Mike Goldberg is a fight fan and nothing is going to come between him and the Octagon.
The veteran UFC commentator was relieved of his duties after UFC 207 in December, as his employer opted to go in a different direction with their broadcasting style.
“Happy new year everyone. So long,” said Goldberg as he signed off for the final time following Amanda Nunes’ dismantling of Ronda Rousey last month.
His departure was far from a secret, as UFC president Dana White made public his intention to assemble a “dream team” of commentators in the wake of the $4 billion WME-IMG takeover of the UFC last summer.
What's next for Goldie? https://t.co/DDgSBjiANc
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) December 12, 2016
After 19 years of service with the world’s preeminent mixed martial arts organisation, Goldberg was no longer an ever-present behind the microphone and his departure was made all the more bizarre with the glaring lack of tribute to the man who had called more MMA bouts than anyone in the sport’s history.
Fighters and fight fans were left outraged by the fact that ‘Goldie’ was able to walk away without any token of gratitude for what he had done for the sport and it was left to Goldberg to issue a statement.
Two weeks had passed since Goldberg hung up the headset before the next UFC card, which took place in Phoenix on Sunday night, and guess whose face popped up in the crowd!
Goldie!
Mike Goldberg is like the stalker ex showing up in the crowd for #UFCPhoenix. 😂😂😂 #UFC #StalkerGoldy pic.twitter.com/8joelfk4li
— Justin "Outlaw" Harvey (@justinharvey75) January 16, 2017
Of course he made the trip to witness the return of BJ Penn, one of the greatest of all time whose return didn’t exactly go according to plan.
Goldberg wasn’t sat cageside for the bout, as he would have been accustomed to, but he was sat deep in the nosebleed section alongside the hardcore fans.
It’s sad to think that one of the most loyal servants to the UFC likely had to splash out his own money to secure himself a spot in the crowd for an event but that would appear to be the case.
But nobody took the piss out of ‘Goldie’ for that.
Everybody was just glad to see him…
https://twitter.com/JamesMcCann25/status/820989086886404096
If Mike Goldberg just starts going to every UFC to show up in the crowd, I'm not gonna hate that.
— Jed Meshew II (@JedKMeshew) January 16, 2017
Mike Goldberg is a hero. https://t.co/rOELhTcNvN
— Adam Martin (@MMAdamMartin) January 16, 2017
@MFG16 I see u homie pic.twitter.com/m3QwomlKIM
— Jeremy Stephens (@LiLHeathenMMA) January 16, 2017
Mike Goldberg is at #UFCPhoenix MFG16! Love ya Mike!! @danawhite @ufc pic.twitter.com/OKmH8SPvjL
— Damon Kimbaceda (@DamonKimbaceda) January 16, 2017
If Mike Goldberg is actually in the crowd than that's fucking crazy… I miss Goldie :((( #UFCPhoenix
— Matt (@moneyismatt) January 16, 2017
Good to see Mike Goldberg in the crowd @ufc
— Kj Armour (@KJArmour) January 16, 2017
Who else saw that epic Mike Goldberg cameo?? #UFCPhoenix @MFG16
— Jon Hernandez (@jonvhernandez) January 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/AlexSVT04/status/820878638769963008
