The heavyweight division has always lived on myth. Fewer fighters, more consequences, and a champion meant to represent the pinnacle of combat sports. But lately, that myth feels smaller. The belt remains important, but the depth beneath it does not feel the same, especially with familiar pillars inactive or simply gone.

That unpleasant feeling emerged during a recent edition of the Joe Rogan Experience. While speaking with Gable Steveson on his podcast, Joe Rogan wasn’t trying to create hype for a fight or sell a narrative. He was reacting to what he saw now, as well as what he didn’t see. According to the UFC commentator, the names missing matter just as much as the ones still standing.

Joe Rogan warns the heavyweight pool is dangerously thin

When discussing the division, Joe Rogan didn’t mince words. In his opinion, the number of true championship-level heavyweights has dwindled to an uncomfortable size. “The heavyweight division is so shallow right now,” he said, before going through the short list of contenders: Tom Aspinall, Ciryl Gane, Jon Jones (if he competes again), and Francis Ngannou (if a miracle reunion occurs).

Following that, the UFC commentator’s tone changed from opinion to concern. “It’s there’s basically four or five guys on earth that are in this like championship caliber. Other than that, there’s no one compelling for like a championship-caliber fighter.”

What made the moment sharper was who he was speaking to. Much of the JRE host’s comments were geared toward Gable Steveson, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist and a heavyweight prospect who has yet to make his UFC debut. Joe Rogan said, “It’s nuts you haven’t even fought in the UFC. When I watched you move… I was like, How do you stop that?”

Speed became a dividing line. The UFC commentator kept returning to it, especially in a division built around mass. In his opinion, only a few fighters—Ngannou, Gane, and Aspinall—present the type of physical puzzle for Gable Steveson that necessitates significant answers.

That’s where Jon Jones’ and Ngannou’s absences are most felt. Without them, the division loses more than just star power. It lacks contrast. The stylistic extremes that formerly defined heavyweight competition are harder to come by, making the title picture appear narrower than ever. In fact, Joe Rogan went as far as claiming that ‘Bones’ is the only one who can actually wrestle with the NCAA Division I national champion.

Rogan believes only Jon Jones can challenge his very own protégé

When Gable Steveson joins the chat, the lack of depth that Joe Rogan mentioned becomes more apparent. For him, it’s not about making promises or projecting. It’s all about matchups. The UFC commentator’s concern is simple: there are very few heavyweights capable of dealing with what Steveson brings.

That’s where Jon Jones shines out. Joe Rogan wasn’t making generalizations when he mentioned him. He was specific. Aside from ‘Bones,’ he does not see anyone who can compete with Steveson in an MMA scenario. “There’s no—other than Jon, there’s no one that could wrestle with that guy in that sport,” Rogan said on JRE.

What sharpens the point is the connection between them. Steveson is training with Jones and absorbing details that do not appear on stat sheets. Timing, deception, and how wrestling creates strike pathways. Joe Rogan described it as a unique overlap: great wrestling combined with speed and strength that forces mistakes. In that picture, ‘Bones’ isn’t just a mentor. He’s the only known solution to a problem that he himself created.