​Gable Steveson is hoping that Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier can set aside their bitter feud long enough to help him sharpen his skills together. The undefeated young fighter, who is 3-0 in professional MMA and 0-0 in the UFC, is a heavy favorite heading into his octagon debut against Elisha Ellison (5-2, 0-1 UFC) at UFC 329. The event is set for Saturday’s prelims at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be streamed on Paramount+. Steveson, an Olympic gold medalist and former wrestling standout, has been mentored by Jones, a former two-division UFC champion, and he intends to keep training with him for the foreseeable future. Yet he also sees real value in sharing the mats with Cormier, another Olympic medalist and a fighter he regards highly.
“I’ve always trained with Jon,” Steveson told MMA Junkie Radio. “I would love to get some one-on-one training with DC. I’ve always told Jon that DC is a fantastic fighter, and he’s one of my top two fighters of all time. I’d enjoy a few sessions with DC to learn how he processes fighting, how he transitioned from wrestling to mixed martial arts, and how he managed that progression.” He added, “I would love that. It would be an honor to be part of a team with DC and have DC guide me in the right direction. But I’ve been with Jon my whole short career so far, and I plan on sticking with Jon forever. Still, I’d love for DC to give me a few lessons.”
Steveson has never advanced beyond the first round in his brief pro career. If the fight at UFC 329 extends past the opening stanza, Jones would be in his corner to offer guidance. “Who would come in if it goes past the first round is Jon Jones or Greg Jackson,” Steveson explained. “But everyone’s treated the same. Everyone has their own specialty. In my eyes, there’s no single head coach. Everyone has their own role according to who they need to be, so everyone is treated the same in my book.”
The piece concludes with a note about its original publication. MMA Junkie first reported Steveson’s aspiration: while he remains loyal to Jones and intends to train with him for the long term, he would welcome the chance to learn from Cormier and to benefit from a broader coaching dynamic that could further enhance his development as he prepares for UFC 329.