News Gable Steveson MMA Debut Announced - Sep. 12th

[AndrewGolota48]

Will be interesting to see given all the "if Brock started young" and "A level American athlete" talk.

Except they're different people and we've seen lesser wrestlers be better MMA fighters than better wrestlers.

I have a feeling Stevenson will try to be a standard wrestle boxer and not embrace the ground game like Brock did, and Brock was a natural with it, which most wrestlers aren't.

He will be a short heavyweight with a much lesser reach than Lesnar as well.

Maybe the comparison should be if DC started young

 

[Mob69]

There is no point rushing him. Let him develop his game for a while.

 

[Thesnake101]

On the contrary. He actually was planning to dabble into the mma world after winning gold at the 2021 Olympics, until the WWE came in and approached him with a suitcase full of Benjamins.

He used MMA as a bargaining chip on Brock's advice IIRC, then when they ditched him instead of going to MMA he once again went to a different sport to amount to nothing in and now we're here.

On paper he should at the very least be able to get into a major org, so maybe he's done embarrassing himself.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

Based on what? Wrestlers tend to react terribly to shots, at least early on. Brock did, Bo does. His chin could be suspect.

Yeah I mean the only way to improve your reaction is to spar a lot of rounds really, as in striking. I think Lesnar didn't do this so much from what I've read and it did mean he didn't react well to strikes.

 

[volcom5]

Having credentials dont mean anything, when you don’t or cant adapt it into MMA., I’ve seen to many with creds fizzle out in MMA, and many without creds flourish,

 

[The_Renaissance]

If this guy gets to 3-0, the UFC will sign him outright.

 

[Doctor Grudge]

Despite all the crap BJJ guys get, world class BJJ guys have typically done better than world class wrestlers. Cejudo is one of the few world champions that really did well in MMA, and some of his success is a bit over blown.

Usually guys at the very top of wrestling are a bit too specialized to adapt to MMA grappling. Hopefully Gable is an exception, but even in just recent years world class wrestlers have had problems. It's usually guys with good national or regional level wrestling that do very well in MMA.

Heavyweight makes it interesting though. My gut feeling is he won't be a top guy, but maybe that isn't really going out on a limb.

 

[Dark C3PO]

One of the best prospects in MMA history, if not THE best.

Should've done this right after he won his gold medal instead of wasting time on WWE/NFL.

 

[Söze Aldo]

Despite all the crap BJJ guys get, world class BJJ guys have typically done better than world class wrestlers. Cejudo is one of the few world champions that really did well in MMA, and some of his success is a bit over blown.

Usually guys at the very top of wrestling are a bit too specialized to adapt to MMA grappling. Hopefully Gable is an exception, but even in just recent years world class wrestlers have had problems. It's usually guys with good national or regional level wrestling that do very well in MMA.

Heavyweight makes it interesting though. My gut feeling is he won't be a top guy, but maybe that isn't really going out on a limb.

It'll honestly come down to how well he can take shots. On paper he can out-wrestle any HW right now, but could he do so while a Curtis Blades is raining down knuckles to his temple?

Just like with Bo, we'll find out a lot about him after he takes his first real hit. The guy strikes me as flakey though, tried WWE fizzled out, NFL attempt never went anywhere. He may realize getting hit in the head for relative pennies to start isn't his thing either.

 

[Brca031]

The last thing we need is another leg humper.

 

[Alpha_T83]

I'm not convinced this guy will be the next DC. He could easily surpass DC if he was motivated and dedicated. But I see him as being another Bo Nickal, who fights MMA "because he's good at it" with his background and can make money, but doesn't really have his heart in the sport.

If that's the case, and he gives his MMA career a half-hearted attempt, relying on his wrestling skill, then it's only a matter of time before he gets KO'd.

 

[JustBleed69]

Hopefully they are smart with his development and slow roll him, he needs minimum 10 fights before going to the UFC (if he ends up being decent).

 

[Hassan Mouzine]

we will have to see how he does. no hype just yet imo. the amount of hype bo nickal got was insane and he talked it up a few notches higher. the fall will only be that much nastier. let's just give this stevenson some time and not hype him up

 

[JBJ was here]

He gets punched in the face once, taps out, and cries.

Probably. On the other had, if he gets punched in the face and it doesn't really faze him he'd immediately be able to step in as the #2 UFC HW.

 

[GoWokeGoBroke]

We'll know if he's gonna be any good, after he takes one solid shot to the face...

This guy porns

 

[Meathead Jock]

If he is getting into MMA not sure why he agreed to go take a loss to Craig Jones at the end of this month. Not that it matters but feels like it will give ammo against the hype machine that will run behind him.

Must have saw my post.

He has backed out of the Craig Jones grappling match.

 

[pick999]

WWE, didnt work.

Or nfl

 

[Aurelian]

You have to have an insane competitive drive and mindset to the point of almost being psychotic to win an Olympic Gold medal. That takes extreme dedication and training. If he applies that same mindset to MMA he could go far. It depends how bad he wants it.

 

[MRT]

A toe injury serious enough to pull out of CJI, but will undoubtedly not jeopardize his LFA fight.

Hmmmm...seems awfully convenient.

 

[Söze Aldo]

A toe injury serious enough to pull out of CJI, but will undoubtedly not jeopardize his LFA fight.

Hmmmm...seems awfully convenient.

The CJI is pretty much viewed as competition to the UFC now since they've entered into BJJ. It was probably more the UFC telling him to drop out than anything.