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Joe Rogan breaks from UFC in eye-opening virus shock

Joe Rogan, pictured during a UFC broadcast in January 2020, says he will not commentate UFC events in the near future.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan says any fights planned during the coronavirus pandemic will not feature him as a live commentator. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Joe Rogan can usually be counted on to be the UFC’s biggest cheerleader.

But as the organisation continues to plan events in the midst of a global sporting shutdown, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the long-time commentator appears to be having his doubt.

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Led by controversial president Dana White, the UFC maintains it will forge on with several planned fights - most notably UFC 249 on April 19.

The UFC also hosted an event in Brazil to an empty stadium on March 14, as many other sporting codes and leagues around the world began to shut down.

Speaking on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, the UFC commentator said any events the organisation went ahead with during the pandemic would not feature him as a live commentator.

“The UFC is talking about putting on a fight on April 18th - I don’t know how they’re gonna do that,” Rogan said.

“I don’t know if they’re gonna be able to do that in the United States.

“They’re talking about doing it in a place with less than 10 people, just an open arena.

“I guess someone’s gonna commentate it; it’s not gonna be me, and they’re gonna be duking it out in an empty place.

“And they’re gonna try to do that on the 18th.”

UFC president Dana White slams critics in bizarre rant

Earlier this month, during a live broadcast on Instagram with fighter Kamaru Usman, UFC boss Dana White accused media members covering the sport of being ‘some of the weakest, wimpiest people on the Earth’ after criticism over plans to stage fights as several countries enter residential lockdowns.

The UFC held its event in Brazil on March 14 in front of an empty arena as every other major North American sports league had halted its events by then.

Following that event, the UFC elected to cancel the following three fight cards.

“Think about this: Go online and look at some of these people – and this isn’t a knock, this is just a fact: The weakest, wimpiest people on Earth cover the biggest, baddest sport on Earth,” White said.

“What do you expect them to say? What do you think they’re gonna say?”