TLDR
- Gable Steveson makes his UFC debut against Elisha Ellison at UFC 329 on Saturday
- Steveson is trained by Jon Jones and plans to keep him as his coach forever
- He wants one-on-one training sessions with Daniel Cormier despite Jones-Cormier rivalry
- Steveson calls Cormier one of his top two fighters of all time and a fantastic fighter
- The Olympic wrestler is 3-0 in MMA and has never gone past the first round
Sources: mmajunkie.usatoday.com | boxingnews.com
Gable Steveson hopes that Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier can put their bitter rivalry aside so he can train with both former UFC champions.
The Olympic gold medalist wrestler makes his UFC debut Saturday night against Elisha Ellison at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. Steveson enters the fight with a 3-0 record and is a heavy favorite.
Jones has been mentoring Steveson since he made the jump from freestyle wrestling to mixed martial arts. Steveson made clear that Jones will remain his coach for the rest of his career.
“I’ve always been with Jon,” Steveson told MMA Junkie Radio. “I plan on keeping Jon forever.”
Learning From Cormier’s Path
Despite his loyalty to Jones, Steveson expressed a strong desire to train with Cormier. He said he has told Jones that Cormier is one of his top two fighters of all time.
“I would love to get some one-on-one training with DC,” Steveson said. “DC is a fantastic fighter, and he’s one of my top two fighters of all time.”
Jon Jones speaks about his transition from fighter to coach and gives some insight on how he’s training his protege Gable Stevenson on UFC 329 embedded 👀
“In my mind I’m already trying to prepare for 25 minute fights instead of 15 minute fights…”
“I’m thinking ahead when it… pic.twitter.com/g1lTfedvjs
— Title Fight (@TitleFightMedia) July 10, 2026
Steveson wants to learn from Cormier specifically about the transition from Olympic wrestling to MMA fighting. Cormier made that same jump and became a two-division UFC champion at both heavyweight and light heavyweight.
“I would enjoy a few classes with DC to learn how he processed fighting, how he managed from wrestling to come to fighting,” Steveson said. “It would be an honor to be a part of a team with DC and have DC kind of guide me in the right direction.”
Cormier’s path from Olympic wrestler to dual-division champion provides a template for what Steveson is trying to accomplish in his own career.
The Jones-Cormier Rivalry
Jones and Cormier fought twice during one of the most heated rivalries in UFC history. Jones won the first fight at UFC 182 by unanimous decision.
In their 2017 rematch at UFC 214, Jones knocked out Cormier with a head kick. That result was later overturned after Jones failed a drug test.
Steveson has finished all three of his sanctioned MMA fights in the first round. He also has a non-UFC win, a 15-second knockout of Billy Swanson for Dirty Boxing Championship.
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If his fight against Ellison goes past the first round on Saturday, Steveson said Jones or Greg Jackson will be in his corner. Ellison enters the fight with a 5-2 record and is 0-1 in the UFC.
Steveson described his training team as equals, with each person bringing their own specialty. “In my eyes, there’s no head person,” he said. “Everybody has their own place according to who they need to be.”
The UFC 329 prelims air on Paramount+ from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
