Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Joe Rogan, UFC, Khabib Nurmagomedov, MMA, Conor McGregor, Paddy Pimblett
Luke Davies
Topics: Joe Rogan, UFC, Khabib Nurmagomedov, MMA, Conor McGregor, Paddy Pimblett
Joe Rogan has already named one UFC fighter he believes could’ve beaten the undefeated and now-retired Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Rogan, 57, is a voice fans are familiar with, and he has been part of the UFC’s broadcasting team for the best part of three decades.
So, it’s fair to say he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to MMA.
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And during his time working in the sport, he has witnessed the rise of stars such as Conor McGregor, Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett, Jon Jones and Khabib.
Khabib, who retired in 2021, left the UFC undefeated despite being challenged by McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje.
However, Rogan explained how he thinks one man could’ve beaten the Russian if they were to compete in the octagon.
"People talk about Khabib being the greatest lightweight of all time, and maybe he is,” Rogan explained on his podcast, the ‘Joe Rogan Experience’, earlier this week.
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“It's very possible he is, but I would put the B.J. Penn that fought Joe ‘Daddy’ Stevenson, the B.J. Penn that fought Sean Sherk, the B.J. Penn that was in that peak when he was training.
“I would put him against anybody – against anybody.”
Penn, who made his UFC debut in 2001, went to battle on 27 occasions in the octagon and won titles in both the lightweight and welterweight weight categories.
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He was inducted into the company’s Hall of Fame in July 2015.
"When he fought Diego Sanchez, he couldn't be stopped,” Rogan continued.
“And if you got him to the ground, his f***ing submission game was insane.
“He was insane off of his back. He would take your back, you were dead. He would knock you out standing up. His kickboxing was elite.”
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Penn's former opponent George St-Pierre, who beat the Haiwaiian twice, revealed how the 46-year-old was the most skilful fighter he faced during his career.
“I would say the best guy I fought in terms of skill was B.J. Penn,” St-Pierre said during a UFC 315 fan Q&A. “His nickname was ‘The Prodigy,’ because he was the first American to become a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt champion, I think in like three years and a half.
“He was a real prodigy, at the time he was like the perfect fighter. He was so fast. I remember the first time I fought him, I threw a jab, and I used to be very fast. And when I threw that jab, he was behind me.
“I was like ‘what the hell, this guy just teleported himself?’ He was incredibly fast, incredibly skilled, and very hard to deal with."