Longtime UFC analyst Joe Rogan and Ryan Spann shared a humorous post-fight interview at UFC 249.
UFC fighters, analysts, and fans all had to adjust as the Coronavirus pandemic ravaged the world beginning in 2020. The UFC was one of the first major platforms to resume regular events after two months without virtually any sports coverage from any of the major players.
A UFC Fight Night card, headlined by Kevin Lee and Charles Oliveira in Brazil on March 21, 2020, was the final event for almost two full months for the promotion. But the UFC resumed its event schedule on May 9th with UFC 249, headlined by an interim lightweight title matchup between Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson.
Joe Rogan’s habits got the better of him in hilarious UFC 249 moment
As the world adapted to its new normal at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, UFC 249 was hosted in Jacksonville, FL without any fans in attendance. It was an atmosphere that Joe Rogan repeatedly coined as ‘eerie’, particularly when some of the fighters landed brutal finishes without any audible cheers.
UFC light heavyweights Ryan Spann and Sam Alvey treated the remote-viewing audience to a firefight on the UFC 249 undercard. Spann walked away with a split decision win over Alvey to continue his climb up the 205-pound division.
After the official decision was read, Spann got to have a post-fight interview with Rogan as they recapped the chaotic affair inside the Octagon. But as Rogan wrapped up his interview with Spann, he acknowledged the crowd out of habit, in a hilarious moment during the broadcast.
Luckily, Spann, Rogan, and the UFC broadcast team all took the fumble in stride, and it highlighted the unusual nature of live sporting events held during the pandemic. The fights delivered in a big way throughout UFC 249, with Gaethje and Francis Ngannou putting on massive performances on the main card.
Spann returns to the Octagon at UFC 318 this weekend in a heavyweight matchup against Lukasz Brzeski. He returns to the heavyweight division after a loss to surging contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta in March.
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Joe Rogan set to miss first U.S. UFC PPV in three years
Ahead of UFC 318, featuring a BMF headliner between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier, there will be a notable absence on the call in New Orleans. Rogan, a staple of U.S.-based pay-per-view events, will miss UFC 318 for undisclosed reasons.
Paul Felder will fill Rogan’s void alongside Jon Anik and Daniel Cormier this Saturday.
UFC 318 features Poirier’s retirement fight as he looks to conclude his career on a bright note. He fell short of his third shot at a lineal UFC title when he lost to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 last year.