Jon Jones' protégé surprises by revealing his admiration for Daniel Cormier after knocking him out at UFC 329.

Gable Stevenson promotes Dirty Boxing event. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/DirtyBoxing

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Last Saturday (11), during UFC 329 , in Las Vegas (USA), Gable Stevenson showed that he intends to follow a different path than what was imagined for his MMA debut. Owner of an Olympic gold medal in wrestling, he surprised by betting on striking against Elisha Ellison and needed only one round to achieve a convincing knockout. The triumph gained a curious ingredient after the fight: Jon Jones ' pupil revealed admiration precisely for Daniel Cormier , the biggest rival of the former champion's career.

The American's performance was one of the highlights of the event and reinforced expectations surrounding his arrival in the organization. Considered one of the biggest prospects in the heavyweight division (up to 120,2kg), Steveson controlled the action from the start and ended the fight in the first round.

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“I’m a big fan of Daniel Cormier and I told him he didn’t need to use my wrestling. I wanted to show my striking this time, but don’t be surprised if I vary my fighting style in the future,” Gable stated at the post-event press conference.

The statement drew attention due to its context. Despite training alongside Jon Jones , Steveson doesn't hide his admiration for Cormier, a former two-division champion and one of the greatest wrestlers in MMA history. The two veterans starred in one of the most iconic rivalries in UFC history. Even with his grappling background, the newcomer preferred to downplay wrestling to highlight his evolution in stand-up fighting.

The dominant victory raises expectations for Gable Stevenson 's next steps in the organization. The Olympic champion made it clear that he intends to develop a complete game, alternating his strong ground game and striking depending on the opponent, reinforcing his image as one of the biggest heavyweight prospects.

Knockout of Jon Jones' protégé

Made the most of his UFC debut 🙌

Gable Steveson earns the RD1 knockout at #UFC329!

[LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/Y3myqiIrZs

— UFC (@ufc) July 12, 2026

Relive the historic rivalry between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier.

Daniel Cormier plans future fight against Jon Jones . Photo: Reproduction/X

The two were involved in one of the most intense rivalries in UFC history, facing each other twice. In their first encounter in 2015, Jones defeated his rival by unanimous decision. In the rematch in 2017, 'Bones' won by technical knockout, but the result was later changed to "no contest" after the then-champion tested positive for a banned substance in an anti-doping test.

The rivalry between the two went beyond the octagon and was marked by numerous provocations, public arguments, and tense episodes over the years. Even after Daniel Cormier 's retirement , the relationship between them was never completely friendly, which makes the revelation by Gable Stevenson , Jon Jones ' training partner , all the more curious when he publicly declared his admiration for the former two-division champion.

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