JRE Review Podcast – Episode 488: Gable Steveson

Release Date: January 13, 2026
Hosts: Adam Thorne and Nick

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of the Joe Rogan Experience Review dives into and dissects Joe Rogan’s interview with Gable Steveson, Olympic gold medalist wrestler and rising heavyweight MMA prospect. Adam and Nick explore Gable’s athletic prowess, his mindset, his potential UFC future, and the broader significance of his journey for the fight world and beyond. The conversation centers on themes of elite athleticism, life transitions, mentorship, winner mentality, and the cultural role of the Joe Rogan Experience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Gable Steveson’s Phenomenal Athleticism

• Rogan’s Hype About Gable
  Nick recalls Joe Rogan texting Dana White, saying, "everyone in the heavyweight division is fucked when [Gable] enters the UFC." (04:00)
• Comparisons to Sporting Legends
  Gable is described as a “Bo Jackson level athlete” and “an absolute freak athlete.” (03:00)
• Effortless Confidence
  Adam notes Gable’s natural self-assuredness in the JRE episode:
  “The way he was answering questions like, 'that's the worst I'm ever going to be at that sport.' … he just knows that. Matter of fact, 'I’m gonna be the best.'” (03:27)

2. Mentorship from Jon Jones

• Passing the Torch
  Nick and Adam discuss how Jon Jones appears to be mentoring Gable, seeing him as his “pet project” and potential successor. (04:00)
• Legacy Building
  Adam reflects:
  “It’s one thing to become the hero of your own story, but to create a prodigy in your own image and give them everything you didn’t have—that’s next level.” (05:24)
• Jon Jones’ Unique Role
  Nick: “When you’re literally becoming the Michael Jordan of UFC… and you want to pass the torch…” (04:29)

3. Gable’s Crossover Talent: Wrestling, Football, and Beyond

• NFL Tryout Story
  • Gable reportedly never played football before making an NFL tryout, which both hosts find “insanely impossible” and a testament to his athletic IQ. (07:11)
• Wrestling Is the Toughest Sport
  Adam:
  “Wrestling… there’s no knockout – you have to systematically beat your opponent. It is the hardest sport there is. I think wrestling is the sport; everything else is a game.” (08:29)
• Transferable Skills
  Nick and Adam break down how top wrestlers’ work ethic, discipline, and adaptability allow them to succeed in new fields.

4. Mentality of Extreme Winners

• Unparalleled Drive
  Nick:
  “There’s just something in his mind—this athletic IQ if there’s such a thing.” (16:23)
• The Secret Work Ethic
  Adam:
  “You don’t know what these professional athletes are doing when nobody’s around… that’s their secret. That’s why they’re always going to be better than you.” (19:16)
• Liking the Pain
  • Gable’s statement, "I like when it hurts," is highlighted as uniquely authentic winner mentality. (33:24)
    Nick: “Not many people say things like that and mean it… People that can say that are a different beast.” (33:53)
• Adam on Enduring Hardship:
  “If you can put yourself in those situations over and over again, you might start to like it eventually, because you like what comes of you.” (35:00)

5. The Story and the Business of Heavyweight Fighting

• UFC Heavyweight Division’s Need for New Blood
  Nick explains the excitement around Gable:
  “Anytime the heavyweight division is stacked, that’s always the best fights to watch… the UFC heavyweight division hasn’t been that stacked.” (21:16)
• Role of Storylines and Personas
  Adam:
  “You don’t just need a champion; you need a character and you also need a villain… there’s a portion of that on the marketing side.” (23:56)

6. Rejecting the WWE Path

• Entertainment vs. True Competition
  Nick:
  “He got recruited by the WWE… they set him up as the next Brock Lesnar. But Gable said, ‘no, this isn’t for me; feeling fake feels scripted.’ He wants to find himself in his prime more than he wants money.” (25:50)

7. Mentorship, Self-Belief, and the Power of Positive Influence

• Jon Jones’ Encouraging Gable
  Adam highlights his favorite quote:
  “Jon Jones said to him, ‘You can have this, too.’ That is a great line… everybody needs to hear that from somebody else.” (30:08)
• Overcoming Self-Doubt
  Adam:
  “Your biggest enemy in anything you want to accomplish in life is you. And you need somebody on the outside telling you, 'you can have this, too.'” (30:36)
• Surrounding Yourself with Believers
  Nick:
  “You should always have people around you that believe in you more than you believe in yourself. It’s just a good move.” (31:12)

