Joe Rogan hails “uncrowned champ” Dustin Poirier

UFC commentator Joe Rogan was very impressed by Dustin Poirier’s TKO victory over former two-division champion Conor McGregor.

Poirier met McGregor in the main event of UFC 257 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. The lightweight bout was a rematch of a 2014 featherweight contest, which McGregor won by first-round knockout. In the end, Poirier evened the score with the Irishman, chopping him down with a series of calf kicks and knocking him out with punches in the second-round.

Rogan was not on duty for UFC 257, having reduced his commentary commitments to pay-per-views on US soil, but was evidently tuned in to watch the event.

Like pretty much everybody else who watched, he was blown away by Poirier’s performance against McGregor, and views the American as the “uncrowned champ” if the division’s reigning king Khabib Nurmagomedov sticks to his retirement plans.

“A tremendous congratulations to Dustin Poirier for his spectacular victory last night,” Rogan wrote of Poirier after UFC 257. “At 155 [pounds] he is absolutely one of the most fierce fighters on earth, and if Khabib really is retired for my money Dustin is the uncrowned champ!”

With his win over McGregor, Poirier is now on a two-fight win-streak, having also beaten Dan Hooker by decision in June, and is in prime position for a lightweight title fight. It remains to be seen who he’ll fight next, but it’s almost unfathomable that a belt won’t be on the line. And if the fight occurs on US soil, there’s a good chance Joe Rogan will be working the commentary desk.

Rogan has been working for the UFC since 1997. Initially, he served as a backstage interviewer for the promotion, but quickly moved into a color commentary role. He has worked for the promotion ever since, and has become as much a part of big UFC cards as the Octagon itself.