Olympic wrestling champion Gable Steveson made a thunderous entrance into professional mixed martial arts, delivering a dominant first-round TKO victory at LFA 217 that left no doubt about his potential in the sport.
The highly anticipated debut saw Steveson face off against Braden Peterson, a 37-year-old former police officer who entered the bout with a 1-0 professional record and five amateur contests under his belt. What unfolded was a masterclass in ground control that showcased exactly why Steveson has generated such excitement in MMA circles.
From the moment the opening bell rang Steveson wasted no time implementing his game plan. The wrestling phenom secured a takedown within the first 20 seconds immediately establishing the dominant position that would define the entire encounter. His transition from the wrestling mats to the cage appeared seamless as he controlled Peterson from the top position.
Less than a minute into the contest Steveson demonstrated his expanding skill set by attempting an Americana submission. While Peterson managed to escape the attempt it only delayed the inevitable. Steveson‘s relentless ground-and-pound pressure began to take its toll with the wrestling champion unleashing a barrage of elbows and punches from the mount position.
The end came just 90 seconds into the opening round when the referee determined Peterson had absorbed enough damage. Steveson‘s combination of wrestling dominance and striking power proved too much for his opponent to handle.
Adding intrigue to the evening was the presence of UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones who watched from Steveson‘s corner and later provided glowing commentary about his teammate’s potential.
“He’s Gable,” Jones said of his training partner who helped prepare him for his bout against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. “And as I say that I feel like the MMA crowd will get used to hearing that just like the wrestling crowd understands what he is. He’s a freak athlete.”
Jones elaborated on what makes Steveson special highlighting multiple dimensions of his athleticism.
“He’s incredibly fast. He’s powerful. He’s intelligent. He has the work ethic. And he’s shown our team Greg Jackson and I Brandon Gibson and I that he’s willing to humble himself and surround himself with the best.”
The UFC champion’s assessment painted a picture of an athlete with all the necessary ingredients for success at the highest level.
“He has the perfect formula to go all the way to the top and then some,” Jones added suggesting that Steveson‘s ceiling in MMA could be exceptionally high.
Perhaps most significantly Jones noted what has impressed him most about Steveson‘s transition to MMA – his ability to seamlessly blend his world-class wrestling with developing boxing skills. This combination suggests that Steveson is already evolving beyond a one-dimensional grappler into a more complete mixed martial artist.
