While the UFC may soon be switching networks, the dulcet tones of lead play-by-play man Jon Anik will remain at the broadcast table.

Anik today informed MMAjunkie that he has signed a new four-year deal with the promotion to remain in place as a UFC commentator when the organization moves to ESPN and ESPN+ in 2019.

“It’s a multi-year extension, and it’s very exciting for me to be able to be a part of this new era with ESPN,” Anik told MMAjunkie. “I think, as a lot of people know, that’s where I sort of cut my teeth in television and radio, and that’s where I really starting covering mixed martial arts back in 2007 and 2008, so it sort of feels like we’re coming full-circle a little bit. Now, 10 years later, the UFC and ESPN have the whole domestic package aligned, so it’s a good time, you know, and I didn’t make it a secret – I mean, this is where I wanted to be.

“This has become the foremost passion in my life, and I just couldn’t imagine my life without UFC being a big part of it. I’m thankful that it got done and just excited to continue to hit the ground running.”

A former ESPN anchor and ESPN Radio host, Anik first signed with the UFC in 2011, debuting on air with the promotion in 2012. In 2017, Anik took over lead play-by-play duties for the promotion’s biggest events following longtime play-by-play man Mike Goldberg’s departure from the organization. This new contract represents Anik’s third deal with the UFC.

“I’m thankful to Dana White and Craig Borsari and Zach Candito for having the confidence in me to assume this role and to replace a guy like Mike Goldberg,” Anik said. “To be given this opportunity, it’s not something that I take lightly, and I’m going to continue to prove myself going forward.”

Anik said he expects to be on the call for about half of the UFC’s planned 42 broadcasts in 2019 but that an exact schedule has yet to be determined. That said, he does anticipate being assigned to the promotion’s first ESPN+ event in the first quarter of next year.

“I know people sometimes balk when I say, ‘You’re only as good as your last show,’ or, ‘It is show by show,’ but that’s really the way you have to treat it as a broadcaster,” Anik said. “On any given Saturday night, if you don’t have a good show, maybe that opportunity doesn’t come your way the next time around. I think that helps keep me focused, but it’s just been so much fun for me to be at these live events and get a chance to work with 12 different analysts, all of whom I hold in such high regard. I’m just thankful that the UFC was willing to make a longer-term commitment to me, and that we’re still going to go strong here with the network change.

“They call me number, wherever it is, I just show up and try to do the best I can.”

Anik’s next on-air assignment comes at next month’s “UFC 230: Cormier vs. Lewis” event at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden. Anik also serves as host of the “Anik and Florian” podcast.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.