Tag: campbell mclaren

UFC Co-Founder Explains Why Joe Rogan Was Hired To Commentate

RoganJoe Rogan has become an MMA legend in his own right despite never fighting. The popular podcaster has been in the UFC commentary booth for more than 20 years and has become one of the most recognizable voices in all of sport. In hindsight hiring, Rogan was a stroke of genius. However, at the time […]

Rogan

Joe Rogan has become an MMA legend in his own right despite never fighting. The popular podcaster has been in the UFC commentary booth for more than 20 years and has become one of the most recognizable voices in all of sport.

In hindsight hiring, Rogan was a stroke of genius. However, at the time it seemed odd to match him with the UFC. Rogan was a comedian and actor with no significant professional fighting experience.

UFC co-founder, Campbell McLaren, who is currently CEO for Combate Americas, told MMA on Sirius XM how Rogan was hired and why he has enjoyed so much success in the role.

“Joe came in at UFC 11. Even by [UFC] 11, we still didn’t have a grip on things. It was so unpredictable,” McLaren said. We would run out of fighters. We were still doing the tournaments, and guys would get hurt, and you couldn’t predict anything. We had no idea what was going to happen.

“I had a background in comedy, and I knew a comedian that could handle hecklers would be very ready for the UFC—for the Ultimate fighting Championship—because they could handle it. I could go ‘Joe, we’re running late, you’ve got to talk to them for five more minutes, tell this guy to shut up.’ And Joe, I believe he’d had a couple of professional kickboxing bouts, he had that Boston tough guy thing. He has was quick on his feet, he had a good sense of humor, and boy, did he drink the Kool-Aid.

“He came in, and he was very good at making it look like what was happening was not a disaster about to really spin out of control. It was his ability to handle hecklers as much as anything, and thinking on [his] feet, going with the flow, because you couldn’t map out what was going to happen back then. It was really tough back then, and he was such a great addition. I think Joe’s one of the best announcers in sports. He’s certainly the best podcaster.” (Transcribed by MMA Mania)

Do you think Joe Rogan is the best hire in UFC history?

Combate Americas Makes Their Return in August

Add Combate Americas to the list of mixed martial arts promotions making their return to action with live competition. In a press release, Combate Americas up announced they would be making their return by bringing three events to live television, the …

Add Combate Americas to the list of mixed martial arts promotions making their return to action with live competition. In a press release, Combate Americas up announced they would be making their return by bringing three events to live television, the first being in August.  With the news came details on how they will be […]

The post Combate Americas Makes Their Return in August appeared first on MMA News.

Combate Americas CEO Names Tito Ortiz Number One P4P Fighter Over 40, Ahead Of Daniel Cormier

This weekend, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz will make his return to mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. Ortiz takes on professional wrestling legend and former mixed martial artist Alberto El Patron. As a fun stipulation, Ortiz will put his old UFC belt up for grabs, while El Patron puts up his old WWE […]

The post Combate Americas CEO Names Tito Ortiz Number One P4P Fighter Over 40, Ahead Of Daniel Cormier appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

This weekend, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz will make his return to mixed martial arts (MMA) competition.

Ortiz takes on professional wrestling legend and former mixed martial artist Alberto El Patron. As a fun stipulation, Ortiz will put his old UFC belt up for grabs, while El Patron puts up his old WWE title. The fight goes down from Hidalgo, Texas on Saturday, December 7 inside the Payne Arena.

The fight will be contested at 210 pounds. Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren took to his Twitter and listed out his top 10 pound-for-pound fighters over the age of 40. At the top of his list was none other than Ortiz, who he actually listed over Daniel Cormier, one of the greatest fighters of all time and a former two-division simultaneous champion.

He did, however, list Cormier at number two, with El Patron earning the number three spot ahead of names such as Urijah Faber, Demian Maia, Yoel Romero, Fabricio Werdum, and more. Check out his list here:

  • 1. Tito Ortiz
  • 2. Daniel Cormier
  • 3. Alberto Rodríguez
  • 4. Urijah Faber
  • 5. Demian Maia
  • 6. Yoel Romero
  • 7. Fabricio Werdum
  • 8. Anderson Silva
  • 9. Chael Sonnen
  • 10. Andrei Arlovski

What do you think about McLaren naming Ortiz as the pound-for-pound best fighter over 40-years-old?

The post Combate Americas CEO Names Tito Ortiz Number One P4P Fighter Over 40, Ahead Of Daniel Cormier appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Alberto El Patron Steps Down as Combate Americas President

Alberto El Patron has stepped down as the President of Combate Americas. El Patron has had a rough go as of late. While he is the reigning Global Force Wrestling (GFW) heavyweight champion, he’s found himself in some hot water. El Patron and his girlfriend, WWE Superstar Paige, were involved in a domestic dispute that […]

Alberto El Patron has stepped down as the President of Combate Americas. El Patron has had a rough go as of late. While he is the reigning Global Force Wrestling (GFW) heavyweight champion, he’s found himself in some hot water. El Patron and his girlfriend, WWE Superstar Paige, were involved in a domestic dispute that […]

Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren Talks Promotion’s Rapid Success (Exclusive)

Campbell McLaren is a rational thinker, but he’s almost very optimistic. The Combate Americas CEO certainly isn’t new to the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). McLaren is the co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). His vision was to make the promotion more of a spectacle. Today, the UFC has never been bigger. McLaren […]

Campbell McLaren is a rational thinker, but he’s almost very optimistic. The Combate Americas CEO certainly isn’t new to the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). McLaren is the co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). His vision was to make the promotion more of a spectacle. Today, the UFC has never been bigger. McLaren […]