The Olympic gold medalist wrestler has already finished both MMA fights in the first round and wants his third straight knockout to demand a June 14 spot
Gable Steveson is being strategic about his path to the UFC, and he’s not being subtle about it.The U.S. Olympic gold medalist and widely regarded one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers in American history is fighting Hugo Lezama at Mexico Fight League 3 on February 19 in Monterrey, Mexico. If he wins and based on his record, he probably will Steveson is planning to publicly call for a UFC debut at the White House on June 14. He’s already in regular contact with the promotion, he’s training with Jon Jones, and he’s essentially telling the UFC what he wants and when he wants it. This isn’t arrogance. This is a young athlete understanding his leverage.
- The Olympic gold medalist wrestler has already finished both MMA fights in the first round and wants his third straight knockout to demand a June 14 spot
- Steveson’s record doesn’t leave much room for doubt about his fighting ability
- Training with Jon Jones is giving Steveson something money can’t buy: legitimacy through association
Steveson’s record doesn’t leave much room for doubt about his fighting ability
He’s 2-0 in MMA with first-round finishes in both fights. That’s not just winning. That’s dominant, overwhelming winning at an early stage of his professional career. Three professional fights total and two of them already finished in the first round suggests Steveson is operating at a level significantly above his competition. When he beats Lezama on February 19, that will be his third consecutive first-round finish. At that point, calling for a White House debut feels justified rather than presumptuous.
What’s fascinating about Steveson’s positioning is how he’s leveraging his wrestling credentials. This is a guy who was a two-time NCAA Division I national champion at University of Minnesota and won Olympic gold in the most dramatic fashion possible rallying from 8-5 down in the final 10 seconds against Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili to win 10-8. That’s the kind of competitive pedigree that translates to credibility in combat sports. He’s not some random fighter calling for attention. He’s an established elite athlete testing the waters in MMA.
Training with Jon Jones is giving Steveson something money can’t buy: legitimacy through association
Jones—one of the greatest UFC fighters ever has already predicted Steveson will be the UFC’s heavyweight champion by early 2027. That’s a pretty bold statement from someone in position to know. When Steveston was asked if he believed that prediction, his response was telling: “I’ve got full confidence in myself. With a guy like Jon, I feel like my confidence goes through the roof and the best thing about it is that he sees me firsthand, training with him and hitting the pads, going through all the motions. His word is gold with that.”
That’s not just confidence. That’s the kind of unwavering belief that comes from training with someone elite who validates your abilities daily. Jones sees Steveson work. Jones knows what championship-level fighters look like. If Jones thinks Steveson is heading for the belt, that opinion carries weight beyond hype.
The White House event is becoming a real thing, and the UFC is now officially discussing matchups. TKO has indicated the event will feature 6-7 fights, and Jones has already expressed his desire to compete there as well. So the promotion is looking at building something special for June 14, and Steveson is positioning himself to be part of that moment. Get a first-round knockout on February 19, publicly call for the White House spot, and let the UFC figure out how to deny one of the greatest wrestlers in American history a debut at the president’s residence.
Steveson has tried other things professional wrestling with WWE, a stint with the NFL’s Buffalo Billsbut MMA seems like the natural home for his talents.Wrestling translates directly to MMA. His wrestling base is elite. His power is evident. His confidence is justified by results. The only question now is how quickly the UFC moves him up the heavyweight rankings and whether a White House debut in June actually happens. Based on his positioning and Jon Jones’s endorsement, don’t be surprised if it does.
