Tag: gable steveson

Olympic Champion Gable Steveson Eyes MMA Career After Training With Jon Jones

Jon Jones has had such a profound influence on Gable Steveson that it’s motivated him to pursue a career in MMA. The Olympic gold medalist wrestler played a pivotal role as a training partner, helping “Bones” prepare for his third-round TKO victory over former champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, where he successfully defended his […]

Jon Jones has had such a profound influence on Gable Steveson that it’s motivated him to pursue a career in MMA.

The Olympic gold medalist wrestler played a pivotal role as a training partner, helping “Bones” prepare for his third-round TKO victory over former champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, where he successfully defended his heavyweight title.

After witnessing firsthand the craft of one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, Steveson has become more determined than ever to embrace the art of blending disciplines as he looks ahead to his future in combat sports.

During an interview with MMA Fighting, the 24-year-old Indiana native shared that his time training alongside Jones gave him the confidence to envision himself thriving in the world of MMA.

“As I put the gloves on, I really like the feeling of going out there and mixing everything together from wrestling to boxing to kickboxing to jiu-jitsu and putting all the pieces together in one,” Steveson said. “That definitely put a huge spark in me to do MMA, too. Wherever the path leads me after this wrestling season is going to be great regardless, but the MMA thing, when I tell you it, definitely lit a fire under me. Being in that camp definitely put a big, big gas light and lit it really hard and burned the fumes in me.”

Steveson captured the Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 2020 Tokyo Games, besting Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili in the final.

Not long after, he was offered a WWE contract and made his professional wrestling debut at SummerSlam 2021. However, his time with the promotion was short-lived, as he was reportedly released due to insufficient progress at the WWE’s Performance Center.

Stepping into new territory, Steveson also dabbled in American football, joining the Buffalo Bills for the NFL pre-season. Unfortunately, his football venture didn’t pan out, leading to his release this past August.

Jon Jones Touts ‘Scary’ Training Partner From UFC 309 Camp As A Future Champion

Jon Jones has always surrounded himself with some of the best of the best in their chosen fields to help him in his career. During the time that he has spent at heavyweight, this means bringing in big bodies that can really push him physically day-in and day-out. The heavyweight champion’s preparations in Albuquerque clearly […]

Jon Jones has always surrounded himself with some of the best of the best in their chosen fields to help him in his career. During the time that he has spent at heavyweight, this means bringing in big bodies that can really push him physically day-in and day-out.

The heavyweight champion’s preparations in Albuquerque clearly paid off for him in his second fight in the weight class this past weekend. In the main event of UFC 309, he stopped the returning Stipe Miocic in the third round to defend his heavyweight title for the first time.

As seen in social media videos or the fight week build-up, two elite grapplers joined Jones for this camp, along with some of the boxers that he trained with. Standing side-by-side on the mats with Jones and elite grappler Gordon Ryan was the former Olympic gold medallist wrestler, Gable Steveson.

After becoming the youngest freestyle wrestler in his weight class to ever win Olympic gold having only recently turned 21-years old at the time, Steveson left Tokyo in 2021 with the world at his feet. There was a lot of talk as to whether he would move into MMA or professional wrestling and after brief stints in WWE and the NFL that didn’t work out, it looks like the Octagon could be in his future.

Jones spoke in his post-fight press conference about how Steveson showed that he had the passion and mentality to learn after offering to step-in for one of Jones’ injured sparring partners during a training session. He also referenced a video that caught the attention of fans on social media where Steveson shot in for a takedown and was hit by a knee from “Bones”.

“I kneed him in the face at one of his very first practices. He ate it, and he looked like a little kid who had just found a new toy.”

Jones believes that his teammate for this recent fight camp has all the tools he needs to succeed in MMA if he chooses to stay the course and develop his overall game. At just 24-years old, Steveson still has a lot of time to develop into a serious threat in MMA.

“He’s gonna be scary, he’s gonna be very scary when he decides to do MMA. He knows how to make men appear very weak, me being one of them. When he learns how to box and learns a little about jiu-jitsu, it’s a matter of if he’ll become a UFC champion, it’s when he’ll be a UFC champion. Whether he trains in Albuquerque with our family or finds a different team, whoever has him are going to be really blessed to have him.”

