​Legendary coach Greg Jackson has seen it all. For decades, Jackson has stood as one of the most recognizable and respected figures in combat sports, and the high regard he holds for his pupil Gable Steveson makes that reputation even more striking. “He’s such a sweetheart, and good lord, is he a super athlete,” Jackson recently told MMA Junkie. “He’s incredibly fast. I’ve rolled with plenty of people—no, I’m not claiming I’m a great fighter or anything. I grapple, I warm up with people, and I used to do a lot more when I was younger. He’s just so fast and so strong. It’s rare to encounter someone who’s both fast and strong like he is. And he’ll move around with me without injuring me at all, which is fantastic for the old guy. Just witnessing his athletic ability, his capacity to switch swiftly from striking to takedowns and back again, it’s phenomenal. He’s a truly special person in many ways. Not just athletically—he’s a sweetheart of a guy and incredibly respectful. He’s an all-around good dude.”
Jackson, who has long trained at JacksonWink in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was introduced to Steveson (3-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) by all-time MMA great Jon Jones. From the moment Jackson began working with him, it was clear Steveson possessed something special. For Jackson, the priority has been staying calculated and realistic with Steveson, even amid outside pressures about how quickly he should or could ascend.
“I’m always cautious,” Jackson said. “I’m not a naysayer, but I’m typically very conservative. It drives everybody in every organization and all my fighters crazy. I’m much more conservative than, ‘Let’s go win right now.’ I like setting up parameters I know will win, and so on. So while I don’t think it’s a bad thing to be where he’s at and ready to go, I’d always like more time. That doesn’t mean I’m right. Again, with this stuff, I can be very wrong. Do I think we’re going to win this weekend? Absolutely. I think we’re going to have a great time. But I’m always the guy who wants to move slower than everyone else. … To be honest, he has the ability. He’s just incredible. I can’t say enough good things about him. I’m always the voice in the back that you don’t want to hear, saying, ‘Well, maybe we should slow down a little bit.’”
Steveson, 26, is widely regarded as one of the most highly touted prospects in all of MMA, particularly given his credentials as an Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA champion. His wrestling résumé is elite. While Jackson acknowledges that success in wrestling doesn’t always translate directly to MMA, he doesn’t hesitate to say he believes Steveson will likely be an exception.
“Without a doubt, he can be champion,” Jackson asserted. “Winning a heavyweight gold medal is incredibly hard. The talent there, the level of competition you face—good grief. Just earning an NCAA title, even one, speaks volumes about his potential.”