"I always wanted to mess with Joe" - UFC 278 prelims fighter Amir Albazi explains prank on Joe Rogan during his octagon interview

Amir Albazi explains his prank on Joe Rogan [Photo credit: MMA Fighting on YouTube and @ufceurope on Twitter]

Amir Albazi explained why he decided to pull a prank on Joe Rogan during his post-fight interview at UFC 278.

Albazi, an Iraqi-born Swedish fighter, decided to play a practical joke on Rogan by bringing in a translator for his interview. For a second, the UFC color commentator looked confused, revealing that he's heard Albazi speak English before.

Watch the interaction below:

"I'm just f**king with you, Joe!" 😂

No translator needed for 🇮🇶 @AmirAlbazi after a HUGE showcase win at #UFC278! https://t.co/MfS3I3WdBb

The fighter then said: 'I'm just f***ing with you, Joe,' before giving his thoughts on the bout. During Albazi's post-fight press conference, the up-and-coming flyweight fighter was asked if he planned on pulling a prank on Rogan or if it was something he just came up on the fly.

Albazi revealed that he's a huge fan of Rogan's work in the comedy industry, adding that he knew the commentator would appreciate his sense of humor.

"I always wanted to mess with Joe somehow," Albazi said. "He's a comedian, you know. I'm a big fan of Joe's work, you know, everything he's done. So for me, it's a dream come true having Joe standing next to me, interviewing me. So I had to pull something out."

Catch Amir Albazi's interview in the clip below:

Albazi defeated the reigning flyweight champion's brother, Francisco Figueiredo, on the preliminary card of UFC 278. The 28-year-old has now racked up three straight victories since joining the promotion in 2020.

Joe Rogan's engages a commentator in a debate on abortion

Joe Rogan clashed with conservative commentator Seth Dillon during a heated debate about abortion. On episode #1857 of the Joe Rogan Experience, the host and his guest had a lively discussion about the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Dillon, who claimed to be pro-life, said no one has the right to take the life of an infant. As far as Rogan is concerned, however, women – especially those who were victims of rape – should not be forced to carry the child of their abuser.

"You don’t have the right to tell a 14-year-old girl she has to carry a rapist’s baby," Rogan stated. "Do you understand what you’re saying? You don’t have the right to tell my 14-year-old daughter she has to carry her rapist’s baby."

Listen to the full episode of the JRE podcast below: