Joe Rogan: Gable Steveson already in championship-caliber class

Joe Rogan couldn't help but text Dana White immediately after Gable Steveson's most recent win.

"You had a fight, an MMA fight, where you hit that dude with a left hook and then took him down while he was out cold," Rogan said to Steveson on a recent episode of "JRE MMA Show." "I sent Dana White a text message. I said, "Everyone's f*cked.'"

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Rogan has been a part of UFC broadcasts in some capacity since 1997 and has seen his fair share of fights. He admits, at this point in time, the heavyweight landscape in the sport is a bit bleak. Outside of a handful of bigger names and former title holders, Rogan said Steveson stands alone.

"That kind of speed incorporated with elite wrestling is crazy," Rogan said. "... The heavyweight division is so shallow right now. You've got Tom Aspinall, Ciryl Gane, Jon Jones (if he chooses to fight again), Francis (Ngannou) if by some miracle they can work something out and bring him to the UFC. Other than that, there's no one compelling for a championship-caliber fighter. There's basically four or five guys on Earth who are in this championship-caliber class, and you're already there, which is nuts. You haven't even fought in the UFC yet."

Rogan was glowing as he complimented Steveson's abilities. Steveson, 25, is a two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner, a two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion, and 2020 Olympic gold medalist.

"When I watched you move and when I watched you fight, I was like, 'OK, how do you stop that? Who has the skills to be able to stop that?'" Rogan said. "In my mind, there are only a few guys where there is going to be a problem. The Francis Ngannous, the Ciryl Ganes, and the Top Aspinalls. ... The only problem is going to be you getting fights. That kind of speed is just bananas for a 250-pound man."

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It's unclear what Steveson's next move is after wins in LFA, Dirty Boxing, and Anthony Pettis FC. The UFC, via White, has already expressed interest in Steveson. It's just a matter of whether or not he'll have to compete again or not before the promotion inevitably onboards him.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Joe Rogan: Gable Steveson already in championship-caliber class