UFC boss Dana White has insisted reports that Joe Rogan didn't commentate UFC 271 due to a 'conflict of schedule' are "bull****".
Rogan was supposed to be cageside to commentate the UFC 271 broadcast on Saturday night, but it was announced on Friday that Michael Bisping would take his place.
Reports stated his removal was because of a scheduling conflict but many dismissed those claims and cited his recent controversies as the reason of his absence.
Rogan has faced heavy criticism in recent weeks for discussing his views about Covid-19 on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, with Spotify removing over 100 episodes of it from their platform.
He also apologised after a video circulated of him using the n-word from many of his older episodes of the podcast, labelling it the most "shameful" thing he has needed to address.
But White insisted that Rogan could have called the UFC 271 card if he wanted to and there was no conflict in his schedule.
"There's no conflict of schedule. Joe Rogan didn't work tonight. Joe Rogan could have worked tonight," he said at the UFC 271 post-fight press conference.
"I don't know what Joe Rogan had to do, you guys will have to ask Joe Rogan. There was no 'Joe couldn't work tonight' or anything like that. I know that came out, it's total bulls***."
Several fighters have come to the defence of Rogan since the video circulated of him using the racial slur.
Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya - who defended his title at UFC 271 - told Rogan to "keep doing" him and advised him to ignore those criticising him.
Former UFC welterweight Ben Askren said of the situation: "If they can cancel Joe they can cancel anyone. Time to stand up people."
What are your thoughts on Joe Rogan's absence from UFC 271? Let us know in the comments section below
YouTube star turned boxer Jake Paul also weighed in on Rogan's withdrawal from the event by stating that Disney and ESPN, the UFC's broadcast partners, removed the wrong guy.
He wrote: "So ESPN and Disney pull Joe Rogan from the UFC broadcast but stand behind Dana White who calls reporters douche bags says a female fighter looks like a male fighter in dress and heels, and claims brain damage is part of the gig?
He then directed the message to Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Chapek, writing: "You pulled the wrong guy Mr. Chapek."
Paul has been involved in a rivalry with White for the best of a year, with the 25-year-old recently taking aim at him over issues surrounding UFC fighter pay.
