Gable Steveson made his UFC debut in Las Vegas, stopping Elisha Ellison inside the first round at T-Mobile Arena.
Jon Jones was in Steveson’s corner for his first fight in the promotion, with the legendary MMA fighter taking the former NFL player under his wing. The Olympic wrestling champion had already built up plenty of momentum before joining the UFC, and early results had fans eager to see how he’d perform at UFC 329.
And he certainly lived up to the hype, putting in a fantastic performance against Ellison.
Gable Steveson stops Elisha Ellison in first round at UFC 329
It didn’t take long for Gable Steveson to make his presence felt against Elisha Ellison. The former police officer had talked up a strong showing, but he was stopped inside the opening round.
Steveson’s walkout to Dr Dre’s ‘Nuthin’ but a “G” Thang’ set the tone, showing more personality in those few minutes than he had during the entire build-up. Ellison, meanwhile, wasn’t fazed by Jon Jones being in the opposite corner and came out ready to trade early.
The fight started with both men happy to stay on their feet and exchange shots. Steveson, perhaps feeding off the moment, rushed into exchanges looking for a quick finish like those he’d produced earlier in his career. He got overzealous at one point, catching Ellison low with a kick that forced a brief pause.
Once they resumed, it was clear who had momentum. Steveson pressed forward again and found his mark repeatedly. A series of punches and knees ended with Ellison dropping to the mat after being overwhelmed by Steveson’s pace and power.
Steveson labelled the ‘real deal’ thanks to swift KO
The reaction to Steveson’s performance was notable, with TNT Sports immediately calling the heavyweight the ‘real deal’.
After years of trying a number of different athletic ventures, it seems that the former NCAA Division 1 Champion has now finally found his calling with MMA.
Steveson previously spent time in WWE, being released in 2024 after sporadic appearances across a three year period – including ones at Wrestlemania and Summerslam.
The heavyweight also spent a short time at NFL team Buffalo Bills. Despite never playing football before at any level, Steveson was given a three-year deal, but only lasted a few months in the organisation.
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