Jon Jones Hails ‘Young King’ as Gable Stevenson Faces Backlash Over Controversial Return Despite Huge Win

Last week at UFC 309, UFC heavyweight king Jon Jones returned to the Octagon with a lightning-fast performance against former two-time champion Stipe Miočić, successfully defending his title. However, more voices from his camp have highlighted a key factor behind his success: Olympic gold medalist and former NCAA champion turned WWE superstar, Gable Steveson. At just 24, Steveson, despite being 13 years younger than Jones, played a pivotal role in preparing the legend for his first title defense against the seasoned heavyweight Miocic.
Even Jones couldn’t shy away from showing his respect to the young wrestler, stating, “You are a great teacher.” Looking ahead, as Jones prepares for his second title defense against Tom Aspinall amid rumors of Steveson’s potential UFC debut, Jones once again paid his respects to what he called the “future MMA heavyweight champion.”
Jon Jones Praises Gable Steveson as he returns to college wrestling
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After a tumultuous period involving WWE and the NFL, Gable Steveson faced criticism for his brief WWE stint and a three-year NFL contract that didn’t materialize. He also endured severe backlash from fans for frequently switching sports and dealing with s-xual misconduct allegations. Despite these setbacks, Steveson made a strong return to wrestling on November 24, rejoining the NCAA ranks with the Minnesota Gophers. He marked his comeback by extending his undefeated streak to 52 matches with a victory over his opponent, Campbell.
This victory caught the attention of Jon Jones, who couldn’t hide his excitement. Jones shared a clip of Steveson’s grappling session on Twitter, with the caption, “My goodness, great job, young king!!”
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Recently, Steveson was also in the audience at Madison Square Garden, where he watched Jon Jones land a spinning kick in the third round. This experience prompted Steveson to reconsider his future in sports. Despite facing criticism for switching between sports, he remains undeterred and is now contemplating a potential career shift to MMA, inspired by his training with Jon Jones.
Gable Steveson discusses MMA transition after training with Jones
A greater source of inspiration for Gable Steveson may lie in Jon Jones’ own journey, which closely mirrors some of the challenges Steveson has faced. ‘Bones’, who once juggled college wrestling and football, ultimately chose mixed martial arts (MMA) due to his narrow bone structure, which was better suited for the sport. Over the years, Jones ruled the light heavyweight division, proving that his choice was the right one. His story could serve as a powerful inspiration for Steveson, who is currently struggling to find his niche. After working alongside Jones during his preparation for a successful title defense, Steveson was ignited with a renewed passion for MMA.
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Reflecting on his time in training camp with Jones, Steveson recently shared with Ariel Helwani, “After being in that camp with Jon Jones, that definitely put a major spark in me to go out there and do MMA. Not sure the promotion yet, but Jon definitely lit a fire under me, and was like, ‘Hey, I think you should go back to wrestling. I think you should try MMA. We have a great team out here in Albuquerque if you want to join us.”
What are your thoughts on Gable Steveson’s potential in MMA? With Jon Jones recently backing him, it could give Steveson’s career a significant boost. Moreover, Jones’ strong ties with Dana White and the UFC could help Steveson secure a spot in the promotion. As Jones approaches the end of his career, at 34, Steveson could emerge as a worthy successor. Share your opinion below!