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Toxic UFC fans have Jon Anik contemplating early retirement: ‘There’s a lot of malice and disrespect’

A growing number of toxic MMA fans on social media has UFC commentator Jon Anik questioning how much longer…

A growing number of toxic MMA fans on social media has UFC commentator Jon Anik questioning how much longer he has before walking away from the sport altogether.

The promotion’s return to Toronto delivered a mixed bag with a handful of entertaining finishes on the prelims followed by a lackluster main card that left fight fans unsatisfied, argumentative, or in many cases, both. In the main event of the evening, Sean Strickland surrendered his middleweight world title to South African standout Dricus Du Plessis following an entertaining back-and-forth battle over the course of five rounds.

In the end, Strickland came up short on the scorecards, losing a razor-close split decision and thus, his gold. Fans have been engaged in a heated debate over who they believe should have left The Great White North with the 185-pound crown ever since.

Anik landed on the side of Dricus Du Plessis while others, like UFC CEO Dana White, had Strickland winning the fight on their scorecards.

Anik’s opinion on the matter has resulted in him being inundated with vile comments from keyboard warriors on multiple platforms. So much so that during a recent episode of The Anik & Florian Podcast, he suggested that all the vitriol may be what pushes him into walking away from his UFC commentary duties.

“Even if you and I thought Dricus du Plessis won the fight, we try to present that information respectfully,” Anik explained. “And when I go onto X, or I go to our YouTube comments, it seems like a lot of these fans are just in attack mode, and I don’t know if these fans are casual fans or not, right?

“I appreciate the passion, but I’m getting to a point where I’m 45 years of age where I don’t know how much time I have left in this MMA space because if I go do pro-football like I’m not necessarily gonna be dealing with this lowest common denominator all the time, and I don’t know man, I just feel like there’s a lot of malice and disrespect from the fanbase.”

“We can disagree,” Anik continued. “Don’t take it from me. Demetrious Johnson and Kenny Florian thought DDP won the fight. I don’t know. I’ve just been very off-put with the negativity that has permeated my feed since Saturday and I’m just not sure how much longer I have in this space honestly” (h/t MMA News).

Jon Anik admits to overhyping Mike Malott ahead of UFC 297: ‘I was guilty of overstepping a little’

Looking back, longtime UFC play-by-play man Jon Anik believes he may have gone a little too hard hyping Canadian…

Looking back, longtime UFC play-by-play man Jon Anik believes he may have gone a little too hard hyping Canadian standout Mike Malott.

Returning to the Octagon at UFC 297 earlier this month, Malott was a significant favorite, closing at a -380 on multiple sportsbooks against welterweight gatekeeper Neil Magny. Through two rounds of action, it appeared that the oddsmakers were justified. However, the tables were turned in the third when Magny poured it on and punished an exhausted Malott. Magny scored a TKO with just 15 seconds left in the fight.

During a recent episode of The Anik & Florian Podcast, Jon Anik spoke about the immense praise he had given to Malott ahead of fight night.

“Yeah, I mean, I do think that perhaps I was guilty maybe of overstepping a little bit when it came to some of the hyperbolic stuff I was saying about Mike Malott,” Anik said. “I mean, I stopped at suggesting he’s overrated, right? But the guy never had a decision win, so experience has gotta count for something, I give Neil Magny a whole lot of credit.”

Malott’s hype was by no means misguided. Going into the bout, the Waterdown, Ontario native was 10-1-1 with all of his victories coming by way of finish, including six submissions and four knockouts. He was also riding a five-fight win streak that predated his 2021 appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series.

“I just think that sometimes we get ahead of ourselves, especially when it comes to certain guys in certain countries with all due respect to Canada,” Anik added. “We are dying to have a man take the torch, right? And we went into this fight thinking without a shadow of a doubt, the most talented Canadian mixed martial arts male right now is Mike Malott.”

Neil Magny got back into the win column following a lackluster performance against Ian Machado Garry in August. The ‘Haitian Sensation’ is now 22-10 inside the Octagon. His victory over Malott moved him up one spot to No. 12 in the welterweight rankings.

Jon Anik sees Only One reason why Conor McGregor would demand his UFC return be at middleweight

Longtime UFC play-by-play man Jon Anik has no interest in seeing Conor McGregor compete at middleweight. McGregor, a former…

Longtime UFC play-by-play man Jon Anik has no interest in seeing Conor McGregor compete at middleweight.

