UFC fighters enjoy a well-earned fanbase for the thrilling shows they put on inside the Octagon. However, figures like Jon Anik have built their own following by creating magic on the microphone. His calls often become standout moments in UFC hype trailers. But according to the play-by-play commentator himself, bad days can turn much worse when it comes to his job.

The 47-year-old joined the UFC in 2011 and made his debut at UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller. Since then, Anik has become a staple of the promotion’s commentary team alongside Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier. Still, despite becoming a crucial part of Dana White’s broadcasting team, the Boston native admits the company could fire him without providing any reason. 

Jon Anik confirms the UFC can part ways with him anytime

“Certainly, after the Leon Edwards knockout and the way people responded to that call, it was a special moment. But they can fire me without cause at any time. A lot of broadcasters have guaranteed contracts, though. But anyway, I’m a full-time employee, and they can still fire me without cause. That was the first time my agent had done a broadcaster’s deal with that type of language.” Jon Anik stated on the JAXXON podcast episode.  

It’s definitely surprising that a successful commentator like Anik could be fired without any questions asked. Still, the UFC is no stranger to unusual contract clauses. In one of his podcasts, Joe Rogan also revealed that his contract ties directly to Dana White’s tenure with the UFC. If the head honcho ever steps away, Rogan would follow.

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So, could the UFC actually fire Jon Anik in the future? According to the veteran commentator’s own revelation, the promotion can let him go at any time. However, Dana White recently made it clear on the Pardon My Take podcast that Paramount+ and CBS want no changes to the broadcast team. Because of that, it seems likely Anik will remain in place for a long time, especially given his strong reputation within the company.

After revealing the details of his contract, the play-by-play commentator also took time to clear up fan confusion about his role, as many fans still mistake him for a color commentator.  

UFC commentator clears up confusion around his role 

During a UFC broadcast, Jon Anik usually leads the commentary team, and his calls often cross into expert-level insight as the 47-year-old highlights technical aspects of the fight. Because of that, many fans assume Anik also serves as an analyst like Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, which he has explained isn’t the case.

“I’m not a color commentator. Technically, I’m not an analyst. I’m a play-by-play announcer. I’m supposed to give you the what, while these guys give you the why and the how. When you talk about humanizing these athletes, that’s a big responsibility for me. I try to make people at home care about a fighter who might be ranked 95th in the world,” Anik said on the JAXXON Podcast.

As the veteran commentator explained, his role focuses on presenting a fighter’s background, building hype during walkouts, and setting the stage for what unfolds inside the Octagon. Anik also reads sponsor placements and promotional mentions during events, which form a core part of his play-by-play duties.

Still, he brings plenty of energy once the action starts, creating iconic moments like his call of Leon Edwards’ head-kick knockout of Kamaru Usman in their rematch. That passion even earned him praise from Joe Rogan, who once labeled Anik the best ever.

As such, with Jon Anik now firmly established as an iconic voice in the UFC, do you think he will enjoy a long career as a specialist commentator? Let us know in the comments section below.