There were plenty of viral moments from UFC 329 in Las Vegas. Paddy Pimblett executed one of the most lethal submissions ever recorded on video, UFC president Dana White sounded off on his production team’s costly mistake and legendary fighter Conor McGregor blew out his knee in the main event match.
Plus, a former WWE star proved that he could be just as dangerous in the octagon as in the squared circle.
Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, who spent two years in WWE developmental before a brief stint with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, made his UFC debut on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.
Due to his impressive wrestling background, many expected the two-time NCAA Division 1 national champion to rely on grappling in his UFC debut.
Instead, Steveson showed flashes of his mentor Jon Jones and unleashed a flurry of strikes against Elisha Ellison.
Steveson squashed Ellison in less than three minutes, earning his first UFC victory by knockout.
The former University of Minnesota standout entered the match as the biggest betting favorite on the entire card and proved why with his brutal first-round knockout.
“Time will tell [where I stand],” he said afterward. “I’m a great athlete, I’m a great person. I can go out there and do special things, as you can see. Time will tell that story.”
Gable Steveson Flashes Power in UFC Debut
Whether it’s in the squared circle, on an NFL gridiron or in the UFC octagon, Steveson has carried immense power everywhere he goes.
The 2020 Summer Olympic gold medalist needed just 2:39 minutes to flatten Ellison.
Impressively, he didn’t need a single takedown to defeat the 236-pound Ellison.
Instead, Steveson pummeled him with heavy strikes to secure the knockout.
Steveson landed 41 strikes at an impressive 71 percent clip against Ellison, who only mustered 14 connections. With Jones coaching him, Steveson landed less refined versions of Jones’ vast striking arsenal.
Steveson landed calf kicks, clinch knees and even a flying knee. Halfway through Round 1, he put Ellison out with a left cross.
“See, I wanted Elisha Ellison to feel that pressure; I wanted him to feel pain. I wanted to go out there and make him quit,” Steveson said after his win. “And I knew when Elisha Ellison got hit hard, he would fall down. And he did fall down.”
“I hope people know there’s so much more to my bag. I showcased a little bit. I showcased a lot of kicks and a lot of lower kicks from the left side. Just imagine when I come from both sides. And the elbows come in and the big knees I was doing at the end become jumping knees.”
Steveson, 26, is one of the most decorated wrestlers in US history, with two NCAA Division I titles in addition to his 2020 gold medal.
Although his WWE and NFL careers were short-lived, Steveson figures to fare better in UFC.
Former WWE and NFL Star Wins UFC Debut With Vicious Knockout