McGregor, a former two-division UFC champion, kicked off 2024 by revealing to the world that he will be making his return to the Octagon on June 29 to headline the promotion’s annual International Fight Week festivities in Las Vegas. However, the Irishman threw fight fans a curveball when he revealed that his comeback fight against ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler would take place at 185-pounds. A weight he has never fought at before. In fact, neither fighter has.

McGregor kicked off his UFC career competing in the featherweight division before making the move up to lightweight. Since then, he has dabbled at welterweight for bouts against Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone. As for Chandler, the former Bellator MMA champion has only competed at lightweight since signing with the UFC, but he did make some appearances at welterweight for his previous employer.

It remains to be seen if McGregor’s middleweight demand makes it into the final contract, but Anik can only see one logical reason why ‘Mystic Mac’ would stick to his guns about the bout being contested at 185.

“I pray that’s our reality (that it doesn’t happen at middleweight),” Anik told MMA Junkie Radio. “If I was writing a pay-per-view open, and I do write those myself, I would eliminate the weight class probably. I probably would eliminate the weight class from my pay-per-view open and just focus on a returning Conor McGregor.

“The only defense for that fight happening at middleweight, with respect to my friend Conor McGregor, is his leg. And if they just don’t want him (to) and he doesn’t want to cut the weight, to try to have that leg be as strong as humanly possible to try to get through that first fight.”

By the time Conor McGregor steps back into the Octagon, it will have been nearly three years since his devastating loss to Dustin Poirier. As a result, he currently holds no ranking in any UFC weight class. A win over Chandler at middleweight, or even welterweight for that matter, would likely do very little to change that situation.

In reality, the best way for McGregor to make the most of his scrap with Michael Chandler is to meet him in the division where ‘Iron’ currently holds the No. 12 ranking — lighweight. Unfortunately, Anik can’t see that happening.

“It has no divisional relevance at ’85,” Anik said. “Really doesn’t have much at ’70. And I have long sort of wished that Conor McGregor would compete more at 155 pounds. He has only one lightweight win career-wise in the UFC against Eddie Alvarez. He did not defend the lightweight title, did not successfully defend the lightweight title.

“I would just like to see the man competing at ’55, but this fight with Michael Chandler is not going to be at 155 pounds. But I think I would have to eliminate (the weight) from the pay-per-view open process because it just seems such a stretch. And I do hope for both their sake it is at ’70, and Conor was just saying that tongue-in-cheek.”

Joe Rogan receives seal of approval on future UFC Hall of Fame induction: ‘He has done so much for our sport’

Veteran color-commentator, Joe Rogan has been backed to receive a future induction into the UFC’s Hall of Fame as…

Veteran color-commentator, Joe Rogan has been backed to receive a future induction into the UFC’s Hall of Fame as per his play-by-play lead and co-caller, Jon Anik – who claims the podcast host and standup comedian should most definitely land in the hall in the near future.

Rogan, a veteran color-commentator under the banner of the UFC, made his first appearance back in 1997 for the Dana White-led promtoion, calling the action backstage at a UFC 12 event – which featured a headlining bracket between former light heavyweight champion, Vitor Belfort, and Scott Ferrozzo.

Joe Rogan backed for UFC Hall of Fame invitation

A staple in the commentary booth in the time since, Rogan, who had spent extensive time side-by-side with former play-by-play lead, Mike Goldberg, has been backed by current play-by-play lead, Anik – to receive a Hall of Fame induction alongside his fellow callers, ex-champions, Michael Bisping, and Daniel Cormier.

“I wonder if at this point in time, Joe Rogan has like respectfully declined a UFC Hall of Fame invitation,” Jon Anik told MMA Junkie Radio. “It’s an eventuality that Joe Rogan is going to go into the UFC Hall of Fame. I would love for that to happen spontaneously live, on a UFC broadcast. To sit here and talk about that man’s growth and contributions to the growth of MMA would be such a long conversation.”

“He has just done so much for our sport and for so many individuals in it,” Anik continued. “I’m coming up on the nine-year anniversary of my podcast, he’s the only reason I started the f*cking thing. So, Joe Rogan, first-ballot Hall of Famer. I do hope he gets in.”

Featuring at the final Octagon event of last year, Rogan called the action at UFC 296 alongside the above-mentioned, Anik, and Cormier, and will likely continue his vein this year of calling from the booth for flagship events held by the promotion in North America.

Would you like to see Joe Rogan receive an induction into the UFC Hall of Fame?

