“It Was So Hard for Me Not to Cry Inside the Octagon” – Teary-Eyed Joe Rogan Did Not Shy Away From Accepting That He Got Emotional After Darren Elkins’ Fight at UFC 209

There are moments in the UFC that truly stay with you, and there could be a multitude of reasons for that. Either because of a spectacular knockout, an unexpected victory, or perhaps a nail-biting bout. The UFC commentator, Joe Rogan, shared one such experience of his that stayed with him and broke his heart at the same time. Darren Elkins’ fight against Mirsad Bektic is something Rogan will never be able to forget. And it is largely because of the heart-pounding performance that Elkins put forth against Bektic. It was not an easy fight for Rogan to witness and onto that; it was nearly impossible for him to interview Elkins after the fight.

Darren Elkins’ unshakeable spirit helped him get through what was unquestionably one of the toughest fights to watch. These are the kind of moments that stay with the fans and make the sport so memorable for them.

Elkins vs. Bektic teared down Joe Rogan

In a clip, Joe Rogan could be seen talking about how the fight between Darren Elkins and Mirsad Bektic at UFC 209 will always stay with him. It was one of the goriest and heart-wrenching fights in the history of the UFC.

While talking about the fight, the UFC commentator revealed that he was forced to hold back his tears while interviewing Elkins after the fight. “There’s moments like, when Darren Elkins beat Mirsad Bektic, it was so hard for me not to cry inside the octagon. It was so hard.”

Rogan continued. “When I was interviewing him after that fight, I was like, that guy just emptied out. I mean, emptied out. His whole soul. He took a f*****g beating for two and a half rounds. And didn’t give up an inch.”

The former Fear Factor added, “There was no quit in him. And then finally, in the third round, he catches that guy and there’s this f*****g roar. He throws his arms back, moving around the cage and screaming. He’s covered in blood.”

Read more: UFC Featherweight Darren Elkins Reveals the Reason He Has “The Damage” Tattoo on His Chest

Joe Rogan almost broke down, recollecting the memories from UFC 209. Darren Elkins absolutely owned the fight and his performance will certainly go down as one of the most unbelievable ones in the history of the UFC.

Darren Elkins had to push beyond his limits

Elkins reflected on his performance against Mirsad Bektic in an interview following the bout. He talked about how this fight took every ounce out of him in order to stay in the zone and win the bout even after taking a severe beating by Bektic.

Elkins stated that this fight truly tested him, but he was determined to win. “That fight really tested my will. I know the third round is always my round. I was definitely taking a beating in the first round.”

He further added, “The second round wasn’t quite as bad, but I still lost it. I had to dig deep. I overcame all obstacles. I was proud of myself.”

And ever since, “The Damage” has continued fighting with the same “never give up” attitude.

And Darren Elkins deserved every bit of the victory that night at UFC 209.

Watch this story: Joe Rogan Emotional Moments

If you have missed it, please go and watch Darren Elkins vs. Mirsad Bektic from UFC 209. It certainly is a one-of-a-kind fight.