Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz left his latest title fight without a belt, as did his opponent, Magomed Ankalaev, when the bout was declared a draw. Blachowicz took exception to how UFC commentator Joe Rogan handled the immediate post-fight interview in the Octagon, explaining his frustration in a recent interview with MMAFighting.
““I watched this fight a couple of times and I listened to a lot of opinions about this fight and for me, what I said after the fight to give the belt to Ankalaev, I said that because I was stuck in the [fifth] round.
Blachowicz Blasts Joe Rogan Over UFC 282 Comments
All that was on my mind was the [fifth] round. I forgot completely about the rest of the fight. Joe Rogan, when he stepped into the octagon, he said for him I lost the fight. That was what I was thinking. He did a mistake that he say something like this to me after the fight. Because everybody who thinks that I lost the fight, watch only the last round. For me, a draw is a fair decision and seriously, I think that I was closer to winning the fight than Ankalaev.
One more kick and it would be over, a TKO or if I would have defended his takedowns in the [fifth] round, stay a little bit longer on the feet, the fight would be mine. I could be disappointed about the [judges] but I’m not because I see the fight … I watched the fight a couple of times, a draw for me is fair.”
Blachowicz continued, expressing his disapproval over Rogan’s conduct. “Joe Rogan, he shouldn’t say something like this to me after the fight. I was stuck in the last round and then Joe Rogan says ‘that was a good fight but for me you lost the fight.’ After the fight, when I go to the locker room and I start talking with a lot of people backstage from different teams, they said ‘don’t say that you lost the fight, you didn’t lose this fight, a round is OK but maybe you won the fight. So don’t say it.’
I said OK, maybe I’m thinking a little bit bad about the fight and then I start to remember the first three rounds. It looks different, not like the last round. When they said the draw, it was a weird situation because I cannot be happy but I also cannot feel bad about myself. Because I didn’t win but I also didn’t [lose]. I feel a little bit empty inside.”
Do you think Joe Rogan went too far this time? Let us know in the comments.
