“I’m a purist,” Joe Rogan said in 2023 on why he loved watching grapplers like Khabib Nurmagomedov. With Islam Makhachev dominating Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, debates on wrestling-heavy fights being ‘boring’ have surfaced again. In this context, Rogan’s comments about Dagestani wrestling from a JRE MMA Show in October become all the more relevant.

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legacy has only become more distinct through Islam Makhachev, the former lightweight and now the welterweight champion, who has taken Khabib’s path to a new era. Along with the new wave of Dagestani fighters, they have set up a system that seems more like a generational takeover than a regional fad. While Rogan highlights the accuracy and the almost cruel dominance of Khabib’s strategy, the wider world of MMA keeps on seeing how that same manner is now the one that shapes a whole area’s international image.

Joe Rogan explains his love for Dagestani wrestling to Michael Venom Page

Back in early October, Joe Rogan hosted Michael Venom Page on the JRE MMA Show. Over their two-and-a-half-hour chat, the pair stumbled on the topic of grappling-heavy fighters smothering out strikers in MMA. For a dynamic striker, Page has a healthy appreciation for the art of wrestling. He told Rogan, “I think wrestling is a beautiful art and, like you said, one of the most important arts to dictate where you want the fight to go. But if you’re taking me down, try to kill me.”

It was very easy for Rogan to see the reason behind the frustration in Page’s words. The whole game of a striker like MVP depends on the elements of space, timing, and movement; getting pinned down brings about the end of all those aspects.

Rogan, in response, reminded him of the fact that not all fighters have a wide skill set that goes beyond controlling. That’s when he wrapped his response up with a genuine respect for Page’s skill set and revealed the harsh reality of MMA tactics, “Even though I’m a fan of yours, if a wrestler who had that boring style took you down and held you down for three rounds and won a decision, I’d be like, ‘Damn, he did it. Yeah, he did it.’ Because he can’t do it any other way. If he can’t stand up with you, he’s going to get f****d up. And if he can take you down anytime, why would he ever let you up?”

The intention wasn’t to reject MVP’s viewpoint; rather, it was to distinguish the strategic difference. And this was precisely why Rogan moved the conversation towards Khabib Nurmagomedov. Joe Rogan presented him as the perfect antithesis, a fighter whose grappling was not about maintaining a secure position on top, but about gradually dismantling the opponent until the submission or knock-out was inevitable.

Speaking of Khabib’s top control, Rogan said on JRE MMA Show #170, “It was literally like he was waiting for the guy to make a mistake with his guard… He’s talking to you. He’s creating that space but still pinning you. He’s crushing your legs between his legs and trying to choke you. That I can appreciate all day, every day. I can too. But some guys aren’t good enough. They’re still fighting, right? They’re not good enough. There are guys at a world-class level who aren’t going to be world champions, but they might beat someone who could be a world champion if they can do that one thing.”

Joe Rogan’s words are all the more relevant in light of what happened at UFC 322. Let’s revisit how Islam Makhachev systematically dismantled Jack Della Maddalena.

Rogan’s words echo at UFC 322 as Islam Makhachev shows Khabib-level dominance

At UFC 322, Islam Makhachev not only secured the victory, but he also represented the Dagestani wrestling legacy associated with Khabib Nurmagomedov and his father. Right from the very first bell, he executed a series of takedowns, applied pressure, and kept Jack Della Maddalena under his control on the mat for more than 19 minutes. His performance was an exact demonstration of the same tireless, dominating top game that made Khabib a household name.

Makhachev moving up a division and still mauling Jack Della Maddalena felt like déjà vu from every Dagestani masterclass we’ve seen before. Even JDM, one of the best strikers of all time, couldn’t do much against Islam. He was very calm and collected and went to the very boring, though efficient, takedown pattern that he has been practicing to perfection.

First, taking a step down, then body-locking, and finally dragging the other fighter to the mat. Rinse, repeat. Every time JDM fired, Islam just slipped under him, scooped him, and stuck him to the canvas. And he did so easily, taking away the striking advantage, shutting down the Octagon movement.

The craziest thing about it is that UFC 322 had the same vibe in the co-main event. Zhang Weili went up a class and straight into Valentina Shevchenko’s domain. The roles changed; this time, Weili was the one getting trapped. Valentina made her immobile with that long clinch control, frequent returns to the mat, and the heavy top pressure. Five rounds of being subdued, slowed down, and drained. The strategy on paper was almost the same.

That is where the discussion starts. Makhachev was repeatedly improving his position and constantly threatening; thus, wrestling became a weapon for him. Shevchenko used wrestling as a limiter, shutting Weili’s game off but not chasing danger the same way. Similar circumstances occurred with similar tactics, yet the differences in dominance level, control style, and fans’ interpretations were large.

Therefore, UFC 322 could be viewed as a double bill that shows how wrestling can be entertaining or ‘boring’ depending on its role in the game plan.