Video: Hairy Rogan Debuts, Praises ‘Victor Belfort’

The folks in charge of social media for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) are running out of ways to keep the assembly line moving, which is understandable when a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion stops promoting fights.

Thanks coronavirus!

Fortunately for combat sports fans, there is no shortage of archived footage, including the UFC debut of longtime color commentator Joe Rogan. Not only did the podcasting deity have hair back in 1997, he also got to rub elbows with a 23 year-old “Victor Belfort.”

“We didn’t pay Rogan the first 12 events he worked, he did them for free,” UFC President Dana White recently told Barstool Sports. “He’s got a great voice for it too, his voice is great. Part of the reason we’ve grown so fast is because Rogan’s ability to walk you through what’s going on while it’s happening. He’s brilliant, he’s so good, and he’s so passionate about the sport.”

Rogan, 52, rose to prominence alongside the since-deposed Mike Goldberg and irritated a few fighters along the way, but has recently scaled back his commentating duties in his twilight years and is now exclusive to pay-per-view (PPV) events.

Love him or hate him, it’s hard to imagine a major UFC highlight without OHHHHHHH!