Gable Steveson sees 'path' to MMA after training with Jon Jones
Gable Steveson can envision himself pursuing a career in mixed martial arts.
The two-time Division I wrestling champion said Wednesday that being part of UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones' recent training camp has motivated him to step into the cage one day.
"That definitely put a major spark in me to go out there and do MMA," Steveson told "The Ariel Helwani Show." "Not sure of the promotion yet, but Jon definitely lit a fire under me and was like, 'Hey, I think you should go back to wrestling, I think you should try MMA. We got a great team here in Albuquerque if you wanna join us.'"
Steveson, 24, announced last week he was returning to the University of Minnesota for his fifth and final season of collegiate wrestling after more than two-and-a-half years away from the sport. He's scheduled to make his season debut Sunday.
Steveson's return to collegiate wrestling came after a brief stint with the NFL's Buffalo Bills - during which he competed in three preseason games before being waived - and a three-year tenure in WWE's developmental program, which ended earlier this year.
Steveson said he's dabbled in MMA training "for a while," including earlier this year at the Kill Cliff FC gym in South Florida under head coach Henri Hooft and former UFC champion Robbie Lawler. Most recently, Steveson spent several weeks working alongside Jones, who defeated Stipe Miocic last weekend at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden.
"It was just fascinating how I got into something so quick, and when I put on the gloves, everything felt like home base," Steveson said of training with Jones. "With the wrestling, with the boxing work, with the jiu-jitsu, I feel like I could be very good really quick."
Jones believes Steveson has "everything it takes" to be a world-class MMA fighter.
"He's gonna be very scary when he decides to do MMA," Jones said at the UFC 309 postfight news conference. "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 not a matter of if he'll become a UFC champion, it's when he'll be a UFC champion."
When asked if he expects to compete in MMA between now and 2028, Steveson said it'd be too soon.
"I do not have an MMA fight. I do have a path that can lead me to somewhere great," Steveson said. "We are discussing it, and I think it'll be a really good path for me to get out there and showcase who I am.
"I'm gonna take some time to make sure everything is 100% ready and make sure that I am physically capable of being who I am - which I know I am, but you just know it's gonna take time like every other thing."