Gable Steveson rolls to 3-0 in MMA, but opts not to call for UFC

Former U.S. Olympic gold medalist wrestler Gable Steveson improved to 3-0 as a professional mixed martial artist Thursday but did not call for his next fight to take place in the UFC.

Steveson, 25, cruised to a first-round TKO over veteran Hugo Lezama (11-4) at Mexico Fight League 3 in Monterrey, Mexico. The finish came at the 3:50 mark, as Steveson landed a series of unanswered strikes on the ground. Before Thursday, Steveson had hinted at a potential call for the UFC and even the promotion’s White House event this summer with a victory, but he ultimately opted against it.

“I feel great. I’m getting better each day,” Steveson said. “I’m going to take a shower, go back to my hotel and fall asleep.”

Steveson, who is also a two-time NCAA Division I champion wrestler, has been on the UFC’s radar for more than a year. He trains alongside UFC legend Jon Jones in Albuquerque, New Mexico. UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard was in attendance for Steveson’s boxing debut in October, which he won via 24-second knockout.

Although he dominated Lezama on Thursday, he did show signs of inexperience. Lezama landed a wild spinning wheel kick on the feet, and Steveson looked slightly fatigued even though the fight ended in the opening round. Nevertheless, it was a relatively one-sided contest against an opponent with far more experience in MMA.

Jones has predicted Steveson will win the UFC heavyweight championship by early 2027. The two have mentioned the possibility of each accepting a UFC fight at the White House, despite Steveson’s decision to not amplify that message Thursday.