Joe Rogan might have been the voice of MMA for well over a decade now, but for some fans, the veteran UFC caller has been phoning in his duties for a while now. And some have even suggested it’s time for the color commentator to hang up his headset for good.
Returning to duties over the weekend after skipping that last PPV in Australia, Rogan called the action at UFC 313, joined on the desk by play-by-play lead Jon Anik and Hall of Fame star Daniel Cormier. The trio has been a mainstay in the promotion’s flagship booth.
But while Anik and Cormier have been receiving flowers for doing their due diligence and explaining the intricacies of in-octagon events, Rogan’s reliance on the redundant has come under constant fire.
According to many, Rogan’s usual commentary tropes are more than outdated. While he remains an ocean of intense knowledge of the sport and its participants, the days of enthusiastic expression are said to have passed him by.
Following his UFC 313 appearance, an MMA influencer has launched a verbal tirade in the direction of Rogan. Suggesting the Jersey native has more or less been doing the bare minimum to get by, HayJivePicks asserts that Rogan has fallen off with his in-depth analysis.
“He helped build the sport, so he deserves whatever he wants,” he said.
“I like Joe as a person. He’s an absolute legend, but his commentary has gotten to the point where it’s clear he just shows up. He repeats himself a million times about cups and calf kicks, glazes the fighters that he knows best, and pretty much just reacts to what’s happening”, the influencer added – a common sentiment among the internet MMA community.
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Furthermore, the influencer suggested that fan-favorite color-commentator, Laura Sanko, was ready to step into Rogan’s sizeable shoes.
“Whereas other commentators like Laura Sanko, who doesn’t have the years of credibility, the huge platform that Joe Rogan has, she probably stays up all night researching these fighters… Knowing what they’re going to do, what their tendencies are.”, he added.
Rogan’s obsession with steel cups and calf kicks
On show during the main event of UFC 313, Rogan immediately noted the effectiveness of calf kicks from defending champion Alex Pereira. And it’s just another trope of the veteran caller on display in recent years.
Highlighting their revolutionary introduction into the sport, fans can almost make a bingo card of certain repeated phrases from Rogan on fight night.
Another telltale sign Rogan is calling the action is the mention of Muay Thai steel cups. And their legality and effectiveness.
On cue, Rogan will question if steel cups are permitted. And mention how the fulcrum achieved from sporting them allows an unfair advantage to their wearers. Rogan has also not been directing the fights as he once used to. With the knowledge of MMA reaching a wider audience than before, simple repetition of the action leaves a lot to be desired, perhaps.
And with the likes of Paul Felder, Michael Bisping, Dominick Cruz, and Sanko all waiting in the wings, the calls for Rogan completely trading the commentary booth for complete focus on his podcast seems to be reaching a fever pitch.
