Jon Jones has indeed been flooded with backlash, with fans accusing him of ducking a heavyweight unification bout with Aspinall. But he still remains one of the UFC’s most recognized champions, earning admiration far beyond the world of mixed martial arts. That respect hit a new level recently when an Olympic gold medalist showed massive love for the reigning heavyweight kingpin.

‘Bones’ has stepped into the promoter’s role as co-owner of the Dirty Boxing Championship alongside Mike Perry. The debut event, headlined by Yoel Romero, drew solid attention and set the tone for what’s next. With DBX 2 set for June 14, Jones has been busy behind the scenes curating the card. Big names are expected to show up, and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson has already arrived to catch the action live.

Jon Jones receives respectful nod from Gable Steveson ahead of DBX 2 even

Jon Jones and Gable Steveson have trained together a few times, building a bond rooted in mutual respect and shared ambition. The NCAA Olympian and Olympic gold medalist already sees ‘Bones’ as the greatest of all time and holds deep admiration for him. Steveson has openly credited Jones as one of the key figures who inspired him to explore a future in MMA.

Continuing the respect, WWE superstar recently shared photos on Instagram with Jon Jones, seemingly taken at The Hangar at Regatta Harbour—the venue for Dirty Boxing Championship 2. Steveson looked fired up for the event and captioned the post, “Grateful. Tomorrow @dirtyboxing goes down again! See yall there!”

Gable Steveson’s presence at DBX 2 will turn heads and add even more buzz to the already stacked event. What’s interesting now is whether the Olympic gold medalist uses the spotlight to tease an opponent for his MMA debut. While the Indiana native deeply respects Jon Jones, it’s clear he already has plans laid out for his next big move.

The 25-year-old heavyweight wrestler knows Jones won’t be around forever, and he’s already thinking ahead for his own path. If Gable Steveson ever decides to put on the UFC gloves, he’s got a list of potential names he’d like to face. So let’s take a look at that list.

Gable Steveson wants to fight Tom Aspinall  once Jones retires from UFC

Every great champion eventually looks for someone worthy to pass the torch to as retirement creeps closer in the fight game. Gable Steveson believes he could be that guy—ready to step in and take Jon Jones’ place once the legend walks away. The Olympic gold medalist has already named interim champ Tom Aspinall and powerhouse Alexander Volkov, and Ciryl Gane as potential future matchups he’d gladly welcome inside the octagon.

The Olympian at the Overdogs Podcast said, “When Jon finally hangs it up, the next best guy is Tom Aspinall. Someone’s gotta take that off his shoulder. You always wanna go against the Tom Aspinalls, you always wanna go against the [Ciryl] Ganes, you wanna go against the [Alexander] Volkov, you wanna go against Sergeis [Pavlovich], and you wanna put on your best performance, but honestly, it don’t matter.

Gable Steveson would be a strong addition to the heavyweight division, which has been missing that extra spark of star power lately. Once Jon Jones retires, Tom Aspinall will likely stand as the most recognized name at 265 lbs—but he’ll need fresh challengers. Steveson’s Olympic wrestling pedigree and explosive athleticism could bring something special to the division, making him a fascinating prospect to watch.

That being said, would you be interested in watching another accomplished NCAA wrestler step into the UFC and take on some of the most dangerous heavyweights in MMA? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.