Gable Steveson competes in MMA for the first time on Friday at LFA 217 as the Olympic champion officially transitions from wrestling phenom to one of the biggest prospects to ever crossover to fighting.
The journey getting to this moment happened over years rather than months as the now 25-year-old University of Minnesota alum captured a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics, tried his hand at professional wrestling and then returned to college for his final year of eligibility before finally deciding to take
a stab at fighting. Steveson also spent years preparing for his first fight after he helped Jon Jones get ready for his showdown against Stipe Miocic and then continued to call on the UFC legend to serve as his mentor as his move to MMA got closer and closer.
Brandon Gibson, who has served as one of Jones’ primary coaches for much of his career, always believed Steveson had the potential to make a serious impact in MMA and now he’s effectively hours away from getting the chance to prove it.
“Obviously to achieve that level of becoming an Olympic gold medalist, you have to be willing to make the sacrifice, have that dedication, have the skill set, have the IQ,” Gibson said about Steveson when speaking to MMA Fighting. “He came in and he’s so humble and so friendly and so cool.
“The sky’s the limit for Gable. He’s a super athlete. He also walked onto the Buffalo Bills without ever playing football.”
Steveson’s athletic pedigree is almost unmatched considering he became the youngest American to ever capture a gold medal in wrestling at the Olympics with his unreal run during the 2020 games. He’s also a two-time NCAA champion in wrestling not to mention that he did in fact walk onto the Buffalo Bills during the 2024 training camp without ever playing a single down of football.
While Steveson had the option to potentially pursue a second Olympic gold medal when the games land in Los Angeles in 2028, he ultimately decided to turn his attention to fighting now instead.
Given his potential, Gibson has no doubt that Steveson could eventually develop into one of the best fighters in the sport with real championship pedigree.
“We’ve seen him in there boxing, ripping mitts, grappling, doing jiu-jitsu, doing ground and pound drills. He’s incredible,” Gibson said. “I have no doubt he can be heavyweight champion.”
As part of his transition into fighting, Steveson has often relied on Jones as a coach but also as somebody he can turn to for advice for decisions he’s making about his career.
Jones is widely regarded as the best mixed martial artist of all time but Gibson says he doesn’t get nearly enough credit for the knowledge he shares with the next generation of fighters, which now also includes Steveson.
“He’s a great captain,” Gibson said about Jones. “We built this team over the last three years around Jon but Jon also gives back to the entire team. That’s the coaching staff. That’s the training partners. That’s all these special guests that come through. It’s really great to see Jon in this phase and chapter he’s in right now. He shares so much knowledge and sometimes it’s not just MMA. It’s life. He’s a true friend to all of us as well.
“It’s a great brotherhood. Not every gym I’ve been a part of or every team I’ve been a part of has had that element. We’re all done with practice, we hold hands together and we pray, we thank God and the guys are just there for each other. It’s a real tight community.”
Jones has continued to show his support for Steveson both during his return to college wrestling and now as he gets ready for his first MMA fight.
When it comes to his own career, Jones obviously flirted with retirement before declaring plans to return to action with hopes of earning a spot on the first ever UFC White House card in 2026. But Jones obviously sees the light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to his fighting career and Gibson wouldn’t be shocked to see him then turn his full attention towards athletes like Steveson to continue his legacy in combat sports.
“There’s a sense of pride that I see in Jon Jones having some of these young greats where Jon also wants to coach them and lift them up,” Gibson said. “Jon’s a heck of a teacher himself.
“So who knows Jon Jones may be coaching Gable Steveson to UFC heavyweight glory one day.”
