Gable Steveson is stepping into the UFC with the kind of backstory few fighters can match. The Olympic wrestling champion once tried the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, and now he is preparing for the biggest test of his MMA career.
His path has already crossed elite levels of wrestling, football, and professional combat sports. That mix is part of why his new coach believes Steveson may still be far from his ceiling.
From Olympic gold to an NFL shot
Steveson is a two-time NCAA Division I national champion, a four-time Big Ten champion, and the gold medalist in freestyle wrestling at the 2020 Summer Olympics. After a run with World Wrestling Entertainment did not work out, the University of Minnesota product signed with Buffalo in May 2024 as a defensive lineman, despite never playing high school football.
Then-Bills head coach Sean McDermott said at the time that wrestling skills can translate well to the offensive and defensive lines, but also noted that Steveson was starting from scratch. His first football game came in the Bills’ 2024 preseason opener, where he posted a tackle and a quarterback pressure in 14 snaps.
| Stage | Details | Result |
|---|---|---|
| College wrestling | Two-time NCAA Division I national champion, four-time Big Ten champion | Built an elite wrestling résumé |
| 2020 Summer Olympics | Won freestyle wrestling gold | Reached the sport’s highest stage |
| Buffalo Bills stint | Played three preseason games as a defensive lineman | Recorded 3 tackles and 2 QB hits |
| MMA start | Three previous bouts | Won all 3 by first-round stoppage |
Why the UFC debut has real buzz
Greg Jackson, Steveson’s current head coach, has trained some of the biggest names in MMA, including Rashad Evans, Carlos Condit, Holly Holm, George St-Pierre and Jon Jones. Speaking on UFC Embedded, Jackson said viewers will want to tune in because Steveson’s athletic ability is “unprecedented” and because his ceiling could redefine the sport.
Jones is also heavily involved in Steveson’s career, adding another notable layer of experience around him as Saturday’s fight approaches. Steveson will face Ellison, who enters at 5-2, while Steveson brings a 3-0 record and the status of a heavy favorite.
The UFC matchup also comes with a clear contrast in experience. Steveson has only 5 minutes 52 seconds of cage time across his three MMA bouts, yet all three ended in first-round stoppages.
Steveson is leaning into the pressure
Steveson is not backing away from the attention surrounding the fight. He said he wants the bout to be “the Gable Steveson show” and expects a “vicious victory” and a “dominating performance.”
That confidence fits the profile of an athlete who has already made unusual transitions at a high level. For now, the former Bills hopeful is still a new name to many UFC fans, but his background suggests Saturday is only the next step in a career that has already taken several surprising turns.
Steveson said, “I’ve been in big performances my whole life. This is just another day for me.”