Shakur Stevenson appeared on The JRE MMA Show #175 with Joe Rogan in March 2026, engaging in a wide-ranging conversation about MMA, combat sports crossover, and his growing curiosity about wrestling. Stevenson acknowledged that his familiarity with MMA and many of its athletes was limited at the time, and Rogan used the conversation as an opportunity to encourage deeper engagement with the sport — pointing to a UFC event in Las Vegas that same weekend as an immediate starting point.
Boxing Loyalty and MMA's Added Complexity
One candid moment addressed the friction Stevenson sometimes experiences with UFC fans over his belief that boxing is the superior sport. He stated plainly: "UFC people be kind of mad at me when I say boxing is better, but it's my sport." Rogan affirmed that such loyalty is entirely natural, while laying out the added complexity MMA demands — managing takedowns, leg kicks, body kicks, knees, and elbows — and noting that certain boxing habits become liabilities in a context where the legs are exposed.
Wrestling as the Foundation
The conversation took a revealing turn when Stevenson asked what the single most important skill in MMA is. Rogan answered without hesitation: "Wrestling." Stevenson laughed, saying he had already anticipated the answer, then stated plainly, "I want to learn how to wrestle." Rogan affirmed wrestling as both a valuable and deeply humbling discipline. Stevenson observed that wrestlers carry a type of physical strength that feels qualitatively different from anything found in other combat sports — a point Rogan echoed emphatically, describing what it is like to be controlled by a skilled wrestler: "When they get a hold of you, you feel like a child. You just get rag-dolled. Like, this is embarrassing." Rogan also noted that wrestling does not automatically produce a finish in MMA, since every round resets with both competitors standing, which creates competitive opportunities specifically during takedown transitions.
Jon Jones, Terence Crawford, and the Crossover Conversation
The discussion of wrestling led naturally to Jon Jones, whom Rogan cited as a model for building an MMA career on a wrestling foundation and methodically developing other skills over time. Stevenson expressed genuine admiration for Jones, focusing specifically on his approach to preparation — his habit of studying opponents comprehensively by reviewing interviews and footage to identify weaknesses. "That's exactly why I like him," Stevenson said. The conversation also touched on Terence Crawford's wrestling ability, with Rogan identifying Crawford as one of the very few professional boxers who could genuinely compete in MMA if he chose to cross over.
