UFC fans are known for being passionate—sometimes wildly so. Like every other sports fan, whether it’s undying loyalty to a favorite or intense hate for a rival, they definitely don’t hold back. However, there’s still a noticeable difference between them and fans of other sports, as UFC caller Joe Rogan points out.
In other sports, particularly soccer, fans are extremely demanding. Every time a player steps onto the pitch, they are expected to perform at the highest level and deliver results, and if that does not happen, an athlete can have 80k people calling them a ‘wan*er’ in rhythmic unison.
And that’s just the fun part. At times, this hatred of athletes has resulted in the loss of life. Colombian soccer player Andrés Escobar is the perfect example of this.
Escobar, a beloved Colombian soccer player, was tragically shot and killed in 1994, and the reason still stings to this day. Just days earlier, during the World Cup, he accidentally scored an own goal that contributed to Colombia’s early exit from the tournament.
In an episode of the JRE podcast, Francis Foster & Konstantin Kisin pointed out to Rogan how fans’ expectations and demands are so different from one sport to another and used such events as an example of how crazy fans can be
Rogan then realised that UFC fighters have it so much better, saying, “In that sense fighting is more pure, because people don’t really get upset at a fighter for losing. It’s more like they celebrate the other guy for winning”.
“It’s very rare that a fighter gets demolished for losing… They don’t get the same kind of criticism that other athletes have”, the veteran broadcaster added.
While Rogan claims UFC fans aren’t overtly critical of fighters, he might have done so while being oblivious to the calls for his retirement.
Rogan faces the wrath of UFC fans
Rogan has recently faced a wave of criticism from fans regarding his performance during live broadcasts. Some viewers feel that his commentary has become inconsistent, with instances of him providing conflicting assessments during fights.
For example, during UFC 298, Rogan didn’t particularly call the fight as he saw it during Rinya Nakamura vs. Carlos Vera, instead claiming that the situations were too complex to explain, leading to disappointment among viewers seeking insightful commentary.
Additionally, his lighthearted banter with fellow commentator Daniel Cormier has drawn mixed reactions. While some appreciate their camaraderie, others feel that their joking detracts from the seriousness of the matches.
Rogan himself acknowledged this dynamic, stating, “Me and Daniel f— around a lot. We joke around a lot about stuff during the, because he’s like a fun guy. But when things are serious, we’re serious.”
Moreover, the veteran caller has been criticized for evident biases in his commentary. Fans have pointed out instances where they believe he showed favoritism towards certain fighters, leading to accusations of partiality.
For instance, during UFC 313, he kept harping on about Alex Pereira’s calf kicks against Magomed Ankalev during their light heavyweight title fight, even though the Dagestani challenger remained visibly unaffected by them.
Rogan has yet to respond to these criticisms.
