Yardbarker
x
UFC Veteran Predicts Gable Steveson Will Be Pushed As UFC’s Next Heavyweight Star
Gable Steveson (Image Credits: Imagn Images)

UFC Veteran Predicts Gable Steveson Will Be Pushed As UFC’s Next Heavyweight Star

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports  |  By Pavan Sharma  |  Last updated Apr 15, 2026 3:50 AM ET
Google Add us as a preferred source on Google

Tom Aspinall immediately became the heavyweight champion when Jon Jones announced his retirement. The UFC also booked Aspinall vs. Cyril Gane to keep the division active, but an eye poke left the English fighter injured, and the division faced another setback. However, UFC veteran Chael Sonnen predicted that Gable Steveson was going to be the next heavyweight star.

Sonnen believed Steveson could be the UFC’s fast-track replacement for Jon Jones at heavyweight. The UFC veteran believed that the promotion would push Steveson quickly into major fights and market him as the next big heavyweight star. In a video, the 49-year-old said:

“Jon doesn’t pay attention to our industry. He doesn’t know how you would promote something. He just doesn’t understand these types of things. So I’m gonna just predict that Gable is gonna get real fast track.”

With his Olympic wrestling background and the hype around him, Sonnen claimed Stevenson is someone the promotion could build into a superstar. Fans were waiting for the debut fight of the 25-year-old, which was going to take place at International Fight Week.

Gable Steveson Shows Excitement About His UFC Debut

The hype around Gable Steveson was generated by big names in the UFC. Joe Rogan mentioned that he could be the monster of the heavyweight division. Additionally, the 25-year-old officially signed with the UFC and was set to fight at International Fight Week at UFC 329. Meanwhile, Steveson expressed his excitement in a video with the UFC and said:

“This is going to be the biggest debut on earth, and I’m ready. I think International Fight Week is gonna be crazy. Maybe a crazy headliner that might come back that you guys might know.”

He is already 3-0 in his professional MMA career and has finished all his opponents by TKO. Additionally, Jon Jones is coaching the 25-year-old, and Jones once said he was focused solely on training the young heavyweight star for his UFC debut.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA.