Coach Greg Jackson says UFC newcomer is the most talented athlete he's ever seen

Legendary MMA coach Greg Jackson has praised UFC newcomer Gable Steveson as the most athletically talented fighter he has ever worked with, ahead of the 26-year-old's Octagon debut.

Steveson, an Olympic heavyweight wrestling gold medalist from the Tokyo Games in August 2021, will make his UFC debut at UFC 329 on July 11 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, facing Elisha Ellison. Since turning professional, the heavyweight has maintained a 3-0 record under the mentorship of Jon Jones, finishing all three opponents in the first round.

Jackson, who has coached elite fighters including Georges St. Pierre, Rashad Evans, Holly Holm, and Jones, believes Steveson possesses transformational potential for the sport. "I've worked with most of the greatest fighters to ever do this game, and his athletic ability is unprecedented," Jackson said during UFC 329's Embedded series. "The way he thinks about things, how smart he is, how coachable—you need to tune in now to see where the ceiling for this guy is. He might be redefining what this sport is."

With gold-medal wrestling credentials and an unblemished professional record, expectations surrounding Steveson's Octagon debut are extraordinarily high.