Joe Rogan recently expressed his opinion that the UFC heavyweight division lacks depth in talent, making the fighters with raw power more likely to succeed. Speaking during his podcast, the longtime UFC commentator argued that the division does not have enough strong competitors overall, which allows powerful punchers to remain competitive despite technical shortcomings.
Reflecting on recent heavyweight fights, including the slow-paced bout between Tai Tuivasa and Tallison Teixeira at UFC 325, Rogan highlighted how these matches indicate a broader issue with the current level of competition. He referenced former heavyweight fighter David “Tank” Abbott, now 60 years old and retired for over a decade, to illustrate his point that sheer size and knockout power can still dominate many opponents in this era.
Evaluating Depth and Power in the Current Heavyweight Landscape
Rogan brought up Tank Abbott’s legacy to emphasize how, despite lacking refined technique, his brute strength would still trouble many heavyweights today. Although Abbott faced elite strikers like Maurice Smith during his career and had a mixed record with 10 wins and 15 losses, Rogan believes his knockout power and brawling style would allow him to succeed against a majority of fighters below the top tier.
“I think Tank Abbott would do really well,” Rogan said on his “Experience” podcast. “Because the heavyweight division is the most shallow division. Like would he do really well against the guys like Ciryl Gane or Tom Aspinall? Probably not, but he didn’t do really well against guys like Maurice Smith. The real elite strikers of the day. But Tank Abbott was a f*cking huge man. He was an enormous, powerful guy who had ridiculous knockout power and he would brawl.”
Rogan’s argument is centered on how heavyweight fights often come down to power rather than skill, especially when the division’s talent pool lacks breadth. He emphasized that strength and size remain vital factors influencing outcomes, even in a sport increasingly focused on technique and conditioning.
The Continuing Influence of Power: Derrick Lewis as a Case Study
To support his assessment, Rogan pointed to Derrick Lewis, the UFC heavyweight with the most knockouts in history, as an example of how raw power can ensure continued success in the division. Despite not being considered the most technically skilled fighter, Lewis’s knockout ability sustains his competitive edge.
“I mean look at Derrick Lewis,” Rogan explained. “Derrick Lewis has the most knockouts in the history of the UFC. He’s not the most highly skilled guy in the sport. He’s just a really, big powerful guy who has unbelievable knockout power. He’s still relatively successful even today. He has the most knockouts in the history of the heavyweight division.”
Lewis’s style illustrates Rogan’s view that in the heavyweight division, sheer power can sometimes compensate for a lack of technical finesse. His continued presence near the top ranks demonstrates how fighters with one dominant skill can thrive when the overall competition level is uneven.
Legacy of Old-School Fighters and Their Impact on Today’s Division
Rogan also mentioned other heavyweight veterans from earlier eras, noting that fighters who excelled in wrestling or possessed exceptional physical power maintained significant advantages within the division. He cited Dan Severn and Mark Coleman as examples of athletes whose elite wrestling skills allowed them to succeed consistently.
“Tank Abbott would still f*ck a lot of people up in the lower ranks of the heavyweight division,” Rogan said. “Dan Severn would still take a lot of people down and beat their asses because he was an elite wrestler. Those kinds of skills. Mark Coleman would take a lot of people down and beat their asses. Those skills that they have like the elite wrestlers and the really powerful punchers, they would always do well.”
This perspective suggests that while the modern heavyweight division may feature technically advanced fighters like Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall at the very top, many competitors below this elite level are vulnerable to specialists with dominant physical tools. Rogan’s evaluation reflects a belief that technical prowess alone is insufficient without strength or wrestling ability in this weight class.
Current Division Challenges and What the Future May Hold
Rogan’s critique underlines an ongoing concern about the UFC heavyweight division’s lack of overall depth and balance. The combination of few fighters who possess both technical skill and physical power leads to a landscape where those with a single standout attribute — such as knockout strength or wrestling dominance — can often make deep runs.
As figures like Joe Rogan spotlight this issue, the division’s future may depend on the emergence of more well-rounded athletes who blend skill, conditioning, and power effectively. The heavyweight division’s ability to develop such fighters will likely determine whether it can overcome the perceived shallowness and become more competitive across all ranks.
That Tai Tuivasa run was short, but man it was so damn fun 👟🍺pic.twitter.com/EZdyddNGfz
— MMA On Point (@mmaonpoint) January 28, 2026
