedian, you’re used to doing that.
“Not to excuse any of this, but at the same time when you go back that far, I’m sure there’s going to be a compilation of a lot of unfavorable things that people have said that can come back and bite them.”
Many former and current UFC fighters have spoken out of defense and support for Rogan after the video went viral. The UFC still plans on having Rogan on the UFC 271 commentary team this weekend.
Do you agree with Rashad Evans regarding Joe Rogan?
45th President of the United States Donald Trump believes Joe Rogan should man up and stop apologizing.
Joe Rogan has come under fire for allegedly spreading and facilitating “deadly misinformation” on his Joe Rogan Experience podcast. These accusations have led to Rock & Roll Music Hall of Famers Neil Young and Joni Mitchell requesting to have their music pulled from Spotify as a response to the podcast remaining on the streaming platform.
In response, Rogan clarified the objective of the podcast is not to be controversial or intentionally present contrarian views. Instead, it is used as a platform for various voices to engage in an open exchange of ideas, opinions, and viewpoints, even when Rogan himself doesn’t agree with a guest. Rogan apologized if he made anyone angry, stating this was not and has never been his intention.
Over the weekend, Rogan found himself in hot water again. This time, past race-related remarks came back to haunt the versatile public figure when it was revealed that he has said “n***er” multiple times throughout the history of his podcast.
Another video resurfaced where he said he was in “Planet of the Apes” when he arrived in an all-black neighborhood. Rogan apologized for both videos and insisted that he did not and would not ever intentionally express anything racist for the sake of entertainment or for any other reason.
Donald Trump Has Heard Enough
Donald Trump, Getty Images
Former US President Donald J. Trump has heard enough. In a statement released Monday night, he issued the following response to Rogan’s trifecta of apologies:
“Joe Rogan is an interesting and popular guy, but he’s got to stop apologizing to the Fake News and Radical Left maniacs and lunatics.
“How many ways can you say you’re sorry? Joe, just go about what you do so well and don’t let them make you look weak and frightened. That’s not you and it never will be!”
Before and during his presidency, Trump was often praised for his ability to say what he feels without standing on ceremony and being politically correct like other politicians. However, even Trump has apologized on rare occasions.
Regarding the issues of COVID-19, while Rogan has spoken about alternative ways to combat the virus, Trump has come out and vouched for the efficacy of the vaccines. From a policy standpoint, you can learn more about his thoughts and actions connected to the COVID-19 pandemic here.
However, Trump has always scoffed at and denied this categorization. In fact, in addition to touting his notable African-American supporters, he has claimed that no one has done more for black people except for perhaps Abraham Lincoln. You can view a recap of Trump’s policies in connection to the African-Americans here.
Trump has attended UFC events in the past, so perhaps he will be there and reveal which of the two fighters has his backing. And should one of the two fighters get blatantly snubbed in the process, they shouldn’t hold their breath on an apology.
What are your thoughts on Donald Trump’s statement regarding the Joe Rogan controversy?
