Dominick Cruz Replaces Joe Rogan in the Commentary Team of UFC 265: Derrick Lewis vs Ciryl Gane

While the card for UFC265 this weekend is still intact, fans around the world will miss long-time commentator Joe Rogan. Dominick Cruz, known for his insightful breakdowns, will take up Rogan’s spot in the commentary booth.

No Joe Rogan at UFC 265

Arguably one of the most iconic commentators in the UFC, Joe Rogan has grown to become an inseparable part of the promotion. His martial arts background, coupled with a vast amount of experience in interviewing, thanks to his podcast, allows him to break down the details of a fight efficiently for the viewer.

However, just like his career in comedy and podcasting, Joe Rogan’s commentary career hasn’t been devoid of controversy. Most recently, Rogan became the subject of widespread criticism for conducting a post-fight interview with Conor McGregor at UFC 264.

Although the UFC follows the protocol of not having a post-fight interview with a fighter who gets knocked out or stopped, Rogan went onto conduct an interview with McGregor. The interview came to an abrupt ending with the Irishman hurling a barrage of personal insults at Dustin Poirier.

Later in an episode of the JRE podcast, Rogan shed light on the reason he went ahead with the interview, 

“People are like, why’d you interview him? He actually brought me over. He said like ‘Come on Joe, lets have a f*****g podcast’. He like, asked me to sit down next to him”  

This entire debacle has once again brought attention to an important discussion regarding the entire post-fight process. Should all the fighters have a choice regarding talking to the media immediately after a fight? Or should only the winners give the post-fight interview?

ALSO READ: ‘You Don’t Know What the F**k You’re Talking About’- Joe Rogan Fires Back at Fans for Their Take on Nate Diaz vs Leon Edwards

Will we see Rogan in the commentary booth again? 

Although Joe Rogan might sit this one out, we can surely expect to see the 53-year-old cage-side soon. One of the oldest followers and supporters of the UFC, Rogan has been with the promotion since first appearing as the backstage interviewer at UFC 12: Judgement Day in 1997.  

One would be foolish to ignore the massive fan base Rogan has supplied to the UFC. His passion for MMA, which is on regular display in most of his podcasts, has helped the UFC reach a massive audience. Also, both Joe Rogan and Dana White are good friends and enjoy a healthy working relationship. So, to assume that the UFC would let go of Rogan because of this recent mishap would be a mistake.

What do you think? Will we see Joe Rogan in the commentary booth again? Let us know in the comments.

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