UFC’s Jon Anik Discusses How he Treats Every Event Like it’s His Last

Ultimate Fighting Championship lead commentator Jon Anik has talked about his mindset going into each event and how he treats every production like it’s his last.

The 39 year-old joined the UFC in 2011 as lead commentator on non-pay-per-view events and spent the next six years playing understudy to the much more experienced Mike Goldberg.

In July 2016, the UFC was sold to a group led by WME–IMG for a rumoured $4.2 billion. As is the norm with new owners, they started making their own changes and in 2017 announced they were parting ways with Goldberg, who had over a decade of experience with the company. This decision left Anik as the lead play-by-play commentator.

What happened to Goldberg highlighted the harsh reality of show business and how quickly things can change in something as volatile as the UFC.

Anik recently talked with MMAJunkie.com on his mindset as a commentator and acknowledged he, too, could be let go next without reason:

“I think that it aids performance. I treat every show like it could be my last.”

As the lead play-by-play commentator, Anik has his hands full not only making sure his commentary is on point, but to ensure he creates chemistry with the many talented co-commentators he is paired with. Anik has been joined by the likes of Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier, and Dominick Cruz in the past and admits it’s a difficult balancing act trying to keep everything cohesive and flowing, especially with the introduction of the three-man commentary team.

“They all do have their different styles, and certainly for a lot of broadcasters, it would be nice to just be with the same one or two guys every time you call fights so you can build on the chemistry. I’m not going to lie to you and say that when you work with Paul Felder and then I don’t work with him again for six months, it’s not that there isn’t a challenge there. But I don’t know that I would have it any other way.”