Dada 5000’s family accuse Joe Rogan of being “overtly racist” towards hospitalised fighter

The family of Bellator heavyweight Dada 5000 (real name Dhafir Harris) have issued a scathing statement on Joe Rogan's comments after last weekend's Bellator 149 card.

Dada 5000 was knocked out in the third round of Friday night's card by Kimbo Slice which prompted Rogan to joke that his heart was "filled with cheeseburgers and fried chicken and orange soda." https://twitter.com/BellatorMMA/status/700903771916730368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Dada 5000 was left in critical condition after the divisive bout and the comments made by the UFC commentator on Sunday's Fight Companion episode of The Joe Rogan Experience have resulted in a scornful response from the fighter's family.

A statement released on BYB Extreme Fighting Series reads:

"The Harris Family is appalled at the overtly racist and offensive comments directed at Dada 5000 by Joe Rogan who said in an interview that Dada's heart was filled with "cheeseburgers, fried chicken, and orange soda", mocking the family's statement issued the previous day.

"We don't recall Mr. Rogan ever challenging anyone with this amount of vitriol and ignorant racial overtones, all directed to a man who is still hospitalized.

"For the record, Dada lost 40lbs over course of 3 1/2 months while in training camp where he had a boxing coach an MMA coach, and a nutritionist hired by his team. As fight week approached Dada was only 2-3 pounds over fight weight. He took this fight very seriously as evidenced by his gutsy performance. Mocking Dada 5000 with hurtful and racist comments is despicable and divisive and has no place in the sport of mixed martial arts or in our society."