Gable Steveson Secures First Round Finish In UFC Debut

Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson made his promotional debut on Saturday night at UFC 329, and impressed with a first-round TKO of Elisha Ellison.

This was just the fourth professional MMA match for the Jon Jones-trained former wrestling phenom, and he walked through his opponent with strikes at ease. This came as a surprise to many given Steveson’s grappling prowess and ability to outwork anyone in the heavyweight division on the ground.

The finish came at roughly halfway through the first round, with Steveson beginning to open up on Ellison, landing a striking combination of blows including high kicks, clinch knees, and punches. Eventually, the punishment became too much for Ellison to handle, and he dropped to the octagon floor with the referee forced to intervene shortly after.

Former #Bills DT Gable Steveson wins his UFC debut with a first-round knockout 😳🥊 #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/evlEZjgB4N

— Bills Outlet (@billsoutlet_) July 12, 2026