“I've got some whacky ideas” - UFC commentator Joe Rogan expresses his desire to let go of cages and standups in MMA

The Joe Rogan Experience episode with Ilia Topuria is one of the highest-viewed episodes of the entire series. The episode featured the former featherweight champion and UFC commentator Joe Rogan speaking on a number of topics, ranging from the fighter’s callout to Islam Makhachev to Conor McGregor’s supposed return to the Octagon as well as the issues faced by UFC while negotiating with the Russian fighter Fedor Emelianenko. Amidst all these, the commentator expressed his desire to change certain aspects, especially the cages and stand-up rules within the combat sports of MMA.
Joe Rogan believes cages and stand-up rules are an unnecessary element that provides for disadvantages rather than out and out benefitsJoe Rogan’s association with the UFC dates back to the year 1997, when he joined the promotion as a backstage interviewer, and now the commentator delivers some of the most memorable post-fight interviews within the Octagon. While his loyalty lies with the promotion, he believes that any fighter looking to prove himself as the best fighter must win a championship with the UFC. A championship outside the promotion does not hold much significance like the one with the promotion.

However, while talking to the former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, Rogan expressed his desire to bring in certain changes within MMA.

“There's many times I wish I was running the UFC. I would change so many different things. I've got some whacky ideas. I don' even think they should fight in a cage.” While one might be curious as to what possible alternative can be to a cage, the UFC commentator suggested a basketball court.


“I think it's an unnecessary element in fighting. Like to push someone against something, or to be able to get up from something, I don't think it's necessary. I think they should be in like a basketball court. Like a basketball court that's matted up. Have a big space. Have a warning track. If you go outside the warning track too many times you could lose points. So, when someone takes you down, you have to actually get up.”

Rogan even criticized the idea of starting each round with the fighters standing up on their feet. He believes that the rounds should start in the exact position that the fighters left themselves in the previous round.

“I also think, at the end of a round, like say if you've got a guy mounted at the end, you start the next round mounted on him. Because why would you give him the advantage of getting up when he never got up? He never got up. You have to earn a get up. You have to stand up by yourself.” Rogan continued, “No stand-ups, ever. Ever. No stand-ups unless someone commits a foul. If someone commits and foul and you want to stand then up and take a point away, that's fine. But if the guy on the bottom and he commits a foul, like if the guy's on the bottom and he gouges someone's eyes on purpose, take a point way, put him back in the same spot.”

“Otherwise, like say if you're fighting a guy like Alex Pereira, who is never taking anybody down. He's going to strike with you. Why would you let him back up again and have the advantage of standing up again? The beginning of the round, he starts standing up again. Now you have to take him down again.”

Also read: Arman Tsarukyan opens up on a possible title fight while Islam Makhachev continues to duck Ilia Topuria’s bout offer

While these are some hardcore changes that Rogan has thought of, there is no possibility of these changes being effective anytime soon. He is one of the most experienced commentators in the world of MMA and is never short of ideas in terms of bringing time adaptable changes in the age-old structure of the sports format.