Joe Rogan has spent years praising Khabib Nurmagomedov as one of the most dominant fighters mixed martial arts has ever seen. Undefeated, physically overwhelming, and relentless in grappling exchanges, Khabib built a legacy that still defines lightweight greatness.
Yet despite that admiration, Rogan believes Islam Makhachev represents a more complete version of the same fighting foundation.
During a recent episode of his podcast, Rogan carefully explained why he views Makhachev as having more tools available inside the cage, even while placing Khabib firmly among the sport’s all time greats.
“Khabib is without a doubt one of the all-time greats,” Rogan said. “One of the greatest to ever do it.”
Where Rogan Sees the Difference
According to Rogan, the separation does not come from wrestling dominance or control on the mat. Both fighters excel in those areas. Instead, the distinction lies in how Islam Makhachev can finish fights using a wider range of techniques.
“But the difference between Khabib and Islam is Islam is elite standup-wise. Khabib was very good standup, but Islam knocked out Volkanovski with a head kick. That’s not in Khabib’s repertoire.”
That moment against Alexander Volkanovski stood out as a clear example of Makhachev’s striking development. After a closely contested first meeting, their rematch at UFC 294 ended abruptly when Makhachev landed a precise left high kick, followed by ground strikes that sealed the result.
Striking Growth Paired With Elite Grappling
Makhachev’s striking success is not limited to one fight. Before winning the lightweight title, he dropped Charles Oliveira on the feet and later submitted him to capture the championship, ending Oliveira’s long winning run in the process.
Rogan believes this ability to threaten opponents in every phase changes how they approach him from the opening seconds.
“Islam is on another level,” Rogan continued. “It’s like one more level above. He can knock you out standing, he can knock you out on the ground. He can submit you. He can take you down. He’s f*ing huge for the weight class, especially at 155.”**
“There’s so many aspects, and you’re always thinking about that grappling when you’re striking.”
MMA Has Changed and Fighters Have Too
Rogan also placed his comparison within the broader evolution of mixed martial arts. Earlier eras allowed specialists to dominate without mastering every discipline. That environment no longer exists at the highest level.
“There’s so many guys that you could learn from by watching, and they set the bar so high and that is the difference between watching, like, Keith Hackney vs. Emmanuel Yarbrough way back in 1993 vs. watching Jon Jones in 2025,” Rogan said.
“It’s like we get to see now these guys that have seen it all. The Petr Yans, the Ilia Topurias, the Islam Makhachevs.”
In Rogan’s view, Makhachev represents the modern standard, a fighter shaped by decades of accumulated knowledge where striking, wrestling, submissions, and defense are all developed together rather than separately.
Learning From the Best Before Reaching the UFC
Rogan believes younger fighters now benefit from studying champions like Makhachev long before entering the sport’s biggest stages.
“You get to see the elite of the elite today, and these young kids that are coming up now, they get to see that and learn from that and incorporate all these things,” Rogan added.
“You’re seeing these guys that are fighting on Dana White’s Contender Series, they look world championship-caliber fighters, and they’re not even in the UFC yet.”
Rogan made it clear that acknowledging Makhachev’s expanded skill set does not reduce what Khabib accomplished. Instead, it reflects how the sport continues to grow and how each generation builds upon the last.
Khabib Nurmagomedov set the standard for dominance. Islam Makhachev, according to Rogan, represents what that standard looks like when refined by modern training, broader experience, and expanded offensive options.