Leon Edwards ‘Well within reach’ of welterweight GOAT status according to UFC play-By-Play man Jon Anik

Leon Edwards couldn’t ask for a better start to his welterweight title reign. Since claiming the 170-pound crown with…

Leon Edwards couldn’t ask for a better start to his welterweight title reign.

Since claiming the 170-pound crown with “the kick heard around the world” at UFC 278, ‘Rocky’ has scored back-to-back wins against Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, two of the most dangerous men in the division’s illustrious history. Next on the docket for Edwards appears to be a rematch No. 2 ranked contender, Belal Muhammad.

The pair previously matched up in 2021, but the bout was cut short after an accidental eye poke from Edwards rendered ‘Remember the Name’ unable to continue. Neither the UFC nor Edwards himself appears overly thrilled with the idea of putting Muhammad into the title picture, but play-by-play man Jon Anik believes the bout will play a pivotal role in building the Brit’s legacy as the welterweight division’s greatest of all time.

“I’m not necessarily surprised,” Anik said in an interview with Bodog Canada. “It’s not Leon Edwards’ job as undisputed UFC welterweight champion to lay the foundation for his next title defense. Certainly, if his aspiration is to go down as the greatest welterweight champion of all time — and by the way that is well within reach when you just beat Kamaru Usman twice and then Colby Covington. If that’s the goal, he should want to take out and beat all of these guys.

“I think you need to marry the financial goals with the career-aspirational goals,” he continued. “I mean, he’s a Hall of Famer first ballot, but to go down potentially as the greatest welterweight of all time, if Belal Muhammad is indeed easy work, I think that fight makes a lot of sense” (h/t MMA Mania).

Unbeaten in his last 10 outings, Muhammad has made a very strong case for receiving his first title shot. Despite that, the promotion has remained reluctant in dubbing him as the next man in line. Last stepping inside the Octagon in May 2023, ‘Bully B’ scored a decisive decision victory over one-time title challenger Gilbert Burns.

If Belal Muhammad is not next for Leon Edwards, then who?

Aside from Muhammad, the next best option is undefeated sensation Shavkat Rakhmonov who delivered a show-stealing performance against Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson at the promotion’s final pay-per-view event of the year.

Unfortunately, ‘Nomad’ is currently nursing an ankle injury leaving only one other option in Anik’s eyes.

“Khamzat Chimaev is the only man who can lay claim to a Welterweight title shot right now, as far as I’m concerned, other than Belal Muhammad, and he’s not competing at the weight class,” Anik said. “Belal has one of these unbeaten streaks like all of the champions do, and he doesn’t get any pound-for-pound consideration. I just think we have to restore a little bit of order, and I do think the UFC is going to make the right decision here.”

Daniel Cormier compares UFC PPV Commentary trio to classic Monday Night Football teams

UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier has established himself as one of the top voices in all of mixed…

UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier has established himself as one of the top voices in all of mixed martial arts.

After building his legacy in MMA, capturing both the light heavyweight and heavyweight world championships, ‘DC’ is now recognized by fight fans the world over as a member of the promotion’s premiere broadcast team.

Though the commentary crew rotates week-by-week, primarily due to Joe Rogan’s busy schedule that prevents him from traveling out of the country, the trio of Cormier, Rogan, and Jon Anik now serve as the primary group of commentators and play-by-play men for the UFC’s biggest events.

“We have become a trio — me, Jon, and Joe — when it comes to pay-per-views, where when you want to feel like it’s a big night, you hear those voices and you see us on the screen,” Cormier told MMA Fighting. “It’s me, Jon, and Joe, and Megan [Olivi] on the reports.

“Megan’s good, she does football and she does the NFL and does all these things, so you know when you’ve got that team that it’s a pay-per-view and it’s a big night. That’s the best.”

When Cormier, Rogan, and Anik are on the call, it’s going to be a special night

The consistent pay-per-view appearances of Cormier, Rogan, and Anik have served as a calling card of sorts, letting fans know that they are in for something truly special that evening.

‘DC’ went so far as to compare their crew, alongside roving reporter Megan Olivi, to the legendary broadcast teams of Monday Night Football.

“When Jon Madden and Al Michaels and those guys were on Monday Night Football, you knew you were watching Monday Night Football, and now you get that with the UFC,” Cormier said.

“When you see Jon, Joe, Megan, and me, you go, ‘OK, it’s going to be a big night.’ That’s great for the UFC.”

What’s your favorite UFC commentary team?