Many would argue that the UFC is the next logical step for Gable Steveson. And why wouldn’t they? He’s an Olympic gold medalist and could follow in the footsteps of Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo, and Ronda Rousey, right? He’s already done the WWE part of the journey that Rousey and Cormier did (granted, more to the extent of the latter than the former). But the third member of this UFC champ-Olympian triad has a different take on the subject, or rather, a word of warning.

The former Tokyo Olympics gold medalist ended up on the wrong end of headlines when he was decisively defeated by Wyatt Hendrickson, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. As ‘The Golden Gabe’ accepts defeat, his NCAA career officially comes to an end, signaling the beginning of a new chapter in his life. The wrestling sensation is now preparing for the next step in his career, with speculation swirling about his potential UFC debut. Training alongside Jon Jones has fueled anticipation, but this much-hyped debut has been dismissed as premature by a former UFC champion Henry Cejudo, calling it exactly what it is: a step too soon.

“I think that’s the best outlet for amateur wrestlers overall. I have not spoken to Dana personally. That’s one meeting I would love to have face-to-face. I’ve been waiting a long time to see him,” said Gable Steveson when asked about his speculation on joining the UFC. He has emphasized that his training with Jon Jones is helping him get ahead in his career. However, this has sparked a significant rift, as Henry Cejudo has come forward to point out one key element Steveson lacks, which is crucial for success in MMA.

During a recent episode of Pound-4-Pound, Henry Cejudo, in his conversation with Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya, highlighted the Mexican culture of watching sports, particularly boxing.“We were talking about it yesterday, like Gable Steveson. Yeah, you could be a wrestler, but if you don’t have that fight in you, like, to us, our heritage is being Mexican descent, bro. We grew up watching boxing, so it’s part of our heritage.”

He further added, “You know what I’m saying? Like, from De La Hoya, every time De La Hoya fought, or Chavez, I kind of caught the tail end of the Chavez [career] because I was a little younger. But we used to watch Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales. Like, we grew up watching a lot of these guys. So, I think for me, or for us, for our culture, it’s engraved in there. I don’t know if it was like that for you guys, but even someone like Gable Steveson, he’s thinking about maybe doing UFC. But do you have that eye? Do you have that finesse, that brute, to be able to hurt somebody with your hands?”

Gable Steveson played an essential role in Jon Jones’ camp ahead of his clash with Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Both Steveson and Jones engaged in a reciprocal exchange of knowledge in combat sports. When asked about Steveson’s anticipated UFC debut, the heavyweight champion emphasized, “He’s going to be scary. He’s going to be very scary when he decides to do MMA.” Many within the community believe that training alongside Jones would propel Steveson’s MMA career; however, Cejudo thinks otherwise.

With an outstanding wrestling record and an Olympic Gold, Gable Steveson’s career has already been a remarkable journey, but he wants more. Amidst this chaos, Chael Sonnen has come forward to give his verdict on Steveson’s training with Jones.

Chael Sonnen believes Jon Jones shouldn’t be the appropriate role model for Gable Steveson

Make no mistake, Gable Steveson is serious about his MMA journey, and he has been training with Jon Jones for it. After his stints in WWE, the NFL, and wrestling, the former Tokyo Olympics gold medalist is ready for another pivot, and the UFC seems to be the perfect place for him. However, is training with Jon Jones the best step to take? Many might believe that this is the case, but Chael Sonnen has some other thoughts.

While having a conversation on his YouTube handle, Sonnen emphasized that Steveson should learn MMA as a “Pupil” forgetting everything about combat sports. “He spent some time in MMA. He even spent some time with Robbie Lawler as his coach, with those guys that right now are called KillCliff. He spent some time in Jon Jones’s camp and was in Jon Jones’s corner. Now, that’s not the kind of MMA he needs,” said Sonnen.

He further added, “He needs the kind of MMA where he is the pupil. Now, where he comes in and he’s the head wrestling coach or, you know, he’s the cool guy with an Olympic gold medal. He needs to humble himself.” ‘Uncle Chael’ didn’t stop there. He weighed down on the need for employing proper coaches as well as proper managers for his team.

‘The American Gangster’ believes Steveson should take a careful approach before entering the game. As ‘Golden Gable’ continues to progress in his wrestling career, what are your thoughts on how he could improve his overall trajectory?