Gable Steveson was triumphant in his UFC debut, knocking out Elisha Ellison at the 2:31 mark of the first round at UFC 329 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Steveson, an Olympic gold medalist and one of the most accomplished collegiate wrestlers in history, improved to 4-0 as a professional MMA fighter.
To no one’s surprise
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Gable Steveson round 1 KO pic.twitter.com/XlIriogpDh
Steveson signed with the UFC in April, less than a year after his professional MMA debut. The 26-year-old heavyweight began his career with three consecutive first-round knockouts and kept the streak alive in his biggest fight to date against Ellison.
Steveson's debut was one of the most anticipated in recent memory. He trains under former two-division champion Jon Jones and is widely considered a future heavyweight champion.
The Indiana native set a fast pace in the opening moments of his first UFC appearance, landing punches at range and in the clinch. Ellison got in a few shots of his own - including an elbow that appeared to hurt Steveson momentarily - but it quickly became apparent that he was outmatched.
Steveson was a massive -1600 betting favorite against Ellison going in.
Before transitioning to MMA, Steveson wrestled in WWE from 2021-24. He also had a brief stint in the NFL, playing for the Buffalo Bills as a defensive tackle during the 2024 preseason.
