Gable Steveson Makes UFC History Before His Debut

Olympic wrestling gold medalist Gable Steveson is set to make his long-awaited UFC debut on July 11 at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. Remarkably, before even stepping into the Octagon, he has already made history.

The 26-year-old American will face fellow countryman Elijah Ellison, but sportsbooks see the outcome as heavily one-sided. One of the leading bookmakers has installed Steveson as a -2800 favorite, making him the biggest betting favorite ever for a UFC debut.

The previous record was shared by Bo Nickal and Malcolm Wellmaker, who both entered their promotional debuts as -2500 favorites.

Steveson captured Olympic gold in freestyle wrestling at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games before turning his attention to mixed martial arts. Last year, he recorded three consecutive stoppage victories, quickly establishing himself as one of the most promising heavyweight prospects in the sport.

Adding to the hype is the fact that former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has served as one of Steveson's mentors throughout his transition to MMA.

Now, all eyes will be on the decorated wrestler as he looks to justify the enormous expectations and begin his UFC career with a statement victory.