At the moment, the US just has one American champion left in the UFC—women’s bantamweight titleholder Kayla Harrison. The two-time Olympic gold medalist from Ohio captured the belt at UFC 316 in June when she dethroned Julianna Peña, making her the lone American still holding UFC gold across all weight classes and pound-for-pound lists. It’s a dramatic shift, especially considering that back in 2016, more than a dozen Americans reigned as champions in the UFC.

Jon Jones, once regarded as the pound-for-pound king, was the last American man to hold a UFC title. But with the 38-year-old officially retiring from MMA this past June, the landscape has shifted dramatically. Champions from Russia, Australia, and Brazil now dominate the top spots. And as Joe Rogan points out, the UFC continues to celebrate Russian fighters while the Olympics chooses to diminish them, a point he raised during a conversation with a Russian-American professional pool player who’s stacked up major wins at the World Nine-Ball Championship, the U.S. Open Pool Championship, and the Derby City Classic.

Joe Rogan doesn’t hold back on the IOC

Recently, Joe Rogan sat down with Fedor Gorst on The Joe Rogan Experience #2371. The 25-year-old, originally from Russia but now representing the United States in international pool tournaments, opened up about how he managed to gain U.S. citizenship. From there, Rogan drew a comparison between how the UFC handles Russian athletes versus how the Olympics does. Joe Rogan pointed out the difference, stating, “Not only do Russian fighters fight in the UFC, but they are celebrated. No one cares.”

Gorst responded by saying it was because the UFC isn’t under the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which banned Russian athletes from participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics over the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the earlier persisting doping scandal. The ban continues to this day. Speaking on this, Rogan agreed, saying, “It(UFC) is a professional sport.” Gorst then compared Matchroom to the UFC, declaring, “It’s a private company. It’s not a federation or association. They(IOC) basically make their own rules.” However, while he pointed out that Russian fighters are celebrated in the UFC, he himself has been tipping his hat in awe of their talent.

Just two months ago, while speaking with former UFC contender Paul Felder, Joe Rogan praised the toughness of Russian and Eastern European fighters. “They are some tough-a– f—ing people,” Rogan said, noting how much talent has come from Russia, especially Dagestan and Chechnya. He even pointed to boxing, singling out Artur Beterbiev: “19-0, 19 knockouts. What the f—, man? He’s such a f—ing animal.” For Joe Rogan, their success is no surprise given the environments they come from.

To Felder, Rogan then went on to explain that many Russian fighters grow up in harsh, war-torn neighborhoods, which shape their mentality and toughness. “If you think about some of our greatest fighters in America growing up in poor neighborhoods, these guys grow up in war-torn poor neighborhoods,” he said. With Beterbiev beating fellow Russian Dmitry Bivol and vice versa in boxing, and Khamzat Chimaev crowned the UFC middleweight champion, Rogan believes Russians will continue to dominate combat sports in 2025.

No doubt Russian fighters are incredible, but have you ever wondered which of the two – Khabib Nurmagomedov or Khamzat Chimaev—would come out on top if they ever fought?

Is Khamzat Chimaev ready to outwrestle Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legacy?

Although Khabib Nurmagomedov retired early for personal reasons, his dominance opened the door for a new generation of fighters from Dagestan and Russia’s North Caucasus. Like Khabib, “Borz” is undefeated, holding a 15-0 record, and just two weeks ago, he became the first Chechen to win a UFC title after dethroning Dricus Du Plessis in a grueling five-round war. Chimaev’s relentless ground game and suffocating control throughout that fight drew clear comparisons to Khabib’s signature style, sparking debate over whether he could rival or even surpass the Dagestani legend’s dominance.

That debate was highlighted by Yoel Romero on the Spanish edition of the Overdogs Podcast on YouTube. When asked, “Khabib at 180 or 185, is he better?” Romero replied, “I say better, much better,” praising Khabib’s unmatched wrestling and control. The host quickly added, “But this guy [Chimaev] is a whole different level. Yeah, a bit taller. Scary, bro.” Their conversation also touched on the possibility of Chimaev moving up to light heavyweight, pointing to his rare combination of size, skill, and momentum in the UFC. By comparison, had Khabib still been active, Khamzat Chimaev’s sheer physicality would have given him a distinct advantage.

Standing 6’2″ with a longer reach, Chimaev looks massive next to the 5’10” Nurmagomedov, adding to the intimidation factor he brings into the cage. Anyway, with Magomed Ankalaev also announcing he’d fight Chimaev if it came down to it, the question is, who would truly stand tall in the end? That said, do you agree with Joe Rogan’s take on Russian fighters? And who do you think would win if Khabib Nurmagomedov and Khamzat Chimaev ever fought each other?