Joe Rogan: 60-year-old Tank Abbott would beat most active UFC heavyweights

Longtime UFC analyst Joe Rogan believes 60-year-old former Octagon standout Tank Abbott could contend in today’s heavyweight division.

The UFC’s heavyweight division has been in a peculiar state in recent years.

After Jon Jones’ controversial title reign, which came to an end after just one title defense and a refusal to fight Tom Aspinall, the UFC’s heavyweight division remains in an interesting spot. Aspinall defended the undisputed heavyweight championship at UFC 321, fighting to a no-contest against Ciryl Gane after suffering from several eye pokes.

The heavyweight division still includes top stars such as Derrick Lewis and surging contenders like Waldo Cortes-Acosta. But to Joe Rogan, an MMA pioneer could contend in today’s heavyweight division if he made a late comeback.

Joe Rogan: Tank Abbott would ‘f— up’ most UFC heavyweights

In a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan belittled the state of the UFC heavyweight division by saying 60-year-old Tank Abbott could contend for a title if he returned to the cage.

“I think Tank Abbott would do really well,” Rogan said. “Because the heavyweight division is the most shallow division. Would he really do well against guys like Ciryl Gane or Tom Aspinall? Probably not but he didn’t do really well against guys like Maurice Smith. The real elite strikers of the day.

“But Tank Abbott was a f—— huge man. He was an enormous, powerful man who possessed ridiculous knockout power and would often brawl…

“Tank Abbott would still f— a lot of people up in the lower ranks of the heavyweight division.” (h/t MMA Fighting)

Abbott fought in several UFC heavyweight tournaments in the 1990s, earning wins over the likes of Sam Adkins, Steve Nelmark, and Wesley ‘Cabbage’ Correia. He retired following a King of the Cage defeat to Ruben Villareal in April 2013.

Rogan wants the UFC heavyweight division to create new stars amidst Aspinall’s uncertain timeline for a return to the cage. If Jones returns to the Octagon later this year at the White House, it could be enough to give the heavyweight division a bigger spotlight.

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