UFC
Joe Rogan responds to "Rampage" Jackson - "I can't protect someone's feelings at the expense of... analyzing what's going on"
Feb 21, 2012 - 11:45:50 PM Joe Rogan responds to "Rampage" Jackson - "I can't protect someone's feelings at the expense of... analyzing what's going on"

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Earlier this week, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson blasted UFC commentator Joe Rogan for what he called "biased" commentary. He ripped on Rogan's jiu jitsu affinity, and said that he sometimes wanted to tell Rogan to "shut the f*** up."

Rogan took to his podcast on Monday night to respond to the situation, and he addressed Rampage's criticisms.

"Rampage Jackson's mad at me," Rogan said (transcribed by MMAMania.com). "I was watching and he was calling me fake ass. He was saying that all I want him to do his throw low kicks and the reason he doesn't throw low kicks is because he was fighting a wrestler 'you dumbass.' Look, man, I love Rampage. I don't mean to be rude when I assess things. I'm just trying to objectively figure out how this guy could be doing better than he's doing."

"When I'm doing commentary on a fight, all I'm trying to do is sort of objectively assess what I think someone could be doing differently to try to get themselves out of spots if they're not winning," he continued. "I'm just trying to commentate. I'm not like critiquing the guy's soul. I'm not like breaking down who he is as a person. I like the guy a lot... The last thing I want to do is add more pressure or add more stress..."

"I'm analyzing the fight, that's all it is. I have to be objective. I can't protect someone's feelings at the expense of doing what I'm supposed to be doing, which is sort of analyzing what's going on."

Penick's Analysis: More often than not I think Rogan is fantastic at what he does. He has moments where he can lean a little too heavily in favor of a fighter, or where he misses or ignores offense from a fighter, but most of the time I think he is really good in his role. I don't think the comments he's made criticizing Rampage during fights are at all malicious or deserving of the type of vitriolic response Jackson sent his way, and he handled his reaction to that pretty well. There still might be some tension between the two in Japan this weekend, but Rogan did a good job of laying out his side here.

[Joe Rogan photo credit Mike Lano wrealano@aol.com]