Jon Anik

From ESPN’s MMA Live to UFC live play-by-play, Jon Anik does not forget how it all started.

Starting his run at ESPN in radio in 2006, Anik’s career last week hit a level most media members strive for but rarely reach.  After ascending to what was considered the top of the sports media market, it is now time for Anik to reach new heights.

In 2008, ESPN recognized a unique aspect of his skill set and put him in the driver’s seat as it started MMA Live.  Putting aside his work with mainstream sports, Anik left the Worldwide Leader for the UFC.

“After five-and-a-half or six years of being with ESPN I’m moving on to the UFC and actually moving to Vegas on Saturday,” Anik told Rear Naked Choke Radio on the MMADieHards Radio Network.  He was headed to the airport for a red-eye flight from Las Vegas to Connecticut to anchor MMA Live for the final time last Friday.  His first official day at the UFC was Halloween.

While working with ESPN, Anik broadcast other sports such as college football and boxing, and anchored updates and a popular fantasy football show.  Making the move to the UFC will involve Anik narrowing his focus of concentration into the UFC stable.

Helping to guide the direction that MMA Live took over the years gave Anik a parental feeling over the show.  The opportunity with the UFC was just about the only thing that could have pried Anik away from ESPN.

“That place has obviously meant a lot to me and my broadcasting career,” Anik said.  “I think for a lot of sports broadcasters that is the goal, to get to ESPN.  There were really only two options for me and I think that the UFC knew how interested I was in them and thankfully that interest was mutual.”

Anik’s entree into MMA play-by-play came in the inaugural season of Bellator.  However, representing the premier league in MMA can be slightly daunting.

“For me, it’s really about doing live events,” Anik confessed.  “The opportunity to call 12 to 16 fight cards a year was just exactly what I wanted to do.  I know I have a lot to learn though.  (I have) 280 fighters to study and that research will begin for me (right away).  I also have a lot of gogoplatas, omoplatas and other submissions to learn as well.”

Breaking down his roles, Anik is prepared to do whatever the UFC asks, as long as that does not include competing for Jose Aldo’s belt.

“I know that I’m going to have a roll on The Ultimate Fighter, but I don’t know exactly,” said Anik.  “I do know that I’ll be doing at least 12 fight cards a year for the UFC Fight Nights on FX and FuelTV.  I will be calling those fights with an analyst to be announced, so that is very exciting for me and I think the first one will be mid-January.”

A fact that may have been overlooked with all the excitement is that Anik already has called over a 100 MMA fights to date.  Not forgetting, Anik still gives credit where it is due and believes his achievements at ESPN were the biggest contributor to UFC brass taking notice of the 33-year old Boston native.

As the news broke, Anik felt the overall excitement from the MMA community, friends and family.

“It’s been a crazy day, no doubt about it,” Anik said on RNC Radio on Oct. 27, shortly after Dana White announced his addition.  “It’s nice to hear from family members and close friends through text messages.  I’ve been doing a lot of interviews and I’m in the process of prepping for this last MMA Live show – go out in a good way.”

While this was Anik’s last time captaining an episode of MMA Live on ESPN, the show is sure to continue developing.

“MMA Live will continue on long after I leave,” Anik confirmed.  “This well be my last time on the show, but the show will be in good hands and there are a lot of good people who work on the staff.  I feel like the show has been my baby since we started in 2008, but there are a lot of reasons why the show has been a success.”

Anik’s career may have taken off with ESPN and MMA Live, but his journey has just begun.