Joe Rogan was not in the commentary booth that night, but did check out the action and referred to Hardy?s promotional debut as ?a joke.?
?How?d that go?? said Rogan on The Joe Rogan Experience Fight Companion podcast (via MMA Fighting). ?How?d that work out? Terrible. It was a joke. It was a joke. I knew that guy was fading quick. ... I was like, ?He?s fading. I don?t like the way he?s stepping, he looks exhausted.? He tired out quick, then he hit that dude with the illegal knee.?
Hardy claimed the illegal knee strike was accidental, while Crowder said the DQ came due to a lack of experience from the fighter.
Rogan even jokes that when Hardy competes in the UFC again, it should be against Francis Ngannou, who is headlining UFC Fight Night Phoenix against Cain Velasquez.
?What do you do with him? Francis Ngannou!,? says Rogan.
The former football player had fought three times as a pro before his UFC debut, with two bouts coming on Dana White?s Tuesday Night Contender Series.