"They're putting world-class Muay Thai fighters in these giant cards" - Joe Rogan praises ONE for giving elite strikers a global platform
Joe Rogan has always been an integral voice and figure in mixed martial arts but he has also always been passionate about combat sports as a whole.
Anyone who has listened to the UFC commentator's podcast over the years will know that he is always baffled that striking sports like Muay Thai and kickboxing haven't taken off in the United States.
For MMA fans who don't enjoy the fights once they hit the floor, Rogan has always made the case for why they should be broadening their horizons.
However, for a long time, these sports didn't have the platforms they needed to succeed worldwide.
ONE Championship hopes to change that, and ONE 168 was a prime example of how that goal can be accomplished.
On the promotion's huge return to the United States, the fans inside the Ball Arena in Denver and those watching via Prime Video were treated to a mix of some great MMA fighters and some of the best strikers in the world.
The main event, for example, featured one of the most anticipated Muay Thai clashes of the year: Jonathan Haggerty vs. Superlek Kiatmoo9.
During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the comedian reflected on this event and spoke about the enjoyment he gets out of watching the striking elite compete on a big stage:
"This is the thing that I love that ONE FC is doing. What I love with what they're doing is they're putting world-class Muay Thai fighters and they're putting them in these giants cards where like tens and thousands of people are watching. It's on Amazon, so millions of people are going to see it around the world on Amazon. And it's on the internet, so all these people are going to be able to see it on YouTube."
Watch the full podcast clip below:
Joe Rogan was left stunned by the main event of ONE 168
When Joe Rogan talks about seeing the best of Muay Thai compete on a major stage, you don't need to look further than the main event of ONE 168. The long-time fight fan was seriously impressed by Superlek's performance in the final fight of the night.
With one swift elbow strike in the opening minute of the fight, he stopped Jonathan Haggerty to become the new bantamweight Muay Thai world champion.
Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada can watch the full replay of ONE 168: Denver on demand.