Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) changed forever when it was sold by Zuffa LLC to WME-IMG in 2016.
What was a smaller change in the grand scheme of things stuck with fans early as longtime play-by-play commentator, Mike Goldberg, was one of the most noticeable on-screen casualties. With UFC fulfilling its final year under Zuffa, UFC 207 at the end of 2016 was Goldberg’s last event for the promotion alongside commentary partner, Joe Rogan.
Eight years later, Goldberg has since done work with Bellator and other combat sports promotions like Triad Combat. Recently reflecting on the end of his tenure, Goldberg was in negotiations with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and remembered going to UFC CEO, Dana White, and former owner, Lorenzo Fertitta, to share his offer.
“I didn’t want to leave. I was honored to go there but I didn’t want to leave [UFC],” Goldberg said of his WWE offer on JAXXON PODCAST. “I’d been in Casino Magic enough times, man. I ate at the Crackerbarrel in Kenner, Louisiana enough. I wanted to see — this beautiful yacht, the WWE, had already poured it all over the world. Our yacht was still in the water but you knew we were getting really close to a cool-ass island. Probably owned exclusively by the Fertittas but it was gonna be great.
“Joe on that Monday night goes, ‘’Goldie,’ you’re not gonna leave me to go do porn, are you? You’re not gonna do porn,’” he continued. “I’m like laughing, and Dana did the math and he said, ‘Keep in mind, ‘Goldie,’ you’ll do 52 shows with them. So, we’re gonna pay you this much per show.’ It was less money at the time but then we doubled our shows. Joe literally also was a big proponent at the time. The show was at the Hard Rock, he went up to talk to Dana and Lorenzo and he said, ‘I love ‘Goldie,’ he’s my guy. We’ve got great chemistry, don’t mess with it. Don’t let him go.’”
For years, UFC commentary exclusively featured a two-man booth with Goldberg and Rogan or the occasional swap out or addition of someone else on color. In the current landscape, a three-man booth is commonplace with a revolving combination of multiple play-by-play and color commentators.
UFC has turned heavily to having former fighters in on the calls, which led to the departures of popular names like Jimmy Smith after Goldberg.
“The sale still bums me out,” Goldberg said. “I think I was one of the pieces that should have continued but it’s not for me to decide. People know what we’ve gone through but I’m not gonna be a f*cking whiner about it. Nobody wants to hear that because that just brings ya down to anybody else’s level.
“Obviously, I was smashed. I was heartbroken,” he concluded. “I helped build that product. It just became a time where I wanted to keep on the voyage and I’m glad I did because I saw the world in my days with the UFC.”
While his separation from UFC wasn’t ideal, Goldberg holds no ill will toward anyone. Between his bosses, White and Fertitta, Goldberg admits there isn’t much of a relationship with either in 2024. That doesn’t mean things are on bad terms. At least he doesn’t believe so.
“I can’t find Lorenzo now,” Goldberg said. “If you think about it, other than just a few fights, he’s just gone on to the next. If I saw him, it would be a very pleasurable conversation.
“With Dana, I don’t know, he liked to pick on me a little bit,” he continued. “I always felt like I towed the company line. If Dana said, ‘This is what we’re gonna do, we’re not gonna talk about losses.’ I never argued. I don’t know. I’d be honored to do it again and I have huge respect for Dana but who knows? I don’t think he hates me but we’re not pen pals.”