Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson believes he could compete with the UFC’s top heavyweights just three fights into his MMA career.
Gable Steveson’s young MMA career is one of the most intriguing storylines of combat sports in 2026. As Steveson prepares to fight in his third MMA bout on Thursday night at Mexican Fight League 3, the Olympic gold medalist’s hype continues to skyrocket.
Steveson, a top protege of Jon Jones’, could potentially get a call from UFC CEO Dana White and the matchmakers for a shot in the promotion in the coming months. White and Joe Rogan have repeatedly touted Steveson’s vast potential in the cage.
Steveson is regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers in history, after winning multiple NCAA titles and an Olympic gold medal. If he eventually gets a shot to compete in the UFC’s heavyweight division, his elite wrestling will be a matchup nightmare for many top contenders.
Despite the relatively small sample size in the cage, Steveson believes he belongs in the same discussion as Alex Pereira, Tom Aspinall, and Ciryl Gane when discussing the top light heavyweights/heavyweights in the world.
Gable Steveson says he can already ‘compete’ with top UFC heavyweights
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Steveson compared himself with two of the top fighters in the UFC.
“Those three big names — Pereira, Aspinall, Gane — I can compete with most definitely,” Steveson said.
“Especially right now. But if you keep giving me time, the gap will keep coming in with the youthfulness that I have, with those guys being a little older. Tom is a little older, but Pereira, (much) older. Gane, (much) older.
“As time goes on, you don’t get any faster.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)
How would Gable Steveson fare against some of the top light heavyweights and heavyweights in the UFC? Let us know in the comments!