JRE MMA Show #172 with Gable Steveson

Elite wrestling is still the best base for MMA—if you learn to adapt it.

Both Rogan and Steveson emphasize that the ability to dictate where the fight takes place, combined with wrestling’s mental toughness and conditioning, remains the most dominant foundation once you adjust entries, finishes, and cage work for submissions and strikes.

True greatness demands being “all ears” and relentlessly coachable.

Steveson credits his rapid striking development—despite only truly focusing on it for about seven months—to dropping ego, showing up multiple times a day, and absorbing instruction from experienced coaches and fighters like Jon Jones.

Short-notice fights are usually bad business for would-be greats.

Using examples like Jon Jones refusing late replacements and Volkanovski’s short-notice loss to Makhachev, they argue that if you want a legacy career, you game-plan and peak properly rather than chasing last-minute opportunities.

Protect your focus as ruthlessly as you protect your health.

Rogan frames attention as a finite resource—if you spend it on haters, drama, or chaotic relationships, you’re stealing from the excellence that actually creates money, titles, and longevity.

Mentorship from someone who’s made—and survived—every mistake is priceless.

Steveson describes Jon Jones not only sharpening his technical skills but also advising him on media, business, life choices, and avoiding the traps of fame that nearly derailed Jon’s own career.

The UFC heavyweight division is shallow—and ripe for a new star.

Rogan repeatedly points out how few truly elite heavyweights exist, arguing Steveson’s speed, wrestling, and fast-improving striking could rapidly make him a title-level problem for almost everyone in the division.

Staying human and grounded—dogs, family, and normal routines—buffers against fame’s distortions.

Steveson talks about his attachment to his dogs and excitement for his new daughter, while Rogan stresses private time and real relationships as antidotes to losing yourself in celebrity and external validation.