Dominick Cruz replaces Joe Rogan on broadcast team for UFC 315
Joe Rogan vowed he wasn’t going to Canada for UFC 315 and he’s followed through on that promise with the full broadcast team for the upcoming event in Montreal revealed.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz is set to serve as the third man in the booth when the promotion returns to Canada for the upcoming pay-per-view. Cruz is joined by play-by-play man Jon Anik and UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier for the broadcast.
UFC officials confirmed the broadcast plans to MMA Fighting on Thursday.
Rogan, who doesn’t travel to international locations to call fights, doubled down when addressing a potential trip to Canada during a recent episode of his podcast.
“I won’t be there,” Rogan said back in March. “I don’t go to Canada anymore. I don’t. I’d rather go to Russia.”
The comedian and podcast host’s disdain for Canada seemingly speaks to the political divide felt towards the country due to a somewhat rocky relationship shared with President Donald Trump in recent months. Trump actually joked about annexing Canada and turning the country into the 51st state in the U.S.
“I had a conversation with Trump about it,” Rogan said. “He goes ‘I started calling him Governor [Justin] Trudeau just for fun but a lot of people are saying good idea. Maybe it is a good idea!.’”
Rogan’s absence clears the way for Cruz to step into call the fights with UFC 315 being headlined by welterweight champion Belal Muhammad defending his title for the first time against Jack Della Maddalena.
The co-main event features Valentina Shevchenko putting her flyweight title up for grabs when she faces French striker Manon Fiorot.
Joining Anik, Cormier and Cruz in Montreal is Brendan Fitzgerald, who is set to serve as the reporter on the scene during the card in Montreal.
UFC 315 goes down on May 10 from Montreal with the main card kicking off at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ pay-per-view.