Rogan provides different perspective on Helwani situation

UFC color commentator Joe Rogan was speaking with stand up comedian & host of Part Of The Problem Dave Smith, on the latest Joe Rogan Experience podcast, when the subject of Ariel Helwani’s reinstatement came up. Rogan detailed the incident from the company’s perspective.

“That’s kind cool,” said Rogan, when informed that that Helwani would getting his credentials to attend events after all. “Because that means the public support made them lift that. But it also must mean that they ever worked out whatever the f*** it was.

“See this is what they were saying. This is what I am hearing. I haven’t talked to Ariel, but let me just give you the UFC perspective. The UFC perspective was that there was a mole. They believe someone was giving Ariel information, and that he was using that information to scoop the UFC’s official promotions. So the UFC, which is a private company – they don’t have to let people in to their private business to come and report. So they felt like he was somehow or another getting ahold of this inside information, and releasing it, and making them look bad.

“Now, I get the UFC’s perspective that they would want to know who the f*** is leaking this secret information. And that they don’t want this guy taking that information and then putting it live.

“Now, from what I understand, the conversation with him was ‘don’t do this. Because of you do this, there’s only a handful of people that know this information. So, we’re going to fire everybody, or we’re going to fire a bunch of people, and you’re going to ruin people’s lives.’ This is what I was told was a conversation they had with him.

“After that conversation, he leaked the Brock Lesnar stuff. So I don’t know if that’s true. I would have to get his opinion. You’d have to get the UFC’s opinion. You’d have to get the two of them together to debate which story was true. But this is the side you’re not hearing.

“All you’re hearing is the UFC banned him for life, and everybody’s upset. So, I like Ariel. I think Ariel’s a very good reporter. I think he’s a very bright guy. I’m good friends with his uncle, Gad Saad, who’s an awesome, brilliant, brilliant professor in Montreal – I love that guy.

“So, I like Ariel. The whole thing was bumming me out. I was looking at my Twitter feed and going ‘Oh f***.’ But certain kinds of things like this, you have to let the dust settle. So the dust settled. They lifted the ban. I’m very happy with that.”

(1:26:44 mark)

H/T jackbquick