Blink and you miss it! UFC 284 goes down this Sunday, Feb 12 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. With notable names like Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier set to miss out, let’s take a look at the broadcasting team for the night.
For those unaware, UFC 284 main card will air on ESPN and PPV for residents in the U.S. starting from 10 p.m. ET. Moreover, the preliminary card will air on ESPN and ESPN+ starting from 8 p.m. ET. Similarly, the early prelims, are likely to begin at 6:00 p.m. ET and will be on ESPN+ as well.
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As for the commentary desk, we will see Jon Anik make his return alongside former two-time UFC champion Dominick Cruz and UFC Hall of Famer and former middleweight champ, Michael Bisping. Notably, this is the first time Jon Anik, Dominick Cruz, and Michael Bisping will be calling a PPV event together.
Other than that we also have Brendan Fitzgerald, who will serve as the host for the post-fight show. Joining the roster, we will see # 5 ranked light heavyweight Anthony Smith, and #5 ranked lightweight Michael Chandler along with Laura Sanko joining the show as analysts.
Lastly, longtime UFC correspondent John Gooden will be in charge of the pre and post-fight interviews with the fighters backstage and provide additional updates throughout the event.
Why is Joe Rogan missing from UFC 284?
As mentioned previously, Joe Rogan, who has missed a number of events outside North America, along with Daniel Cormier, will not be part of the commentary team for UFC 284. As such, it is safe to assume that the veteran UFC commentator is likely missing the event due to his busy schedule involving podcasting, standup commentary, and other obligations.
Currently, the reason for former champ-champ Daniel ‘DC’ Cormier’s absence is unknown and surprising considering his friendship with Islam Makhachev. Coming back to Rogan, who, despite not being a part of UFC 284, is still very excited for the showdown that’s about to happen. Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience, with Sean O’Malley, Rogan was very keen to share his thoughts on the headline fight.
According to Joe, he believes that Volkanovski will have a lot of trouble trying to contend with Islam. For one, Rogan feels that Islam is a really big lightweight. In addition to that, his wrestling, grappling, and raw strength is a big challenge for any lightweight, let alone featherweight like Volkanovski. The only area of concern for Islam was supposedly his striking, which he has since improved as well.
Thus, it appears that Rogan is clearly favoring Islam in the matchup and will definitely be tuning in for the fight. Even though he won’t be present for this fight card, there is no doubt that Rogan will be back in the commentator’s chair once the other cards this year come around.
What did you make of Rogan’s prediction and thoughts for the fight? Will Jon Anik and Co. be able to justify their selection in the commentary booth? When do you think Joe will make his return? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.