Jon Jones is Mentoring a Future UFC Champion According to Fight Camp Coach

Jon Jones is Mentoring a Future UFC Champion According to Fight Camp CoachAs Jon Jones prepares for his first defense of the undisputed UFC heavyweight title, ‘Bones’ is taking some time…

Jon Jones is Mentoring a Future UFC Champion According to Fight Camp Coach

As Jon Jones prepares for his first defense of the undisputed UFC heavyweight title, ‘Bones’ is taking some time out of his busy schedule to help mold a future world champion.

18 months removed from a dominant first-round submission victory over Ciryl Gane, Jones returns to the Octagon on Saturday, November 16 for a high-stakes headliner with consensus heavyweight GOAT Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in Madison Square Garden.

Jon Jones

It will be Jones’ first time defending the title and perhaps his final appearance inside the Octagon altogether, but that doesn’t mean Jones’ presence won’t live on through another potential MMA superstar.

During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Jones’s coach Brandon Gibson revealed that ‘Bones’ has been working with Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson.

“The sky is the limit for Gable, he’s a super athlete,” Gibson said of Steveson. “He walked on to the Buffalo Bills without ever playing football. Just in this past week, we’ve seen him in [the gym] boxing with mits, grappling, doing Jiu-Jitsu, ground-and-pound drills. He’s incredible, and I have no doubt that he could be a heavyweight champ.

“There’s a sense of pride I see in Jon Jones having some of these young greats come into the room, where Jon also wants to coach them and lift them up. Jon’s a heck of a teacher himself, so who knows? Maybe Jon Jones will be coaching Gable Steveson to UFC heavyweight glory one day” (h/t BJPenn.com).

Can Jon Jones help Steveson parlay his iconic wrestling career into a successful UFC run?

As a two-time NCAA Division I national champion and a three-time All-American out of the University of Minnesota, Steveson is one of the most accomplished freestyle wrestlers in the history of the sport.

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Since hanging up his singlet, the Portage, Indiana native has struggled to find a new career. In 2021, Steveson signed with World Wrestling Entertainment becoming only the second Olympic gold medalist to be signed by the company after Kurt Angle. Steveson made sporadic appearances on television and in untelevised matches under the NXT banner but was ultimately released from his contract in May 2024.

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That same month, Steveson signed a three-year deal with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills despite never having played the sport. He was released by the team three months later.

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Now, it looks like Steveson has his sights set on mixed martial arts.

Jon Jones Hails Gable Steveson as a Future MMA Champion

Jon Jones recently lauded Olympic gold medalist freestyle wrestler Gable Steveson, proclaiming him a future champion in the realm of MMA. “Bones” is preparing for the inaugural defense of his heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic in the headline bout of UFC 309, set to take place on November 16 at Madison Square Garden […]

Continue Reading Jon Jones Hails Gable Steveson as a Future MMA Champion at MMA News.

Jon Jones recently lauded Olympic gold medalist freestyle wrestler Gable Steveson, proclaiming him a future champion in the realm of MMA.

“Bones” is preparing for the inaugural defense of his heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic in the headline bout of UFC 309, set to take place on November 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Jones will enter the Octagon after a 20-month hiatus, having last fought when he claimed the heavyweight title by submitting Ciryl Gane in the first round at UFC 285 in March 2023. The 34-year-old New Yorker was initially set to face Miocic at UFC 295 last November, but he had to withdraw just two weeks prior to the bout due to a pectoral injury.

In preparation for his upcoming bout, “Bones” has recruited the expertise of two prominent figures, Steveson and former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, to aid in his training. Earlier this week, several photos and videos surfaced, showcasing Jones sparring alongside Steveson and Parker at his longtime training base, the Jackson Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Steveson recently took to Instagram to share a training photo with Jones. In the post’s comments, “Bones” hailed the American wrestler as the future champion of the heavyweight MMA division.

“Future MMA heavyweight champion, mark my words.”

– Jon Jones on Gable Steveson’s potential in MMA

Steveson clinched Olympic gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games in 2021, defeating Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili in the final. Shortly after, he was offered a WWE contract and made his professional wrestling debut at SummerSlam 2021.

