When Joe Rogan issued a sincere apology after fans accused him of biased commentary against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223
Joe Rogan is among the most recognizable names in the UFC and MMA. The veteran sportscaster has been with the premier promotion for almost two decades and has commentated for many high-profile fights.
UFC president Dana White has often credited Rogan's vast knowledge of jiu-jitsu and his ability to break down various MMA techniques as a proponent for popularizing MMA in its early days.
However, the color commentator's stint at the UFC hasn't been without controversy. Most famously at UFC 223, fans accused Rogan of biased commentary against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
At the fight card, 'The Eagle' clinched a unanimous decision win against Al Iaquinta. Although Nurmagomedov won the bout, many were surprised by the fight going the distance, and Joe Rogan was one of those people.
Catch Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Al Iaquinta below:
Mere days after the event, Joe Rogan issued a public apology for his actions, clarifying that he never intended to be biased against Nurmagomedov but only tried to point out how Al Iaquinta might have exposed holes in the Dagestani's game :
"When I’m commentating on someone that dominant, I am constantly looking for cracks in their armor, and on Saturday night, we saw the first of those cracks exposed by an incredibly game Al Iaquinta... Most people, myself included, expected the highly favored Khabib to ragdoll his last-minute opponent."
" Khabib won that fight by a landslide, but it went to a decision, and that in and of itself was an upset...If any of you were annoyed by my concentrating on that aspect of an incredibly dominant performance by one of the most impressive guys in the history of the division, please accept my sincere apology."
When Dustin Poirier told Joe Rogan what makes Khabib Nurmagomedov so special
Dustin Poirier's maiden UFC title shot at UFC 242 ended in a heart-wrenching loss as he succumbed to a third-round submission to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
'The Eagle' is often touted as one of the best grapplers to have ever graced the famed octagon. However, it seems that it's not sheer strength that makes Nurmagomedov a formidable opponent on the ground.
During the #102 MMA episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Poirier explained that it was 'The Eagle's' understanding of weight placement that sets him apart:
"I don't know if he's the strongest guy I've ever fought... Nothing overwhelming or that surprises me... I've been fighting and wrestling a long time as well but he just knew where my weight was and where it needed to be for me to stay up, with his foot trips. It's hard to explain man. He's good."
Catch Dustin Poirier's comments below:
Catch the full JRE episode below: