No Joe - It was NOT "UchiMata"

Champ-Pain

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During the UFC 135 event, this past weekend - Tim Boetch slammed Nick Ring in a prelim match, with a beautiful Judo technique. Know it all, Joe Rogan, immediately yelled out "UchiMata", in trying to call it by the official Judo name. The only problem is that the technique was a HaraiGoshi, instead. I know Joe likes to pass himself out to be an expert in M/A, with a PHD in UFC fights - but he is far from it. Just because he is Randy "the Natural" Couture's biggest fan, does't make him an expert in M/A.

How did this guy land this job with the UFC?
How much does he really know about the fight game?
Was he the best choice - in your opinion?
Would you make him shave before each event - if you were Dana White?
Would you make him change his black shirt?
 

Steve

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I don't know. I think Joe is an enthusiastic fan of the sport. He loves it. In my opinion, he's a much a part of the UFC as Bruce Buffer. He's been involved with the UFC since 1997 and has been a color guy for them since... 2002 or so.

He's at least a brown belt in jiu jitsu and has been training with Eddie Bravo at 10th Planet for several years. He's also a black belt in TKD. He's probably one of the most knowledgeable MMA guys around. He's seen it all, from pre-unified rules to the current state of the game. He's most definitely loyal/biased to Zuffa, but he knows his stuff. While he hasn't ever fought, he trains in the sport and has seen more fights than just about anyone around.

I'd say that, in the heat of the moment, he made a mistake. Commentating live during a fight, that will happen. But I like the guy.

The only other color commentator I like as well is Frank Trigg.

And what he looks like doesn't matter at all to me, although I am concerned that he's borrowing the HGH from the fighters he knows. He's bulked up a lot over the last couple of years.
 

elder999

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During the UFC 135 event, this past weekend - Tim Boetch slammed Nick Ring in a prelim match, with a beautiful Judo technique. Know it all, Joe Rogan, immediately yelled out "UchiMata", in trying to call it by the official Judo name. The only problem is that the technique was a HaraiGoshi, instead. I know Joe likes to pass himself out to be an expert in M/A, with a PHD in UFC fights - but he is far from it. Just because he is Randy "the Natural" Couture's biggest fan, does't make him an expert in M/A.

How did this guy land this job with the UFC?
How much does he really know about the fight game?
Was he the best choice - in your opinion?
Would you make him shave before each event - if you were Dana White?
Would you make him change his black shirt?

Joe Rogan earned a black belt in Tae kwon do at 15, and went on to be a "U.S. Open Champion", whatever that means. I know someone who used to train with him in tae kwon do, and she says he was pretty tough. He has a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Jean Jaques Machado....he knows what uchi-mata is, and we both know that it can be pretty tough to call-I haven't seen the fight in question, but I'd give him a pass on this one....
 

Steve

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Following are just for fun.

Joe Rogan demonstrating the spinning back kick.


Joe Rogan tooling a Myspace challenger

He's been training BJJ since 1996.
 
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Champ-Pain

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Yeah, that's harai-goshi.........if we're talking, judo, anyway.

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Not "if" we're talking Judo, but, if Joe was talking Judo... What else, other than Judo - could Joe Rogan have been referring to, when he used the term "UchiMata"?
 

Steve

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LOL. You guys are harsh.

Uchi Mata


Harai Goshi


Yeah. How could he ever mix those two up, watching from floor level through a cage at ringside while commentating on the PPV. [insert appropriate emoticon for "give me a break"] :)
 
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jks9199

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OK, I just looked at both of the throws. Personally, as a non-judoka, I can understand the mistake. Especially in the heat of the moment, announcing the fight. From the examples I looked at, there's a whole lot of similarity between the two throws. A major difference seems to be which leg is attacked, correct? I do understand that to judoka, they're very different. But to an outsider? Not so different.

And... I see I'm not the only one to reach that conclusion!
 

ETinCYQX

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During the UFC 135 event, this past weekend - Tim Boetch slammed Nick Ring in a prelim match, with a beautiful Judo technique. Know it all, Joe Rogan, immediately yelled out "UchiMata", in trying to call it by the official Judo name. The only problem is that the technique was a HaraiGoshi, instead. I know Joe likes to pass himself out to be an expert in M/A, with a PHD in UFC fights - but he is far from it. Just because he is Randy "the Natural" Couture's biggest fan, does't make him an expert in M/A.

How did this guy land this job with the UFC?
How much does he really know about the fight game?
Was he the best choice - in your opinion?
Would you make him shave before each event - if you were Dana White?
Would you make him change his black shirt?

TaeKwonDo black belt and former instructor
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt
10th Planet Jiu Jitsu brown shirt/belt/whatever Eddy calls it. (10PJJ is a nogi system)
There is at least one video out there of Joe giving advice to GSP. If you're teaching Georges St. Pierre how to do anything, you probably know what you're doing. ;)

Joe might not know Judo that well but he is unquestionably a MMA expert. If he was 10 years younger, he'd probably be a badass welterweight contender.

