“It’s not like I was breaking news,” Jon Anik revisits his infamous ‘custody battle’ commentary
Legendary commentator Jon Anik talks about his controversial moment while commentating with former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub.
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In a recent interview, UFC commentator, Jon Anik sat down with Brendan Schaub to talk about UFC and the recent events following the latest announcements. The 44-year-old recalled the backlash received from fans due to his ‘custody battle’ commentary.
In 2021, Andre Ewell vs Chris Gutierrez was scheduled in the prelims card of UFC 258. The back story of both the fighters involved custody battles with their respective former spouses which Jon Anik commented on during their fight.
“I’m sort of trying in the middle of a round to explain that this is why these guys fight. They are both heavy-hearted right? And not a day of my life goes by where some UFC fan doesn’t reach out to me on Twitter or Instagram and says something about the ‘custody battle’. My intentions were clear and they were good, but the phraseology wasn’t good… I felt a little bit vindicated,” Anik explained to Schaub.
Not only was Anik called out by the fans but also both the fighters he commented on. While Chris Gutierrez reacted with hostility, Ewell supported Anik with a shoutout tweet for mentioning what he was fighting for.
Anik talked about UFC 283 and the future of the Light-Heavyweight and Flyweight divisions and possible challenges for the promotion. Jon Anik has been working in the UFC for over 11 years and was a commentator at ESPN for 5 years before joining the promotion.
Jon Anik talks about career with UFC and earning his spot at the cage side booth
Jon Anik took time to discuss his career with the UFC. The 44–year-old has been a full-time play-by-play commentator for the UFC since his joining in 2011. Prior to his UFC transfer, Anik was signed as a commentator by the sports broadcasting company, ESPN.
Throughout his career, Jon Anik has witnessed several instances of greatness inside the octagon and continues to be one of the hardest-working commentators. Known for his seat next to Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier at the cage side booth, the trio has given the MMA world some of the greatest reactions to MMA fights.
The commentator revealed a clause in his employment contract with the UFC that enables the promotion to lay him off without cause at any point in time. “I’m not fearful of losing my job but I really do have my head to the pavement feeling like I have to earn it at every show,” Anik revealed.
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Prateek Athanur
(2944 Articles Published)