FIGHTERS SHOULDN’T BE interviewed after they’ve been knocked out and concussed, says well-known UFC commentator Joe Rogan.
Rogan expressed that opinion on Twitter after Alistair Overeem suffered a first-round KO loss to UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic in Saturday’s main event at UFC 203 in Cleveland.
As part of his job, Rogan interviewed both fighters afterwards, with Overeem claiming that he should have won the fight because Miocic had tapped to a guillotine choke earlier in the round.
Overeem said: “I believe when I punched him and he went down, I followed him and got him in a guillotine choke, and I clearly felt a tap. The ref didn’t see it, the ref didn’t jump in, so the fight continued. In my opinion he tapped.”
A replay of the incident was then shown from two different angles, but it didn’t appear to provide any evidence to back up Overeem’s assertion. Rogan responded: “It looks like he was trying to find a way through your arms. It didn’t look like a tap to us but I understand that you felt that way.”
Rogan addressed the incident again on social media after the show, tweeting: “I asked the UFC brass if we could please refrain from interviewing fighters after they’ve been KO’ed. I don’t think it’s wise nor fair. If you’ve ever talked to a friend who has been KO’ed their perception of reality can be drastically off and their memory is severely impaired.”
English official Marc Goddard refereed the fight and he also referenced Overeem’s claims on Twitter, dismissing any suggestion that Miocic tapped: “Of course there was no tap, zero. He had just come round too so maybe still a little hazy! It’s all good.”
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Rogan received some criticism on Twitter for highlighting the incident via two separate replays. UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley said Overeem was “hung out to dry” but Rogan stood his ground: “I had to play it because I didn’t know if he was right.”
