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The crowd at UFC 271 inside Houston's Toyota Center showed their support for the renowned commentator, stand-up comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan amid his recent Spotify controversy.
Rogan, a UFC pay-per-view regular, was replaced by former middleweight champion Michael Bisping on the desk on Saturday due to a 'scheduling conflict'. However, fans at the stadium chanted "Free Joe Rogan" as UFC 271 progressed.
The JRE podcast has been in the news for all the wrong reasons of late. The host was initially criticized for providing 'coronavirus-related misinformation' on his show. Then a video of him using a racial slur also surfaced to make things even worse. Rogan apologized for both through his official Instagram handle.
Watch the Houston crowd chant "Free Joe Rogan" repeatedly during the Carlos Ulberg vs. Fabio Cherant preliminary card opening encounter at UFC 271 below:
Nigerian-born New Zealand superstar Israel Adesanya, who will be defending his middleweight belt against Robert Whittaker in the main event of the February 12 PPV, also backed Rogan on the issue during a press conference on Thursday.
Jake Paul feels 'ESPN and Disney pulled Joe Rogan from UFC broadcast'
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul believes there was no scheduling conflict involved with Rogan's absence in Texas this weekend. He took to Twitter to criticize ESPN and Disney for pulling the color commentator off the broadcast.
Paul called out Bob Chapek, CEO of the Walt Disney Company. The YouTuber pointed out that despite abusing reporters, passing unsavory remarks towards fighters and making jokes about brain damage, the company still supported UFC president Dana White. However, Rogan was not given the same treatment.
"So ESPN and Disney pull Rogan from the UFC broadcast but stand behind Dana White who calls reporters dou*** bags, says a female fighter looks like a male fighter in dress and heels, and claims brain damage is part of the gig? You pulled the wrong guy Mr. Chapek," said Paul.
See Jake Paul's most recent tweet regarding Joe Rogan and UFC 271 below:
Former UFC women's featherweight champ and current Bellator titleholder Cris Cyborg then replied to Paul's post. Cyborg shared a video of White passing disrespectful remarks against her in the past.
