Is Joe Rogan parting ways with the UFC after more than 20 years as a commentator for the organization? Rumor has it that Joe Rogan no longer has a contract with UFC, but we all know rumors oftentimes mislead us with inaccurate information. As such is the case with Joe Rogan.
Despite the December article from Essentially Sports titled “5 Reasons You Need to Stop Following Joe Rogan,” calls from former transgender MMA fighter Fallon Fox for his resignation, and criticism from fight fans for his all-too-often transphobic comments on his podcast, UFC commentator Joe Rogan plans to be with the organization and continue hosting the Joe Rogan Experience podcast until he decides he’s had enough. Worry not fight fans: Joe Rogan parting ways with UFC is unlikely to happen any time soon.
$100-Million Spotify Deal
Last May, Spotify signed a $100-million deal with Joe Rogan, giving the streaming service exclusive rights to his podcast. Since then, Rogan has made many off-the-wall transphobic comments that not only caused uproar in the podcast community but with Spotify employees, MMA fighters and fans.
Spotify continues to remove episodes of the Joe Rogan Experience from its playlist due to these insensitive comments.
What could stir up such strong emotions from so many groups of people?
During a podcast interview with Jim Breuer, Rogan criticized the transgender community, going as far as to question the motives of individuals who transition.
Rogan went on to say:
“There are people who really have these thoughts,” Rogan said during his podcast. “The problem is it becomes a protected subject and then you get praised for transferring your gender—for changing your gender. And then it gets exciting for people to talk about, and then you get chastised for even discussing it in any weird way.”
“And then people who were marginalized for being—like, generally dumb people, if they transfer over and become another gender, then they get praised,” Rogan added. “There are a lot of people who are idiots, but then they become trans, and now all of a sudden we think they’re amazing.”
Rogan Stirs More Controversy
It’s not the first time Rogan has made transphobic comments over the years. In 2013, he referred to Fallon Fox as a “f***ing man” during a 2013 interview. Rogan went on to say:
“She calls herself a woman but… I tend to disagree,” Rogan said on his podcast in 2013. “She used to be a man but now she has had, she’s a transgender which is (the) official term that means you’ve gone through it, right? And she wants to be able to fight women in MMA. I say no f***ing way. I say if you had a dick at one point in time, you also have all the bone structure that comes with having a dick. You have bigger hands, you have bigger shoulder joints. You’re a f***ing man. That’s a man, OK? I don’t care if you don’t have a dick anymore.”
“She’s not really a she,” Rogan added. “She’s a transgender, post-op person.”
Shoddy UFC Commentary Work
Not only has Rogan been called out for making transphobic comments, but he also faces a growing ruckus of complaints calling his commentary work shoddy. Some say Rogan finds his narrative and sticks to it regardless of the action unfolding inside the octagon.
Some fans speculate that Rogan’s time with the UFC has winded down due to his absence at recent events. He returned to the commentator booth at UFC 261 alongside Jon Anik and Daniel Cormier.
Joe Rogan has been the face of UFC for more than 20 years now. Some say the UFC would not be the UFC without Rogan commentating. Rogan also happens to be one of the highest-paid podcast hosts on Spotify.
Support for Rogan
Not everyone thinks Rogan should be canceled. Jon Anik is one of those people. During the UFC 261 weigh-ins, Anik defended Rogan and his attributes to the UFC organization, saying “It feels much bigger when he’s there, there’s no doubt about it,”. “He brings a special dynamic to our broadcast booth that I’m not really sure anybody else can bring. There are a lot of these guys that are comedic, but he is the total package. There’s no doubt about it. I think he’s going to outlast me, though.”
“There are rumblings, ‘Oh, Rogan’s got one foot out the door,’” continued Anik. “He’s doing our domestic pay-per-views right now. He hasn’t traveled internationally as long as I’ve been doing the pay-per-views, but I don’t think he’s going anywhere. That’s not informed speculation, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he outlasts me, to be honest with you.”
Is Joe Rogan Parting Ways With the UFC?
During a September interview, Rogan told Unlocking the Cage that he’ll stay with the UFC “Until I stop getting the juice.” Unless Dana White cancels his contract, and there’s a better shot of me walking on the moon than Joe Rogan parting ways with the UFC, no matter how intrusive or offensive his podcast comments.
What do you think? Do you like the idea of Joe Rogan parting ways with the UFC? Can’t imagine the events without Rogan commentating? Should he chill with the offensive comments on his podcast?
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