Joe Rogan, Jon Anik and Jimmy Smith provided color commentary for UFC 223, which took place this past Saturday from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
During the main event bout between UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Al Iaquinta, it seemed like Rogan pointed out a few holes in the new champions skill set.
Apparently Rogan got some criticism for his work on the microphone that night because the color commentator felt the need to issue a statement on that commentary through Instagram:
Javier Mendez serves as Nurmagomedov?s head coach at AKA and he appeared on The MMA Hour, saying Rogan has no idea what he is talking about.
?I saw the fight last night with Joe Rogan [commentating] and he totally didn?t understand what the hell?s going on,? Mendez said. ?Because he totally based that thing completely wrong. ?Oh, he exposed Khabib. There?s a lot of holes in his game.? There?s no holes in his game. He?s never been a stand-up guy, yet he?s gotten better, and if you don?t acknowledge how much better he?s gotten compared to the last time, then you?re not really doing your research. Because he switched southpaw on this guy, he even did a goddamn back kick, for God?s sake. He?s improving all the time and you need to acknowledge that. Don?t act like he?s got these holes in his game. Jesus Christ, do you think if he?s going to fight Nate Diaz, we?re going to stand with Nate Diaz? Do you think we have a chance [standing] against Nate Diaz? Do you think I think that? For God?s sake, no way. No way in hell are we going to fight with Conor [McGregor]?s stand-up too. Everybody?s got a different gameplan, and if you don?t change the gameplan according to what?s going on, you?re going to get checkmated.?
Nurmagomedov has been with the UFC for over six years now and Rogan has commentated on more than half of the lightweight champions bouts in the promotion.