Joe Rogan’s Lavish Yacht Pics With Wife Jessica Spark Fan Reactions Amid UFC 318 Absence

Dustin Poirier’s retirement fight is shaping up to be a true spectacle for the fans! Lil Wayne will walk “The Diamond” to the cage, which adds to the excitement. The company has put together a great broadcast team for UFC 318 to make the night even more special. Bruce Buffer is still the famous voice of the Octagon, and Heidi Androl will be the main reporter. There has, however, been an unexpected change in the commentary booth: Joe Rogan’s name is not on the list.

Rogan usually skips international UFC events but rarely misses U.S. cards. So, his absence from Dustin Poirier’s retirement fight at the Smoothie King Center is surprising. He won’t join Daniel Cormier and Jon Anik on commentary, just like the last time at UFC 271 when Michael Bisping stepped in to replace the color commentator. And Paul Felder will be taking his place. 

Even Dustin Poirier has questioned Joe Rogan’s absence from the commentary booth. Still, ‘The Diamond’ seems content with Daniel Cormier and Jon Anik calling his final fight. Speaking at UFC 318, he said, “Closing it out with Rogan would be cool, but also, DC, the legend he is, and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer he is. It’s awesome to be able to talk to him when it’s all said and done.”

Joe Rogan didn’t go to UFC 318 for a very personal reason. He was celebrating the 50th birthday of his wife, Jessica Ditzel. Superyacht Fan says that the former UFC analyst was seen enjoying a family vacation on the 217-foot, $50 million superyacht Okto in Venice, Italy.

Now that fans finally know why their favorite commentator won’t be there to deliver his iconic reactions for the Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway trilogy superfight, the internet has plenty to say. From playful jabs to straight-up savage banter, fight fans didn’t hold back when reacting to Joe Rogan’s absence from UFC 318. So, let’s take a look at what the netizens had to say! 

Fans react as Joe Rogan spends quality time with wife Jessica during UFC 318 absence

One fan quickly chimed in, “So that’s why he’s not doing the pay-per-view.” Sure, calling some epic fights at UFC 318 would’ve been great, but it looks like Joe decided to put family first this time. Another user followed up with a playful jab, saying, “One of the sport’s legends is retiring in America, meanwhile Rogan.” A light dig, but it clearly echoed how much fans felt his absence during one of the year’s biggest fights.

Another fan sounded a bit frustrated, commenting, “Damn, Joe! You couldn’t take your vacation on a Fight Night card or a PPV that was out of the country? You had to hide the slides on Diamond’s retirement fight?” While the reaction was strong, it’s worth noting that Rogan’s wife, Jessica, celebrates her birthday on July 18. So, the podcast king likely didn’t have many options if he wanted to take a break and celebrate. 

But not everyone was upset. One user had nothing but well wishes for Rogan and his wife, commenting, “Good for them, I hope they have an amazing time!!” Safe to say, Joe was living it up. Another user raised an interesting question, “Not like he spent 57 million. Wonder how much he rented it for.” Well, according to YachtCharterFleet, chartering the Okto superyacht comes with a hefty price tag of around $547,000 for a week. 

That being said, Joe Rogan did lose the chance to call Dustin Poirier’s last fight. But in the end, he chose his family over his work, which is something a lot of people can admire. What do you think of the UFC’s long-time color commentator not being at UFC 318? Please leave your opinions in the comments below!