However, the 24-year-old’s stint with the promotion was cut short, as he was reportedly released due to insufficient progress at WWE’s Performance Center.

Continue Reading Jon Jones Hails Gable Steveson as a Future MMA Champion at MMA News.

Jon Jones Hails Gable Steveson as a Future MMA Champion

Jon Jones recently lauded Olympic gold medalist freestyle wrestler Gable Steveson, proclaiming him a future champion in the realm of MMA. “Bones” is preparing for the inaugural defense of his heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic in the headline bout of UFC 309, set to take place on November 16 at Madison Square Garden […]

Continue Reading Jon Jones Hails Gable Steveson as a Future MMA Champion at MMA News.

Jon Jones recently lauded Olympic gold medalist freestyle wrestler Gable Steveson, proclaiming him a future champion in the realm of MMA.

“Bones” is preparing for the inaugural defense of his heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic in the headline bout of UFC 309, set to take place on November 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Jones will enter the Octagon after a 20-month hiatus, having last fought when he claimed the heavyweight title by submitting Ciryl Gane in the first round at UFC 285 in March 2023. The 34-year-old New Yorker was initially set to face Miocic at UFC 295 last November, but he had to withdraw just two weeks prior to the bout due to a pectoral injury.

In preparation for his upcoming bout, “Bones” has recruited the expertise of two prominent figures, Steveson and former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, to aid in his training. Earlier this week, several photos and videos surfaced, showcasing Jones sparring alongside Steveson and Parker at his longtime training base, the Jackson Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Steveson recently took to Instagram to share a training photo with Jones. In the post’s comments, “Bones” hailed the American wrestler as the future champion of the heavyweight MMA division.

“Future MMA heavyweight champion, mark my words.”

– Jon Jones on Gable Steveson’s potential in MMA

Steveson clinched Olympic gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games in 2021, defeating Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili in the final. Shortly after, he was offered a WWE contract and made his professional wrestling debut at SummerSlam 2021.

However, the 24-year-old’s stint with the promotion was cut short, as he was reportedly released due to insufficient progress at WWE’s Performance Center.

Continue Reading Jon Jones Hails Gable Steveson as a Future MMA Champion at MMA News.

Jon Jones Nearly Lands Devastating Knee On Gable Steveson In UFC 309 Training

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is underway with his preparations for his long awaited return at UFC 309 in November. “Bones” will be making the first defense of his title against the former champion Stipe Miocic in what is likely to be the final fight of his career. Jones has been able to build a […]

Continue Reading Jon Jones Nearly Lands Devastating Knee On Gable Steveson In UFC 309 Training at MMA News.

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is underway with his preparations for his long awaited return at UFC 309 in November.

“Bones” will be making the first defense of his title against the former champion Stipe Miocic in what is likely to be the final fight of his career. Jones has been able to build a small but closely knit team around him since moving up to heavyweight but in order to keep it fresh, he was seen getting some new looks in a recent video.

The former light heavyweight champion was seen working alongside Olympic gold medallist Gable Steveson who has hinted at competing in MMA in the past.

After winning gold in wrestling at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Steveson has tried his hand at professional wrestling and football but is clearly taking an interest in mixed martial arts. If this is going to be a potential career move for him, why not jump in at the deep end by grappling with the consensus greatest that MMA has ever seen.

Jon Jones Trains With Gable Steveson

In the multiple training videos posted by Jones on social media, one particular exchange nearly ends very badly for Steveson.

“Bones” goes for a single leg and when Steveson escapes, he goes immediately for the same technique on Jones, lunging towards his legs. Whether he did it instinctually or didn’t mean to actually connect, Jones throws a knee as a counter which lands but fortunately, doesn’t do much damage.

The heavyweight champion immediately asks him if he’s okay and breaks the clinch as the two men laugh about it. It certainly would have been a rough welcome to mixed martial arts if Steveson had been hit by a knee that had even a little bit more power behind it.

Continue Reading Jon Jones Nearly Lands Devastating Knee On Gable Steveson In UFC 309 Training at MMA News.