Tag: megan olivi

UFC Fight Night 232 commentary, broadcast plans set: Who’s working final Apex event of 2023?

Check out the broadcast details for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 232, which has an early start for the final Apex event of the year.

The UFC wraps up its November schedule Saturday with UFC Fight Night 232, which goes down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there in “Sin City” to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will work as commentators and analysts for each event have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the situation, and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

UFC 295 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Joe Rogan gets first assignment in three months

The commentary A-team of Jon Anik, Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier will unite at UFC 295 for the first time since August.

The 13th and penultimate numbered UFC event of the year is rapidly approaching with UFC 295 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will be working as commentators and analysts for the show have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the plans – and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

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UFC 294 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Daniel Cormier calls Islam Makhachev’s title fight

Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier and Paul Felder, who will step in for Joe Rogan, are set to call the action at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi.

The 12th numbered UFC event of the year is rapidly approaching with UFC 294 on Saturday at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will be working as commentators and analysts for the show have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the plans – and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

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UFC 291 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Chael Sonnen returns as analyst after 16 months

Chael Sonnen will appear on a UFC broadcast after more than 16 months after reaching a plea agreement in his legal situation.

The ninth numbered UFC event of the year is rapidly approaching with UFC 291 on Saturday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will be working as commentators and analysts for the show have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the plans – and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

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UFC Fight Night 223 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Two former champs on call

The broadcast team is set for UFC Fight Night 223, the UFC’s final event of April.

The UFC schedule continues this week with UFC Fight Night 223 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will work as commentators and analysts for each event have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the situation, and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

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UFC Fight Night 220 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Two former champs on call

The broadcast team is set for UFC Fight Night 220, the UFC’s final event of February.

The UFC schedule for 2023 rolls on with UFC Fight Night 220 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will work as commentators and analysts for each event have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the situation, and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

Megan Olivi was ‘genuinely so hurt’ by Stephen A. Smith leaving her out of praise for UFC broadcast

Megan Olivi was bothered by Stephen A. Smith forgetting to mention her when praising the talent on UFC broadcasts.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Megan Olivi was bothered by Stephen A. Smith forgetting to mention her when recently praising the talent on UFC broadcasts.

Following UFC 260 in March, ESPN talking head Smith put out a tweet giving credit to the quality of the UFC on-air talent. However, there was one notable absence: Olivi (via Twitter):

Forgive me for bragging, but we’ve got the best @ufc coverage in the world on ESPN+. Ya got @dc_mma, @joerogan & @Jon_Anik cage side. @ChaelSonnen & @bisping providing color. My bro @michaeleaves Hosting post-fight coverage and @bokamotoESPN & @arielhelwani always on scene. 🔥🔥🔥

It was noticeable that Olivi was left out, and she took exception to it with a response to Smith, who has ruffled the feathers of the MMA community on multiple occasions before (via Twitter):

Ummm hey there – you’re forgetting someone 😃

Although it’s been roughly a month since the incident occurred, Olivi said it’s still resonating strongly with her. She felt slighted by being the only reoccurring member of the UFC pay-per-view broadcast team to not be mentioned in Smith’s tweet and said it messed with her emotions.

“That was actually tough for me,” Olivi told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during a Q&A following Friday’s UFC 261 weigh-ins. “I don’t love social media in general, but then to play such a big role in terms of pre- and post-fight interviews, like, I’m the one onsite doing them. Then to do all the hits on the broadcast and be a part of this team and literally the only women on the pay-per-view team – there’s no other desk host, there’s no one on the pre- or post-show. It’s literally just me. And I’ve worked to be here. I wasn’t handed this. It’s been a very long journey, as people who have seen me 10 years ago I’m sure can attest to. I’ve done everything the right way to get here, and to not get the acknowledgement as my male colleagues got, I genuinely was so hurt. It was nice to see the MMA community have my back on that.”

Olivi said she doesn’t think there was intended malice attached to Smith’s tweet. He’s been criticized before for his lack of in-depth education of the MMA game, and Olivi speculated this scenario could be part of his tweet.

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“It’s unfortunately something the women in this room have dealt with before and will have to continue to deal with,” Olivi said. “I don’t think he did it on purpose. I don’t think there was any (bad) intent. I don’t think he was trying to be rude by any means. I just think it didn’t really matter to him. … I don’t know how much he actually watched. I know he’s supposed to be an MMA insider and he does his best, but he has a lot on his plate, as well. I don’t know how much he actually sees. … I don’t want to make it about me and be like, ‘I don’t know how much he noticed me.’ I just don’t think he was genuinely paying attention.

“I also wonder if he was helped with the tweet, if maybe it was just, ‘OK, here are the people on the broadcast.’ Because I don’t know if he knows everyone on the broadcast, in general. So, it’s difficult to be overlooked and not take it personally. I’ve tried not to, and I’ve tried to use it as a moment – I don’t want to say a learning moment – but for me to just realize you go on whether people notice you or not. I think what I do is important, especially when I can tell the stories of these athletes.”

Ultimately, Olivi said she’ll continue to do her thing on the UFC broadcasts going forward. As MMA Junkie previously reported, she’ll be the roving reporter for the UFC 261 broadcast on Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

Olivi clearly holds some resentment toward Smith, however, and she said she’s hopeful that he’ll eventually make things right.

“Funny enough, Stephen A. Smith and I have had nice conversations in person,” Olivi said. “It would be nice if he was like one day like, ‘Oh sh*t,’ I didn’t see this. But I don’t think that’s the character we’re dealing with.'”

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