Joe Rogan-Backed Heavyweight Welcomes ‘Savior’ Talk As UFC Division Seeks New Star

A Joe Rogan-backed heavyweight is gaining momentum, welcoming “savior” talk as the UFC’s heavyweight division looks for a new dominant star to lead the promotion into its next era.

Fans have rarely seen Joe Rogan praising a fighter who is not part of the UFC. But Rogan heavily praised the 25-year-old Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson for his fights. And now Steveson welcomes the pressure of being called the savior of the UFC heavyweight division.

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The 25-year-old Olympic gold medalist has finished his first two opponents in under three minutes combined. If he wins again, there’s growing belief he could make a quick jump to the UFC, as the UFC commentator believes he is a heavyweight monster. But talking about his will to join the UFC, the 25-year-old recently appeared on MMA Fighting, and in the interview, he said:

“We’re trained for that and pressure makes diamonds. Like I always say, Gable gets money and he gets a lot of it. With those diamonds, he’ll keep creating.” He also added, “It could be [the UFC after this fight]. I can’t tell you. Don’t know myself. I do know but I don’t know. It’s kind of a middle ground. We’re focused on Thursday.”

Despite the hype, Steveson says he feels no pressure. Meanwhile, Tom Aspinall is sidelined following double eye surgery as he got eye-poked by Ciryl Gane. Meanwhile, now fans hope that the heavyweight division gets excited again like the old days when Brock Lesnar used to be a part of it.

Laura Sanko Believes Gable Steveson Is Similar to Brock Lesnar

Gable Steveson (Image Credits: Imagn Images)

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The UFC heavyweight division has hit another slowdown. First, issues surrounding Jon Jones stalled things, and now champion Tom Aspinall is sidelined due to eye surgery. Now, attention is shifting to a new name: Gable Steveson. UFC commentator Laura Sanko believes Steveson could bring a Brock Lesnar-type impact to the division. Speaking with MMA Junkie, the UFC commentator said:

“It feels a little bit, not quite as big, but it feels Brock (Lesnar)-ish in terms of his ability to appeal to a general audience and go out there and deliver in a division that really needs some stars and someone to compete with Tom Aspinall.”

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Sanko believes Steveson has a similar crossover appeal and the ability to attract a mainstream audience, something the heavyweight division desperately needs right now. Meanwhile, Joe Rogan has also praised Steveson, suggesting the Olympic gold medalist has the tools to dominate in the UFC.