Joe Rogan has seen countless body-dropping knockouts during his UFC tenure, however, Francis Ngannou’s monstrous win before his exit seems to be his favorite.
Calling the action for years during his lengthy run in the commentary booth, Rogan couldn’t help but gush over ex-heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou’s infamous win during his late Octagon tenure, before his ultimate departure.
And on hand to call the majority of the Cameroonian’s notable wins, there is one which stands out in the veteran caller’s mind.
Joe Rogan gushes over UFC Apex after Francis Ngannou’s title-winning KO
Front and center for Ngannou’s anticipated title rematch with former kingpin Stipe Miocic, Rogan claimed the setting for their grudge re-run back in 2021 was more than ideal.
Stopping the Ohio veteran with a hellacious second round knockout win, Ngannou crowned himself as the undisputed heavyweight champion. And as far as Rogan is concerned, the much-debated UFC Apex was the perfect spot to take in such a devastating finish.
“The Apex — the Apex is the place to see fights,” Rogan said on his podcast. “…Dude, I saw Francis Ngannou versus Stipe Miocic in a small cage, with no audience. It was wild.
“Bro, it was wild,” Rogan continued. “It was so different because Francis’ punches and his kicks without all the cheering — it’s a different thing, man.
“…When he (Miocic) collapsed — he (Ngannou) hit him with a left hook and dropped him, and then punched him when he was down, I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ It was so different from seeing it in an arena.”
But for all his praising of Ngannou, Rogan admitted there’s a force currently in the UFC who can rival the Batie knockout star for sheer power and ferocious finishes.
Joe Rogan compared Alex Pereira to Francis Ngannou
A massive fan of former two-weight champion Alex Pereira, Rogan correctly called the Brazilian’s stunning rise from GLORY Kickboxing to eventual titleholder in the UFC ahead of his debut years ago.
And a sizeable fan of both strikers, Rogan claimed Pereira may match — if not surpass Ngannou — when it comes to sheer fear inside the Octagon.
“That dude (Alex Pereira) hits hard, hard,” Rogan said when discussing the duo’s ranking on the PowerKube. “He has more power than Ngannou, that’s crazy.
“I want to give Francis a second chance at it,” Rogan continued. “I feel like he was not swinging hard enough. I feel like he can probably punch harder than he did… Give him a second crack at it.”