Joe Rogan names MMA's greatest ever heavyweight, and he never even fought in the UFC

02/11/2025 04:39 AM

Joe Rogan has named his pick for MMA’s best heavyweight of all time, snubbing a number of UFC legends.

The heavyweight division has had some iconic champions, from Mirko Cro Cop to Frank Mir to Stipe Miocic and even Jon Jones making a case in the modern day. But there was always one top player who never made his move into the octagon.

Rogan has been watching MMA for decades, even taking in fights outside of the UFC where he is a color commentator. And he believes the best heayweight ever didn’t once set foot inside the octagon.

• Who is Joe Rogan?Get to know the UFC mainstay and podcast sensation

Joe Rogan names Fedor Emelianenko as greatest heavyweight of all time

On Saturday night, Joe Rogan was involved in a UFC 312 fight companion with his pals Matt Serra, Brendan Schaub and Bryan Callen. Serra is a former welterweight champion, and Schaub has even been in the cage with some of the best heavyweights of all time during his own run in the UFC.

Rogan was discussing the olden days of heavyweight MMA when Schaub suggested that Cain Velasquez may have earned the title of GOAT. “I think Cain in his prime is the best heavyweight ever,” the former fighter theorized after a lengthy discussion of all-time greats.

But Rogan wasn’t so sure, responding that: “It’s hard to say because of Fedor, if you could get juicy Fedor from Pride, I don’t know if anybody beats Fedor in his prime. He was so good, dude, Fedor walked down Cro Cop when he was in his prime.

“You’ve got to remember most of that fight was standing up and Fedor was going blow to blow with Cro Cop and walking him down. That Randelman armbar, he f***ing suplexes him on his head and five seconds later he’s got him in a kimura, it’s crazy. He was different, he was a monster.”

Dana White admits Fedor Emelianenko as one of his only UFC regrets

Over the years, fans always clamoured to see Fedor Emelianenko make his way into the UFC to test himself against the best heavyweights. At one point, Dana White attempted to put together a fight at the 100,000-capacity AT&T Stadium between he and Brock Lesnar.

However, the deal couldn’t quite be done and Emelianenko never came over to the promotion. It remains one of the only fights White could never make throughout his career, and in an ESPN segment in 2020 he admitted it as perhaps his only regret.

"The only fight that I wanted to make that was never made was Brock Lesnar vs. Fedor Emelianenko," he told UFC.com. "We were going to do it at Texas Stadium,” he added. “But I couldn't get a deal done with Fedor, so it never happened."

• Who is Dana White? All you need to know about the CEO and President of the UFC