Saint Joe Rogan reacts to Ronda Rousey’s insulting comments: ‘Nothing but love and respect’
Joe Rogan isn’t upset with Ronda Rousey.
In a recent appearance on Bert Kreischer’s podcast, Rousey ended up firing some random shots at one of her biggest admirers in the longtime UFC color commentator. When asked about a theoretical showdown versus Rogan, Rousey remarked that Rogan is “not an expert” and discounted his Taekwondo competition experience. Despite the insult and general disregard shown for his lifelong pursuit of martial arts, Rogan didn’t take offense. Instead, he thinks it’s another demonstration of her “champion mentality.”
“She’s a legend,” Rogan explained on The Joe Rogan Experience (h/t Red Corner MMA). “I’ve got nothing but love and respect for that lady. What she did was so impressive. She was the first legitimate female superstar. She made the UFC female division possible. If it wasn’t for her — Dana was very open about never having female UFC fighters. It took someone that was that dynamic, that special for him to open his eyes and say, ‘You know what, I think this lady is a star.’
“She said like, ‘I wasn’t an expert.‘ Everyone’s entitled to their opinions, but you gotta understand why she thinks like that. [It’s because] she has a champion mentality. You never fought, you ain’t s—t. It’s real simple. I get it.”
There are a lot of folks with thin skin involved in the fight game, but Rogan clearly isn’t one of them. He’s been such an ardent Rousey supporter throughout her ups-and-downs — exactly the kind of unconditional supports Rousey has demanded (but not received) from fight fans — that it must’ve hurt a little to be dismissed so thoroughly by “Rowdy,” but the jiu-jitsu black belt has opted to take the high road here.
Is there a chance Rogan commentates one last Rousey fight? Rumors continue to swell regarding a possible “Rowdy” return at the White House next summer, and one would assume Rogan will be there cageside to talk all the new viewers through the action.
It’s not impossible … but it might blow the budget.
