Gable Steveson Rolls Again at MFL 3, UFC Debut Looms on the Horizon

MONTERREY, Mexico — The Gable Steveson hype train isn’t slowing down. If anything, it just picked up speed. Headlining Mexico Fight League 3 at Showcenter Complex, the Olympic gold medalist moved to 3-0 in professional MMA with a dominant first-round TKO over Hugo Lezama and once again looked like a future UFC heavyweight contender in waiting.

Lezama (11-4) entered as Steveson’s most experienced opponent yet, but experience didn’t translate to control. The Mexican heavyweight came out aggressive, throwing wide power shots and even landing a spinning back kick to the head. Steveson absorbed it without panic, showing composure that belied his limited MMA resume.

From there, it was textbook. With Jon Jones in his corner, Steveson secured control on the mat and unleashed heavy ground-and-pound. After opening a cut and steadily increasing the volume of strikes, the referee stepped in at 3:50 of Round 1. Another first-round finish. Another statement.

There was no wild celebration. No chest-beating theatrics. Just a few smiles. For Steveson, it was “another day at the office.” In his post-fight interview, he emphasized continued development tightening details, refining transitions, and staying ready for the next call. That next call could come sooner rather than later.