A popular figure in and out of MMA, Joe Rogan is beloved following his years of providing commentary in the UFC. The host of “The Joe Rogan Experience” on Spotify, the 55-year-old's voice and opinions, whether reasonable or controversial, hold value.
Rogan’s first show with the UFC was UFC 12: Judgment Day in 1997 as a backstage interviewer. His first time doing commentary for the company was at UFC 37 in 2002. Since then, he has primarily been the man in the middle of broadcasts, providing insight and interesting soundbites.
The former Fear Factor host has recently provided commentary, mainly for UFC PPV events, though, on occasion, he does appear on regular ESPN+ or ABC-produced shows. Many fight fans wonder when he will appear next with his signature white or black button-down.
The UFC has an upcoming event in UFC 291 on July 29. The main event is a rematch between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje for the BMF Title. It airs on ESPN+ PPV and takes place at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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Along with that fight, the card features several stars known for their violent nature. With a card this big, will Joe Rogan make an appearance?
Will Joe Rogan provide commentary for UFC 291?
Rogan will call the fights at UFC 291, joining the likes of MMA voice Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier, Chael Sonnen, and Megan Olivi.
He returns to the commentary booth for a PPV after missing out on UFC 289 on June 10. That event took place in Vancouver, Canada. Rogan does not travel to international events, which explains why he wasn’t at that fight night.
In 2016, Rogan signed a new one-year deal with the UFC. After signing that contract, he mentioned he would not go abroad for fight nights.
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“I had a conversation with Dana, we had a bunch of conversations,” Rogan said on JRE via Bloody Elbow. "What I decided to do was no more international travel. No more flying across the planet… If I go to Brazil that’s five days out of my life…and, on top of that, there’s the recovery time. The flying f---- with my head. I’m cutting down a lot of events.”
Given UFC 291 is in Utah, it was easy for Rogan to attend.
Outside of his podcast, which Spotify signed Rogan to on a multi-million deal, he owns a comedy club and co-founded a supplements and fitness company.