Joe Rogan will not be in the booth for UFC 333 this Saturday in Abu Dhabi, and according to multiple outlets, he is not traveling for any international UFC events going forward. That leaves the promotion searching for a new color commentator every time the card leaves the United States, and this weekend the job goes to Paul Felder. Bloody Elbow, Yahoo Sports and MMA Mania all confirm the same lineup: Felder slides in alongside Jon Anik and Daniel Cormier for the three man call on fight night. UFC 333 is headlined by Volkanovski vs Evloev, and the broadcast team will be working without its usual leading voice for the first time on a card of this size overseas. Felder's move to the desk this weekend comes while Charles Oliveira's own schedule keeps building. Oliveira is priced at minus 143 for that fight, and our own model gives him a 61 percent chance, calling it a slight edge rather than a lock. His Elo rating sits at 1507 across seven tracked bouts. For now, the attention is on the booth. Whether fans get a two man setup with just Anik and Felder, or stick with the three man arrangement Cormier has been part of, Rogan's absence marks a real shift in how the promotion covers its international cards, and it is not a one weekend situation. Abu Dhabi is simply the first test of the new normal.
Sources (4)
We summarise the day's news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work.
- Joe Rogan replaced at UFC 333 as full broadcast team revealed for Volkanovski vs Evloev card (Bloody Elbow)
- UFC ‘Dragon’ who smashed Charles Oliveira called to replace Joe Rogan at UFC 333 commentary desk (MMA Mania)
- UFC 333 broadcast team set: Paul Felder replaces Joe Rogan for numbered card (Yahoo Sports)
- ‘Irish Dragon’ Steps In For Joe Rogan At UFC 333 (Yahoo Sports)
This story ran in the October 20, 2026 edition of the daily show.
