...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
There will be a new pairing in the broadcast booth for the UFC on Saturday night, as longtime UFC broadcaster Mike Goldberg is out of the event. According to a report from MMAJunkie.com, FX/Fuel event play-by-play announcer Jon Anik will step in for Goldberg, with Joe Rogan remaining on color commentary for the night.
Though it was initially reported as an illness, UFC President Dana White said that Goldberg is actually taking time off from the UFC.
"He's taking time off and is not working this weekend," White said. "I don't know when he will be back."
Anik, the former host of MMA Live on ESPN2 and one-time play-by-play voice for Bellator Fighting Championships, was hired by the UFC last fall, and began his run with the UFC in January. He's done play-by-play for almost all of the UFC's events on FX and Fuel TV this year along with Kenny Florian, with Goldberg and Rogan remaining the broadcast team for pay-per-view and Fox events.
This will be Anik's first pay-per-view booking for the UFC, and the first time Anik and Rogan have worked together on a UFC broadcast.
Penick's Analysis: Many will be thrilled by this news, as Goldberg's never gotten the most fan support. For me, I'm excited to see how the Anik-Rogan pairing works. As ridiculous as Goldberg can be at times, he's a familiar voice, and there's a recognition and comfort in the broadcasts with him at the helm. But this could be a very beneficial replacement, and the Anik-Rogan team could work out quite well also.
-With the update on Goldberg's status, I sincerely hope that he is alright personally, and that there aren't any home issues at play, as "taking time off" could be for any number of reasons. And the cryptic status of not knowing when he's coming back is not a good sign.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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