8. Reflections on Rogan’s Cultural Impact

• Joe Rogan as ‘Podcast Dad’
  Nick:
  “There’s a lot of guys … brought up without a good dad … you kind of have this podcast dad almost giving you some instructions. Go to the gym, eat better, work out, do hard things…” (44:10)
• Rogan’s Unique Place in Podcasting
  Adam:
  “Do you think that person [like Rogan] had to exist and he was just at the right place at the right time? He became what people needed him to be.” (47:01)
  • The hosts marvel at Rogan’s longstanding, mass appeal and the door he opened for long-form, conversational podcasts. (47:39)

9. Applying Lessons: Try, Fail, and Keep Moving

• Personal Stories of Risk and Change
  Both hosts reflect on their own pivots—leaving stable jobs to pursue creative work, inspired in part by Rogan’s message to just try something different. (51:44)
  • Nick:
    “A lot of the bravery … came from listening to Rogan. If you work in a cubicle or hate your job, and just feel like you’re stuck, why not try and do something different…? That was the start of something for me.” (52:54)
  • Adam:
    “You can't be everything, but if you pick out some stuff, you can have it to a certain degree.” (49:47)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Adam on Gable’s Mentality:
  “The way he was answering questions like, ‘that’s the worst I’m ever going to be at that sport.’ … he just knows that. Matter of fact, ‘I’m gonna be the best.’” (03:27)
• Nick on Freak Athlete Rarity:
  “To think that somebody that hasn't even played the game can just step on and do that… this is incredibly rare.” (20:14)
• Jon Jones to Gable Steveson:
  “You can have this, too.” (Adam’s highlight) (30:08)
• Gable Steveson via Nick:
  “I like when it hurts.” (33:24)
• Adam on Wrestling:
  “Wrestling… there’s no knockout – you have to systematically beat your opponent. It is the hardest sport there is.” (08:29)
• Adam on Hidden Work and Winner’s Mindset:
  “You don’t know what these professional athletes are doing when nobody’s around… they will do something when you’re asleep and they’re not.” (19:16)
• Nick on Podcast Influence:
  “You have this podcast dad almost giving you some instructions… it opened the door to an area of thinking they’d never have considered.” (44:10)
• Adam on Taking the Leap:
  “If you don't try it, then you won't know. If you shoot for something pretty cool and try to make it, you’re gonna be happy with what you come up with.” (51:44)

Important Timestamps

• 03:00-04:00: How Rogan and Dana White hyped Gable; comparisons to athletic legends.
• 04:29-07:11: Jon Jones’ mentorship and the idea of passing the torch.
• 07:11-10:33: Gable’s transition attempt into the NFL and wrestling as the hardest sport.
• 16:23: Understanding athletic IQ and natural talent.
• 19:16: Winner mentality and “the secret” of professional athletes.
• 21:16-23:56: UFC’s heavyweight division and the importance of stories and personas in fighting.
• 25:50: Gable’s WWE experience and reasons for pivoting away.
• 30:08-31:12: Jon Jones’ “You can have this, too” and the importance of outside encouragement.
• 33:24: “I like when it hurts” – Gable’s pain-embracing approach.
• 44:10-47:01: Rogan’s role as “podcast dad” and the cultural impact of his show.
• 51:44: Personal stories about taking risks and being inspired by Rogan’s ethos.

Episode Ratings

• Nick: "A solid 7… mainly because I'm just excited for this guy. I can't wait for him to get into the UFC. He is a badass, he seemed super intelligent as well as, obviously, the athlete that he is." (56:04)
• Adam: "I'm gonna go seven as well. He seemed very put together, young man, and he knows what he wants to do. The world needs more put together young men for sure." (56:35)

Closing Thoughts

Adam and Nick’s review of the JRE/Gable Steveson episode paints a vivid picture of what makes Gable a rare talent and why his story resonates—even beyond wrestling and MMA. The hosts intertwine their own experiences and Rogan’s lasting influence, showing how the right combination of confidence, struggle, mentorship, and risk-taking leads to extraordinary outcomes. For fans of MMA, combat sports, or even personal development, this episode delivers actionable insights and plenty of motivation—in the quintessential, conversational style Rogan’s sphere is known for.