Gable Steveson won his UFC debut with a first round TKO over Elisha Ellison at UFC 329. The fight ended at 2 minutes and 31 seconds when Steveson finished Ellison with a series of knees and punches.
Steveson entered the heavyweight bout with a 3-0 professional record. He improved to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the UFC. Ellison fell to 5-2. Steveson, a former Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, showed strong striking in the opening minutes after stuffing an early takedown attempt from Ellison.
Jon Jones, known as JonnyBones, served as a corner for Steveson during the fight. Jones has been connected to Steveson’s preparation for this debut. After the win, Jones expressed pride in Steveson’s performance backstage.
Steveson’s background includes success in college wrestling at the University of Minnesota, where he won multiple national titles. He later competed in the WWE and briefly signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2024 before turning to mixed martial arts full time.
The victory adds to Steveson’s record of finishing all previous fights by knockout or technical knockout. His performance at UFC 329 drew attention for how quickly he ended the bout against a more experienced opponent in Ellison.
UFC 329 took place in Las Vegas. Steveson’s win came on the preliminary card. The result keeps his undefeated streak alive as he moves forward in the heavyweight division.