Jon Anik Says He Would Leave UFC for NFL Play-by-Play Opportunity

What was said

"I don't have this big ego like, you know, I didn't get in this really to try to do anything more than like provide for my kids. And I felt like I could do, I always wanted to have kids. I felt like I could do that better as a broadcaster than as a sports writer, you know? And so I think there's a little bit of a hermit and introvert in me that isn't like, dude, I want to be, you know, like, you know, I mean, I'm not out here trying to win Emmys. I'm trying to, you know, do this job to the best of my abilities."

UFC play-by-play announcer Jon Anik revealed that calling an NFL game would be "the final itch" he'd love to scratch in his broadcasting career, despite his 15-year tenure with the UFC. While acknowledging he's an exclusive full-time UFC employee without wiggle room to pursue other sports, Anik expressed that football, basketball, and baseball remain more in his wheelhouse than martial arts due to growing up with those sports. He also announced plans to launch "JABS" (Jon Anik Broadcasting Seminar), a weekend-long in-person training program in Las Vegas for aspiring broadcasters.