Hyped prospect, Olympic gold medalist, set to be biggest favorite in UFC history

Heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson believes he will not only win, but dominate Elisha Ellison in his UFC debut on the preliminary card of UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena.

So do the oddsmakers.

Steveson will almost assuredly step into the cage on Saturday night as the biggest betting favorite in UFC history. He’s currently as high as a -4000 favorite, meaning a $4,000 bet would win just $100.

It’s an absurd price for a heavyweight fight, the most unpredictable division in the sport.

But Steveson’s credentials are extraordinary.

He’s an Olympic wrestling gold medalist who won four Big Ten titles and two national championships at Minnesota, securing the sport’s version of the Heisman Trophy twice.

Steveson’s three pro fights on the regional circuit ended in first-round knockout victories and he may be the best heavyweight prospect to ever enter the UFC.

He’s not concerned about living up to the hype.

“I have everything to gain,” he said. “I know what’s going to happen. I’ve seen it in my mind so many times. I’ve seen it in my thoughts. I’ve prepared for this moment for many months. I know what’s going to happen Saturday, which will be a great victory for us.”

Ellison, a former police officer and military veteran who took up mixed martial arts as a way to deal with PTSD, feels he truly has nothing to lose in the fight.

He’s 5-2 as a pro and dropped his UFC debut last year and understands he is a massive underdog who is mostly being portrayed as a sacrificial lamb.

“I get an opportunity to shock the world,” he said. “I get to play with house money. We’ve put in the work these past few months, now we get to show everyone what we already know.”

The world is far more familiar with Steveson, who has long been seen as a future MMA star despite taking a few detours.

He was signed by the Buffalo Bills in 2004 despite never having played organized football before and participated in training camp and recorded three tackles and two quarterback hits in three preseason appearances before he was released.

That came after a brief stint as a pro wrestler in the WWE.

The UFC was always seen as the most direct path to stardom as a professional athlete, however.

“This was always the plan,” he said. “I should have probably started with this plan at first, but things happen. You get some hiccups and you have to work through them. But I’m so glad to be here now and it’s a great opportunity for me to go out there and win.”

While he understands the expectations, the 26-year-old Minnesota native is doing his best to not look too far ahead.

Steveson insists he’s fine with an unheralded opponent for his debut instead of shooting for a spot in the top 10 right off the bat.

He also knows the opportunity is there to make a rapid ascent.

“It’s a wide open division,” he said. “But I’m focused on Saturday. I’m taking it one day at a time. I know what’s going to come Saturday and I know what will happen after and I’ll be ready for that moment.

“Time is going to move fast where something will come up and something will come up after that. I will just be grateful for the moment and live in the moment, but time is going to move fast.”

Especially if he’s able to do what is expected of him in the cage with plenty of eyeballs on his fight considering the card will be headlined by the return of superstar Conor McGregor.

“This will be the show I want it to be,” he said. “It will be the Gable Steveson show. I’ve been in big shows my whole life, so it’s just another day for me.”

Steveson has been preparing for the moment working under the tutelage of former two-division champion Jon Jones, one of the best fighters in UFC history and himself a former college wrestler.

He believes Jones can become an elite coach and credits him for setting up the same type of fight camp Jones enjoyed in his career for Steveson.

That doesn’t seem to concern Ellison.

“Jon Jones isn’t in the Octagon,” he said. “So, it doesn’t matter to me.”