UFC fans chant ‘Free Joe Rogan’ (VIDEO) — RT Sport News

MMA followers had been heard chanting ‘Free Joe Rogan’ at UFC 271 in Houston on Saturday, exhibiting their assist for the under-fire commentator and podcaster.

Rogan is battling controversy over accusations of Covid misinformation unfold on his vastly standard podcast, The Joe Rogan Expertise, and previous use of the n-word highlighted by a montage video lately shared on-line.

On the eve of the UFC card headlined by a middleweight title struggle between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker, Rogan’s identify disappeared from the punditry group and was changed by Michael Bisping, in a change which some had reported was on account of a “scheduling battle”.

On Saturday in the course of the present on the Toyota Middle, a few of these in attendance took half in loud ‘Free Joe Rogan’ chants to indicate their assist for the 54-year-old.

In his press convention after the occasion, president Dana White insisted there had been “no battle of schedule” for Rogan.

“Joe Rogan didn’t work tonight. Joe Rogan might’ve labored tonight. … Yeah, Joe Rogan, I don’t know what Joe Rogan needed to do,” White stated, in line with MMA Junkie. 

“You guys should ask Joe Rogan, however there was no ‘Joe couldn’t work,’ or something like that. I do know that got here out. That’s whole bulls**t.

“At any time when he’s going to work once more, he’ll be working, yeah,” White confirmed.

Rogan is reportedly nonetheless booked for punditry duties subsequent month at UFC 272, the place two-time welterweight title challengers Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal face each other in a grudge match.

Main as much as the Adesanya’s unanimous choice win over Whittaker, the Nigerian-born star additionally backed Rogan with a passionate speech. 

“First off, let me take this one,” the Nigerian demanded when a reporter tried to fireplace a query at White on the Rogan scandal.

“Maintain up. I’m black. I can take this one. Look, there’s lots of c**ts on this sport. There are lots of snakes on this sport. I’ve been on this struggle sport since 2008.

“Joe Rogan is likely one of the nicest, coolest, humble motherf**kers I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Perceive that,” Adesanya said.

“F**okay the noise. You already know what they’re attempting to do. You possibly can’t management the person. He’s obtained the largest platform on the planet proper now. That’s my n***a, Joe Rogan. F**okay the noise,” he concluded, to hearty cheers.

Whereas Rogan dubbed the n-word montage a “political hitjob” as “they’re taking all these items that I’ve ever stated that was improper and smushing all of it collectively,” he admitted that its surfacing was “good” as a result of “it makes me handle some s**t that I actually want wasn’t on the market.”

Additionally wading into the row was White’s common heel Paul, who claimed that the broadcaster and its proprietor had been behind Rogan’s omission on Saturday.

“So ESPN and Disney pull Rogan from the UFC broadcast however stand behind Dana White who calls reporters dou*** baggage, says a feminine fighter seems like a male fighter in costume and heels, and claims mind harm is a part of the gig?” requested the Youtuber-turned-boxer, who has commonly challenged White over poor fighter pay.

“You pulled the improper man, Mr. Chapek,” Paul added, in a direct handle at Walt Disney Firm chief government Bob Chapek.

Within the feedback part, former UFC ladies’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg – who now holds the Bellator equal of the title and appeared in Paul’s latest rap diss video that focused White – shared a clip containing snippets of Rogan and White making derogatory remarks about her.

Suggesting Cyborg seemed like a transsexual, White says the Brazilian as soon as attended the MMA Awards trying like UFC icon Wanderlei Silva “in a costume and heels”.

Later, in an excerpt taken from episode 723 of The Joe Rogan Expertise, Rogan jokes that Cyborg has male genitalia.

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