“No disrespect to other organizations, there are some very good fighters out there too, but I think they’re wasting their careers,” MMA Junkie quoted Rogan as saying. “Because I see elite fighters who are competing in Bellator or PFL and I’m like, ‘Hey guys, nobody’s watching this.'”
“Sure, some people watch it, and you even have some fans, but with all due respect, that’s the reality. There’s the XFL and CFL leagues, and then there’s the freaking NFL. And if you’re not in the NFL, are you really playing soccer?”
“If you’re a UFC champion, there’s no question – you’re the man. If you’re a Bellator champion, I respect those guys and love those guys, but I really want guys like Johnny Eblin to come to the UFC. Everybody dreams of coming to the UFC. You want to see Bruce Buffer in front of you yelling, ‘It’s time!’ and say to yourself, ‘Oh my God, is that really true!?”
A month ago, PFL league executives officially announced the purchase of Bellator MMA, declaring their intention to strip the UFC of its status as the sole leader in the mixed martial arts industry.
Specifically, the organizations, which will continue to exist independently for the time being, will hold a joint tournament next year that will pit their champions against each other.