Gable Steveson Sets Sights on UFC Gold "As Fast As Possible
Gable Stevenson is looking to secure a title shot as soon as he can, but he knows he will first have to earn respect in the octagon from the fans as well as his opponents.
Gable Steveson is not trying to waste any time. The 2020 Olympic gold medalist has officially transitioned into the UFC heavyweight division, and he already has his crosshairs locked on gold.
After steaming through his professional debut at UFC 329 with a brutal first-round TKO over Elisha Ellison in under three minutes, the 26-year-old phenom holds an undefeated 4-0 record with four first-round finishes. Now, with his second promotional outing set against Sean Sharaf at UFC 331 in Los Angeles, Steveson makes no secret about where he wants to be.
Respect Earned Over Time
"I would like to say as fast as possible, but I would like to get my reps in, make sure that people know I earned my respect and earned my time in the octagon and when that time comes I must definitely be ready."
When asked if jumping back and forth between freestyle wrestling and MMA is throwing a wrench in his momentum, the Minnesota standout blew off the idea.
"No I don't think so, I just think wrestling and MMA is pretty much the same thing, just mixed martial arts as a whole. Just being out there and competing and wrestling keeps me active for the MMA scene."
That mindset makes total sense for a guy with an elite pedigree. Steveson isn't just another heavyweight throwing wild haymakers; he is arguably the most athletic big man to enter the Octagon in years. Training alongside UFC legend Jon Jones at Jackson-Wink MMA, his numbers back up his dominant start. Across his early MMA runs, Steveson boasts a staggering 16.29 significant strikes landed per minute with a 71% striking accuracy, showing that his transition striking is coming along just as fast as his wrestling base.
Taking a fast-track route to the top of the heavyweight ladder is always a dangerous proposition, but the UFC seems more than happy to build him up quickly. Sharaf (4-2) will be searching for his first promotional victory after back-to-back losses, giving Steveson another prime opportunity to log Octagon time without overextending himself too soon.
If Gable Steveson keeps knocking out heavyweights in the opening round, he won't have to wait very long for a top-10 contender, and the UFC heavyweight title shot he craves might arrive even faster than he expects.
