TLDR
- Jon Jones called Gable Steveson the future heavyweight champion after a weekend training camp together
- Jones posted Instagram videos showing grappling sessions with the Olympic gold medalist wrestler
- Steveson is 3-0 in MMA and faces Hugo Lezame at Mexican Fight League 3 on February 19
- The prediction comes while Jones’ potential superfight with Tom Aspinall remains stalled
- Jones described Steveson’s progress as ‘extraordinarily fast’ and said championship glory won’t take long
Sources: BJ Penn | MMA Mania | LowKick MMA
Jon Jones declared that Gable Steveson will become the UFC’s next heavyweight champion after training together over the weekend. The current heavyweight champion posted videos on Instagram showing their grappling exchanges and made a clear prediction about the Olympic wrestler’s future.
“Great weekend with Gable Steveson,” Jones wrote on social media. “He’s leveling up extraordinarily fast.”
Jones added that teaching is a martial art of its own and predicted it won’t be long until Steveson wins the heavyweight title. The post included footage of the two fighters working together at Jackson Wink MMA.
Gable Steveson working with mentor Jon Jones as he prepares for his next bout 🔥
(via @JonnyBones) pic.twitter.com/zMeRTGnYme
— COMBAT SPORTS TODAY (@CSTodayNews) January 20, 2026
Steveson’s Fast Rise in MMA
Steveson has won all three of his professional MMA fights in less than three months. The 25-year-old stopped his debut opponent at LFA 217 in under two minutes last September.
He followed that with a 15-second win in Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship. His second official MMA fight lasted just 24 seconds against Kevin Hein.
Steveson has logged less than half a round of total fight time across all three victories. The two-time NCAA Division 1 National Champion and 2020 Olympic gold medalist brings elite wrestling credentials to the sport.
He faces 14-fight veteran Hugo Lezame at Mexican Fight League 3 on February 19. A few more wins could earn him a UFC contract or a spot on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Jones’ Stalled Superfight Plans
The timing of Jones’ post draws attention as his own future remains uncertain. Many consider Jones the greatest fighter in UFC and MMA history based on his dominant light heavyweight run.
Jones moved to heavyweight in 2023 and won the vacant belt with a first-round submission at UFC 285. He defended the title once against Stipe Miocic before announcing his retirement last summer.
The retired champion expressed interest in fighting at the UFC’s planned White House event in June. Fans have waited for either a title bout with interim champion Tom Aspinall or a superfight with Alex Pereira.
Those talks have gone nowhere while Jones trains with Steveson. His prediction about the young wrestler positions Steveson as a future threat to whoever holds the heavyweight title.
Jones told Alex Pereira to “be careful” recently as rumors swirled about potential matchups. He has not committed to any specific return date or opponent.
Steveson’s friendship with Jones has been visible throughout his young MMA career. The Jackson Wink teammates have trained together regularly as Steveson develops his striking and other skills beyond wrestling.
Jones described his role as a teacher in the Instagram post while praising Steveson’s rapid improvement. The videos showed dynamic scrambles between the heavyweight champion and the Olympic wrestler.
Steveson will look to extend his winning streak to four fights when he steps into the cage on February 19 in Mexico.
