UFC Star Defends ‘Humble’ Joe Rogan Amid N-Word Controversy: ‘Joe, Have Some Mushrooms. Keep Doing You.’

UFC star Israel Adesanya offered a strong defense of Joe Rogan, whose most recent controversy came as video emerged of him using the N-word multiple times on past episodes of his podcast.

Adesanya is scheduled to defend his middleweight title against Robert Whittaker this Saturday for the main event of UFC 271. Rogan, a longtime UFC analyst will be on the call for the fight.

During the pre-fight press conference, a question was directed at UFC president Dana White, asking about Rogan’s past use of the N-word. As White walked away from the podium, Adesanya jumped in and intercepted the question.

“First off, let me take this one,” Adesanya said. “Hold up. I’m Black. I can take this one. Look, there’s a lot of c*nts in this game. There is a lot of snakes in this game. I’ve been in this fight game since 2008. And Joe Rogan is one of the nicest, coolest, humble motherf*ckers I’ve had the pleasure of working with.”

“F*ck the noise,” Adesanya continued. “You know what they’re trying to do. You can’t control the man. He’s got the biggest platform in the world right now. So that’s my n**** Joe Rogan. F*ck the noise…Just keep doing you, Joe. Have some mushrooms. Keep doing you.”

Rogan later shared the above clip of Adesanya on his Instagram page writing, “much love and respect.” After the scandalous video of Rogan surfaced, the polarizing podcaster issued an apology, but also categorized the self-inflicted controversy as a “political hit job.”

Watch above via MMAWeekly