Joe Rogan expresses displeasure with Francis Ngannou’s UFC departure: ‘I’m mad, I’m so bummed out’
Veteran UFC color commentator, Joe Rogan has expressed his disappointment to see heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou depart the promotion – particularly before an expected fight with former light heavyweight kingpin, Jon Jones.
Ngannou, the promotion’s undisputed heavyweight champion up until last weekend, was stripped of his undisputed title and handed his official release from the promotion amid a longstanding contract dispute with the Dana White-led outfit.
Free to field offers from other promotions, the UFC also elected to waive their exclusive matching rights period with Ngannou – leaving the Cameroonian free to discuss terms and deals with other organizations.
Joe Rogan shares his thoughts on Francis Ngannou’s UFC departure
As a result, the promotion have since booked a vacant title fight between the aforenoted, Jones and former interim heavyweight champion, Ciryl Gane for UFC 285 on March 4. – leading to the aforenoted, Rogan expressing his disappointment that the UFC failed to ever land on a fight between Ngannou and Jones.
“I’m so bummed out by this whole thing,” Joe Rogan said on The Joe Rogan Experience during an interview with UFC welterweight, Belal Muhammad. “I don’t like when a champion leaves [the UFC]. I do not like the best guy in the world not being the champion. If Francis (Ngannou) wanted to resign, ‘Okay, congratulations, sir, you had a great career.’ Is suspect some of it involved wanting to do boxing as well.”
“That’s why I’m mad,” Joe Rogan explained. “I’m mad because I feel like we were deprived of one of the great fights in MMA, one of the most compelling fights in MMA. Does it mean I’m not interested in Ciryl Gane vs. Jon Jones? I’m very interested in that fight.”
Ending his UFC tenure with a successful unification title win against the above-mentioned French technician, Gane, Ngannou headlined UFC 270 in January of last year, before undergoing a surgical procedure to address a knee injury suffered before the pay-per-view main event.
