UFC enthusiasts were taken aback when Jon Anik hinted at stepping away from his play-by-play commentator role. According to Anik, the rising toxicity of MMA fans is the reason for this.
Renowned for his insightful analyses and strong rapport with fans, Anik didn’t hold back his frustration during a recent episode of the Anik and Florian Podcast. He addressed the criticism received on social media. The catalyst for this outburst was his disclosure of the scoring for the UFC 297 main event clash between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis.
Anik has served as the UFC’s voice since his debut as a commentator in January 2012. He shed light on the mounting hostility and disrespect he encounters, especially following closely contested matches.
Anik expressed his sentiments, saying: “I am growing tired of this MMA space a little bit, and just the morass of negativity when there is a close fight. I don’t know how much time I have left in this MMA space, because if I go do pro football, like, I’m not necessarily going to be dealing with this lowest common denominator all the time.”
“I am growing tired of this MMA space a little bit, and just the morass of negativity when there is a close fight. I don’t know how much time I have left in this MMA space, because if I go do pro football, like, I’m not necessarily going to be dealing with this lowest common denominator all the time.”
The controversial UFC 297 main event saw Dricus du Plessis secure victory over champion Sean Strickland via split decision, claiming the UFC middleweight championship. However, Anik found himself at the receiving end of harsh criticism on social media.
This prompted him to address the toxic behavior prevalent among certain MMA fans. While acknowledging that disagreement with his analysis is expected, he emphasized the overwhelming toxicity he encountered.
Anik revealed that he was advised to steer clear of engaging with such fans. But he highlighted the challenge of ignoring comments, since a substantial part of his job involves delivering accurate information. Additionally, Anik expressed concerns about potential bias among the fan base.
Sean Strickland reacted to Anik’s contemplation of leaving his analyst position due to toxic fan interactions. He questioned Anik’s portrayal of MMA fans as the “lowest common denominator” on X. Strickland pointed out that Anik’s compensation is mostly due to the support of MMA fans.
Strickland’s response comes in the midst of his persistent pursuit of a rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, claiming that the title was unjustly taken from him in their recent bout.