UFC commentator Joe Rogan recently shared his struggles with pronouncing the names of fighters from Dagestan and Russia during a candid conversation on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience.
The veteran broadcaster, who has been the voice of UFC events for years, admitted that certain names present particular challenges when he’s working live events.
“There’s a lot of wild names on the UFC,” Rogan explained. “There’s a lot of these Russian and Dagestani names that are real [challenging].”
Rogan recalled a specific instance where his tongue failed him despite knowing the correct pronunciation. “I messed up Umar Nurmagomedov’s name once. But that was just because I knew his name, I knew how to say it, it’s just my mouth didn’t work right,” he confessed.
The preparation process for UFC broadcasts is more intensive than many fans might realize. Rogan detailed how he familiarizes himself with newcomers to the promotion: “What happens is before the weigh-ins, sometimes I’ve never seen a guy fight before like they’re new to the UFC. So then I have to find them online and watch some of their fights.”
Even with research, pronunciation remains a hurdle. “Even then, there are discrepancies in how to say the name,” Rogan noted. To combat this, the UFC has implemented a system where fighters record the correct pronunciations of their names for the commentary team.
“They have little recordings where the fighter will say their name,” Rogan explained, adding humorously, “And I’m like, ‘Jesus Christ, play it back again. What vowels is he using? What is this?'”
Among the most challenging names Rogan mentioned was Zabit Magomedsharipov, a former UFC featherweight contender known for his spectacular fighting style and equally complex name.
“There’s some rough ones,” Rogan concluded. “It’s generally the Russian ones that are the most difficult ones.”
Commentators like Rogan will surely continue their linguistic gymnastics to properly honor the athletes in the octagon.
