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UFC color commentator and analyst Joe Rogan ranted at the critics of Israel Adesanya, labeling them “dumb.”
The reigning middleweight champion Adesanya headlined the International Fight Week card in July at UFC 276. Taking on Jared Cannonier, he cruised his way to a comfortable win on the judges’ scorecards but faced heat from the community for putting in a lackluster performance. Top-ranked welterweight Khamzat Chimaev knocked Adesanya for the “boring” outing and suggested he may have lost his hunger after achieving the level of success he did.
In the Sep. 2 episode of the show “Joe Rogan Experience,” the popular podcast host defended Adesanya for his recent string of uninspiring victories. Rogan bashed the fans for their lack of proper understanding of the sport while hosting the former UFC pound-for-pound king Kamaru Usman.
“Look at the Israel fight. Why does Israel get flak?” asked Usman.
“Because people are dumb!” Rogan said. “That’s why. This is why, if you want to fight Jared Cannonier, you better fight in that way because Jared Cannonier will knock you into the fucking next dimension. That guy is a huge 185-pounder, who has ruthless knockout power.
“He was knocking people out at heavyweight, knocking people out at light heavyweight, and knocking people dead at 185. If you want to fight Jared Cannonier, you got to find that way.”
“If you want to ruin your brain for a bunch of people that don’t give a f**k about you when you lose, good luck,” he added. “Go try that. It’s a dumb way to live your life.”
Rogan Criticized the ‘Casuals’ for Having a Shallow Perception
Rogan believes the disapproval of Adesanya stems from those audience members who have a shallow impression and can’t appreciate the sophisticated nuances of the game.
“I feel like people are trying to still keep it a bloodsport. They want to keep it that way,” Usman said.
“It’s the casuals, man. It’s the people that don’t understand the actual events that have taken place,” Rogan responded. “When Izzy is setting Jared up, he’s moving, outpointing him, and striking him. Look, if Jared wanted to get wild and crazy, Izzy probably would have knocked him out. “But Jared fought the way he should have fought and Izzy fought the way he should have fought, and the better man won. That’s what prizefighting is all about.”
Rogan Believes It’s the Same Problem Anderson Silva Had
Rogan likened the situation to MMA legend Anderson Silva, widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists ever. Silva’s dominant run saw him score the record for the most consecutive wins in the promotion.
He stressed that the fighters should not take unnecessary risks if their opponent is playing the safe game.
“This is the same problem Anderson Silva had when Anderson was in his prime. Some guys would fight him in a very cautious way, and people would say, ‘well, he should have pushed the action,’” Rogan continued. “No, that’s not what you do. You don’t open yourself up just because the other guy is not doing anything or turn it into a brawl because people are booing. That’s dumb!”
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