It is safe to say that UFC 300 lived up to the hype. The landmark pay-per-event made for some remarkable moments, from the early prelims to the main card. Even though this event was a feather in the cap of Dana White, no one seemed more happy about the promotion’s success than longtime commentator Joe Rogan. The 56-year-old ace podcaster and old UFC insider was visibly emotional and appeared to be on the verge of tears!
While in the T-Mobile Arena, a visibly emotional Joe Rogan, while talking to fellow commentators Jon Anik and Daniel Cormier, reminisced how long he had been in the UFC and how fortunate he was to have witnessed the rapid growth of not only the promotion but also the sport of MMA.“I’m so fired up. I mean, I have been here since UFC 12. So just the fact that it became the sport that it is today is beyond my wildest imagination,”said Joe Rogan.
We almost saw tears from Joe Rogan before #UFC300
Amazing.
via @SquidViciousMMA pic.twitter.com/6unGMntXtr
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) April 15, 2024
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He also paid his dues to Jon Anik and Daniel Cormier. The trio has become the mainstay of most major UFC events over the past few years. “And to be here for this card with you guys [Anik & Cormier] at UFC 300, I’m just blown away,”Joe Rogan added. For the new MMA fans, Rogan joined the UFC for the first time in 1997 at UFC 12. Then, with the Fertitta era in the promotion, who took over and bought it for a now-measly $2 million in 2001, Dana White put Rogan in the commentary booth for UFC 37.
In 2016, the majority shares of the company went to WME-IMG group for around $4 billion, and with last year’s merger with WWE under TKO Holdings, it was valued at around $12.1 billion. Rogan had a front-row seat to this growth and was an active component that helped in this success. Hence, it was no wonder that he was emotional and the fans loved seeing it!
Emotional Joe Rogan receives an outpour of love from fans
Several fans on X commended him for being one of the most loyal personalities in the promotion. One of them wrote, “This is what you want in the sport. Someone passionate and who gives a f*** about seeing it grow”, while another conveyed, “This is what you call loyalty.”
Some even felt Rogan was having a moment of putting things in perspective. For over two decades, his life has been intertwined with the UFC, and the moment of realization was perhaps overwhelming: “For nearly three decades, Joe’s life has been entirely surrounded by the sport. This was likely the first time in a long time that he stopped to recognize how much the sport has grown in talent, production quality, and how it’s completely changed his life.”
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Many fans rightfully pointed out Rogan’s contributions to making MMA mainstream. Remember his heated debate with Lou Dibella on Sports Center? One fan said, “Love him. He’s a genuine dude”while another wrote, “Sport isn’t the same without Joe idc what anyone has to say about that.”
One standout aspect of UFC 300 was the $300K bonuses, which was six times the normal $ 50 K bonuses. One fan wanted Rogan on the list for the same – “Give him $300k too”, said one comment.
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On a completely separate note, one fan expressed his concerns over how Joe Rogan was talking in the clip – “Why he look 70 there? Mandatory nap needed.”
Rogan is right up there with Conor McGregor and Dana White when it comes to popular names from MMA. He has, on several occasions, defended this sport tooth and nail against the naysayers. UFC 300 was a crowning moment to the rewards of his efforts, just as much as everyone else’s. Will he be there for UFC 400 in a few years? Would you like him to be?
