UFC Says It Had Nothing to Do With Joe Rogan’s Absence

Joe Rogan skipped UFC 271 on Saturday night—but the head of the mixed martial arts organization said that was the controversial podcaster’s own choice. UFC President Dana White denied that Rogan was asked to take a break from analyst duties because of the furor of his use of the N-word and his amplification of COVID-19 misinformation. “Joe Rogan could have worked tonight,” White said, saying that any reported “scheduling conflict” didn’t come from UFC. “I don’t know what Joe Rogan had to do, you guys will have to ask Joe Rogan,” White said. “There was no ‘Joe couldn’t work’ or anything like that. I know that came out and it is total bullshit.”