Rogan, the host of one of the biggest podcasts of all-time, has seen his promotional scheduled cut back over the years to domestic pay-per-view events only due to the long list of things he has going on. Following the UFC 256 broadcast—and other events that he was a part of throughout the pandemic affected 2020 calendar year—Rogan has faced criticism in regards to his performance.
When it comes to fans critiquing the broadcasts he is a part of, Anik does take some of that with him to help mold future events as they are called on television.
“Sometimes it’s hard for me to assess the totality of a broadcast right after the fact,” Anik told MMA Fighting while appearing on What the Heck. “I feel like I would have to fine-tooth comb the thing to address the specific criticisms. I can tell you that, for me, I do try and take the constructive criticism and employ it in the next show.
“For all of the noise, there is some constructive stuff that you can take to the next show.”
When it comes to Rogan, Anik has heard what some of the public has been saying, and asking. Is he still into it? Is he taking it as seriously with the success he has found in other avenues? Is the three-man booth hampering him after finding an incredible amount of success in his earlier years as part of a duo?
According to the lead play-by-play voice of the UFC, Rogan’s passion of the product can not be questioned.
“I have seen some of that,” Anik said of the criticism towards Rogan. “Again, the social media space after these live events can be a tough space to sort of engage and habitate. But I think for Joe, there’s a lot of different factors. I think that he has never been happier in that broadcast booth. I hate to put words in his mouth, but I do think he enjoys the dynamic. He was in a two-man booth forever where he was just working with a play-by-play guy and he couldn’t bounce off of a fighter. I feel like it’s been an adjustment for all of us.
“My job is a totally different thing in a three-man booth versus a two-man booth in terms of the real estate that I have, for what is asked of me. I can assure you, big picture, we do look at everything that people say. We ain’t trying to get worse. We’re trying to get better. If you’re asking me, I think he still adds tremendous value. I still think there’s a special, undeniable quality to our broadcast when he is a part of it.”
Rogan is expected to return to the broadcast booth this Saturday for UFC 258 in Las Vegas. The event will be headlined by an intriguing welterweight title fight between former teammates Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns.
Beyond that, Anik believes Rogan’s iconic voice will be featured on big PPV events for the foreseeable future.
“I can assure you that he ain’t going nowhere,” Anik stated. “Again, I hate to put words in his mouth, but he absolutely loves this job and I think we had a little international flare with the pay-per-views at the end of the year—UFC 251, 253, 254—that he wasn’t a part of because they were happening in Abu Dhabi. But hopefully domestic pay-per-views return more so in 2021 and he gets a chance to get back out there more often.
“It’s not that easy stepping up every eight weeks trying to do one of these things, and constantly having a revolving door with the broadcast team, but I love the guy. I’ve never been closer with the guy and hopefully he’s here well past me.”
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