It also looked like an Uchi Mata when I saw it the first time too. Boetch kind of "drove" the leg back rather than swept it up, looked more like an Uchi Mata than a Harai typically does at least for me. I tend to drive the Uchi Mata back like a side kick while I swing the Harai up straight to the Uke's hip.

I also don't see anything wrong with how he looks and I am attentive to my own image when I do anything MA related.
 

elder999

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LOL. You guys are harsh.



Yeah. How could he ever mix those two up, watching from floor level through a cage at ringside while commentating on the PPV. [insert appropriate emoticon for "give me a break"] :)

Yeah-that's why I said it was a tough call. One is frequently mistaken for the other.

Hell, one is pretty frequently attempted only wind up being the other....:lfao:
 

elder999

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Not "if" we're talking Judo, but, if Joe was talking Judo... What else, other than Judo - could Joe Rogan have been referring to, when he used the term "UchiMata"?

Well, I don't know that Tim Boetsch does judo. I do know that there are several versions of uchi mata and harai goshi that are called just that in a bunch of jujutsu styles, including Brazilian jiu-jitsu.I think Kano took harai-goshi from sumo, so it exists there as well. I also know that there are wrestling styles that have a similar hip sweep as harai goshi, and that the exact throw exists in sambo by another name.....so, yeah, if we're talking judo, it's a harai goshi, not uchi-mata, but if we're talking wrestling or sambo, it's something else altogether.

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Buka

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Easy to make that mistake in the heat of a commentary. Whatever you want to call it, it was one corker of a throw.

As for Joe Rogan, yes, brown shirt under Eddie Bravo. I know a few folks who train with them and they tell me that in addition to being a very technical grappler, Joe is one of those guys who has freakish monkey strength. Joe first trained in Kenpo, as a kid, in Newton MA, under my friend, Joe Esposito. My friend hardly remembered him (been running the same dojo for 35 years and it's always packed) He is now the commissioner for MMA in the state. When the UFC was in Boston last year, Joe Rogan saw him at the weigh-in and started yelling to everyone "This is the guy who started me in Martial Arts!" Joe was quite respectful and they spoke for a good long time, and I like him for that.

As for his commentary, and my enjoyment watching and listening as a fan, I think Congress should pass a bill stating that only Joe Rogan can do the color commentary for the UFC. I think he adds to the sport in a very positive and entertaining way.
 
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Champ-Pain

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I understand that Joe is NOT a Judoka - I'm NOT a boxer or an expert in MMA, but I know the difference between a jab, cross, hook and upper cut, and I would never confuse any of them with a rabbit punch - even though the UFC doesn't pay me a ton of cash to commentate on the fights.

BTW: whatever knowledge and expertise Joe Rogan has acquired - came mostly, after he was hired by the UFC, NOT before... there for, my question - How did this guy land a job with the UFC, to begin with?
 
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Buka

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I understand that Joe is NOT a Judoka - I'm NOT a boxer or an expert in MMA, but I know the difference between a jab, cross, hook and upper cut, and I would never confuse any of them with a rabbit punch - even though the UFC doesn't pay me a ton of cash to commentate on the fights.

BTW: whatever knowledge and expertise Joe Rogan has acquired - came mostly, after he was hired by the UFC, NOT before... there for, my question - How did this guy land a job with the UFC, to begin with?

I disagree. He as been training a long time, he's gained a lot of experience over the years. How he came about being hired, I can't say, but I can probably find out. I shall try.
 

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Rogan seems to know his stuff, and he called Mancia out on beign a joke thief and did it in public, in his face.

i respect the guy
 

Monroe

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I understand that Joe is NOT a Judoka - I'm NOT a boxer or an expert in MMA, but I know the difference between a jab, cross, hook and upper cut, and I would never confuse any of them with a rabbit punch - even though the UFC doesn't pay me a ton of cash to commentate on the fights.

BTW: whatever knowledge and expertise Joe Rogan has acquired - came mostly, after he was hired by the UFC, NOT before... there for, my question - How did this guy land a job with the UFC, to begin with?

I haven't watched UFC, but my guess is that he's easily likeable. The UFC has been trying to get legalized in places like Ontario and I'd guess having someone who seems approachable doing commentary is a good starting point.
 

elder999

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While Mike Goldberg's play-by-play has improved, Joe Rogan continues to be the more knowledgable of the two, especially when the fight goes to the ground. Here, he really excels, especially when explaining how the less dominant fighter on the ground my counter what's transpiring-though it often doesn't work out as he says. he's been doing pre and post fight interviews since 1997, when he was between jobs, and probably wound up doing the play-by-play as a consequence of his knowledge (as opposed to Goldberg's) availability (as opposed to fighters like Randy Couture) and simple gift of gab.
 
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Champ-Pain

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OK - I get it. The guy is qualified...

... What about a shave and a change of shirts? :)
 

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