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.
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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.