On the March 22, 2025 version of the JRE Struggle Companion, Joe Rogan and his typical group of shut mates Brendan Schaub and Eddie Bravo welcomed legendary no-gi grappler Gordon Ryan. Collectively, the group mentioned MMA fighters who minimize great weight to compete.
The primary title to be introduced up by Rogan was reigning UFC light-weight champion Islam Makhachev, who is without doubt one of the largest lightweights on this planet. He’s so giant, in truth, that he struggled along with his weight minimize for UFC 284 as a result of smaller rehydration window in Australia and was noticeably weaker.
This, although, prompted Bravo to convey one of many few fighters to ever make the nice Khabib Nurmagomedov wrestle.
“How about Gleison Tibau? He minimize to 55 [155 pounds]. That man walked round at 250 kilos. I believe that dude has the file for weight-cutting.”
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This then brought on Ryan to precise his astonishment over the truth that former UFC mild heavyweight champion Alex Pereira used to battle at middleweight.
“I do not know the way Alex Pereira ever made 185.”
Try Joe Rogan and his company discussing weight-cutting within the UFC (44:28):
The longtime UFC commentator has been open about his personal shock over Pereira’s potential to make middleweight. The drawbacks of the large weight minimize, although, turned obvious tthe second the Brazilian power-puncher moved as much as mild heavyweight, the place he’s noticeably more durable.
In the meantime, the Dagestani contingent in MMA is commonly accused of being weight bullies, with Colby Covington, particularly, fielding that criticism on condition that he fights at his pure weight class.
Joe Rogan beforehand pushed for Alex Pereira to battle at heavyweight
The subject of Jon Jones’ subsequent opponent was all the fashion all through 2024, particularly with each Alex Pereira and Tom Aspinall dominating their opponents. Whereas many had been keen to look at the Englishman, who’s the interim heavyweight champion face ‘Bones,’ Joe Rogan supported the thought of ‘Poatan’ doing so.
“One of many issues that is been mentioned is you probably transferring as much as heavyweight. Is that one thing we are going to see from you sooner or later?”
Try Joe Rogan citing Alex Pereira’s heavyweight plans (2:19):
Pereira had a particularly dominant run in 2024, TKO’ing everybody who stood earlier than him as he defended the sunshine heavyweight title. He thereafter expressed an curiosity in transferring as much as heavyweight to face Jones, which Rogan was an enormous proponent of.
Sadly for ‘Poatan,’ his heavyweight plans had been dashed by Magomed Ankalaev, who dethroned him as mild heavyweight champion at UFC 313.