Joe Rogan, like most people, believes the UFC should have booked the Diaz brothers to fight at UFC 209 in Stockton.
Joe Rogan is among the many people who believe the UFC’s next pay-per-view event should feature Stockton’s finest mixed martial artists — and take place in Stockton.
UFC 209 goes down live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 4. The Diaz brothers, Nick and Nate, are nowhere to be found on the card, despite being known for their Stockton/209 pride. Instead, Tyron Woodley defends his welterweight title against Stephen Thompson and Khabib Nurmagomedov fights Tony Ferguson for the interim 155-pound strap.
On a recent episode of his Fight Companion podcast, the longtime UFC commentator criticized the organization for not scheduling the event in Stockton and with both Diaz brothers.
“UFC 209 is coming up, but it’s not in Stockton. That s--t is unconscionable. They had one opportunity ever in the history of the UFC to do it," Rogan said. "I planned episode 911 (of the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast) to be Alex Jones. They should have planned episode 209 to be in f—king Stockton with Nick and Nate Diaz. I guarantee you that s--t would have gotten two million pay-per-view buys.”
Rogan suggested former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, who recently signed a new deal with the UFC for a return after being away for over three years, as a potential opponent for Nick had he been on UFC 209. St-Pierre defended his title against Diaz in 2013 with a decision victory.
“That’s the perfect fight to make,” Rogan said. “Neither guy has fought in a long time, neither guy is in title contention, and it’s a superfight right out of the gate.”
Earlier this month, UFC president Dana White said that the Diaz brothers are the toughest fighters to book today. White added that a fight offer was on the table for Nate and that Nick had turned down two fights.