Despite much fervor over the current state of the UFC, promotional color commentator Joe Rogan has jumped to its defense.
In recent months, UFC has been the subject of much discourse across the global mixed martial arts community. Unfortunately, not for all the right reasons.
Set to make their premiere outing in Baku this weekend on their first trip to Azerbaijan, it marks another rare trip on the road for the UFC since the start of the pandemic five years ago.
Sporting an eye-catching main event between former champion Jamahal Hill and fan-favorite striker Khalil Rountree, the card in general has received some props.
And to boot, next week, there is International Fight Week, with a championship doubleheader on offer to close out UFC 317. There have certainly been more stacked cards to close out the annual card in the past. However, this flagship event will suffice according to many fans.
But amid claims from fans and critics alike that the UFC is on a certain downward spiral — in terms of star power, card structure, and overall disillusionment from CEO Dana White — long-time caller, Rogan, has jumped to its defense.
“This is an amazing time for the sport, man,” Joe Rogan said on his podcast — speaking of Ilia Topuria. “It’s a crazy time. Because these guys that are coming in, like one fight in the UFC, they look like world-class contenders. Like right away.
“It depends on their skillset, how good they are at fighting, and who they’re facing when they get into the organization,” Rogan continued. “The best example of a quick rise to the top is Alex Pereira. But Alex Pereira is one of the greatest kickboxers of all time. […]But a lot of people were completely unaware of him.”
And yes, while the level of competition and nous trumps fighters of other eras, one can argue the UFC is not as happy to showcase them so often anymore.
UFC’s lack of star power
Taking another sizeable hit to their star power just earlier this month, Sean O’Malley — a rather popular figure in the sport — suffered his second straight loss.
And surely unable to gazump Merab Dvalishvili, if ever afforded a trilogy with the Georgian, O’Malley is now title-less. And back to the drawing board. But it marks another name to the lengthy list of faltering, identified stars.
Conor McGregor remains sidelined. Jon Jones, the same. And former two-time champion, Israel Adesanya, is in the midst of a three-fight losing streak for the first time. Furthermore, Pereira is without either of his championships, following his contentious defeat to Magomed Ankalaev earlier this year.
Potential stars on the horizon come in the form of the unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev, who challenges for gold at UFC 319 in two months’ time. Furthermore, Russian star Islam Makhachev is set to make his debut at welterweight in search of a second Octagon crown. But beyond his popularity in the Middle East, the pound-for-pound number one has yet to reach the global zeitgeist.
