UFC announcer and podcast host Joe Rogan has sparked a debate in the MMA community with his views on the martial arts abilities of two of the sport’s most popular athletes: Georges St-Pierre and Jorge Masvidal.
Georges St-Pierre is widely regarded as a legend in the sport, having held the UFC welterweight and middleweight titles during his career.
He defended his title in an impressive nine times and won 13 straight against some of the toughest opponents in UFC history, including BJ Penn, Matt Hughes, Michael Bisping, Sean Sherk, and Johnny Hendricks. St-Pierre’s dominance in the sport has cemented his place in the MMA hall of fame.
In contrast, Jorge Masvidal made his MMA debut one year after St-Pierre and has never won a title. He has lost 16 of his 51 matches, but his style and perseverance made him a fan favorite.
Masvidal is known for his knockouts, including his infamous five-second knockout of Ben Askren with a flying knee.
“I just think the level of competition he faced is higher. GSP was so good he raised the bar, but you look at GSP’s victories. He beat some very good guys, but I think the guys Kamaru Usman beat – Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, Tyron Woodley — I think they are better.”
Rogan went on:
“Yeah, I think if Masvidal was around at that time he would be dangerous for everybody, I think he is on another level. I think everyone is on another level.”
“The Masvidal that knocked out Ben Askren, that was one of the craftiest moves that anyone has ever done. He went sideways and ran straight at him and Askren’s instincts kicked in and he kneed him into the dark lands.”
Masvidal just reacted to the statment despite having had the pleasure of being on Rogan’s podcast recently. He told interviewers:
” Joe’s been watching the sport for forever and he truly is like an encyclopedia. I sit down and I was just with Joe today. I just got back from Texas and we’re like talking boxing, and it’s like, there’s not a name that I throw out that this guy doesn’t know and hasn’t digested 20 fights of this individual.”
“And I’m throwing like, we’re just talking boxing for a minute. And it’s like every fight, every fighter that I brought up. I remember on the seventh one, he’s just an encyclopedia of wealth for the sport. ”
“So for him to consider me one of the better fighters I’ve ever lived is. Is. F**k, man. That’s a real life notch right there for me, because that guy, you know, I consider him a f**king a true connoisseur of the sport, you know, and because of the way he call is it and stuff and I don’t think he’s a biased fool, man, you know.”
Rogan was called ‘stupid’ among other things for the take. Chael Sonnen defended:
“What Joe said and how he did this math is very common. But I would like to correct you to what a non-420 mind can come up with. Joe got to that point by stating that the competition is harder now than it was then. And I hear many people doing that.”
“What does the competition have to do with the guy?” he asked.
“I know who the best fighter is. I can’t prove this, I don’t need to be a d—k about it, but I’ve been in there with them all. I know you’re not supposed to tell practice room stories, but if it didn’t go your way in the practice room, the rules are different and you can tell the story,” Sonnen said. “Georges is the best. That’s your answer. EVER.”