Gable Steveson attended UFC 327 with his mentor, Jon Jones, to watch some action-packed clashes. However, nobody got a whiff of what the promotion was cooking with the former NCAA champion. During the broadcast, Jon Anik announced that Steveson has signed with the UFC and is set to debut during International Fight Week, which is taking place on July 11. But the promotion kept his dance partner a mystery.   

Currently, Steveson has taken the MMA world by storm, securing three consecutive victories in promotions like LFA and APFC. Recently, the 25-year-old also defeated Mexican veteran Hugo Lezama at MFL 3. So, Steveson definitely has some experience before joining Dana White’s promotion. Now, as we’re going to see him perform soon, let’s take a look at the opponents he could face at UFC 330, starting with…

Tai Tuivasa  

Over the years, Gable Steveson has become highly popular with his performances and his association with former UFC champ Jon Jones. In that case, his debut also needs to be against someone who has some name value. At this point, Tai Tuivasa meets that criteria.

Top Stories

UFC

Miami Gives Dana White a Reality Check as UFC 327 Gate, Attendance Revealed

17 hrs ago

UFC

Dana White Adds New Fight for White House Card on Donald Trump’s Request

1 day ago

UFC

UFC 327 Heavyweights Hospitalized Following Bloody ‘Fight of the Year’ Contender

18 hrs ago

UFC

What Is Josh Hokit’s Ethnicity, Religion, and Nationality? Exploring His Family Roots and Background

4 days ago

UFC

Paulo Costa Reveals “Personal” Conversation With Donald Trump After UFC 327 Win

19 hrs ago

After losing five fights in a row, the Aussie wanted to make a comeback against Tallison Teixeira at UFC 325. However, ‘Bam Bam’ ended up losing his sixth as well, in a pretty lackluster showdown in Sydney. Still, the UFC didn’t cut Tuivasa, who was previously ranked. Why? It’s because the Sydney native has a fanbase behind him, and that’s why he still holds name value in the UFC. 

Based on that name value, Tuivasa makes complete sense as Gable Steveson’s first opponent in the UFC. However, the fight also becomes even more interesting stylistically. Though the Aussie isn’t in the best form, he can still land some decent punches and hurt his adversary during wild exchanges. But Steveson happens to be a big puncher himself, so the fight can definitely take an interesting turn in a three-round bout. 

Tuivasa also has the experience of fighting marquee heavyweights like Ciryl Gane and Derrick Lewis. Still, can he actually beat a young and dynamic Gable Steveson, who’s a former NCAA champion? That would be a very intriguing scenario for fans to witness.  

Nevertheless, if the UFC fails to make that fight, there’s another interesting option they can explore. 

Kennedy Nzechukwu     

Indeed, Kennedy Nzechukwu isn’t a casual-friendly name like Tai Tuivasa, but the Nigerian native happens to be a pretty well-known name among hardcore fans. As a former light heavyweight fighter, Nzechukwu has faced ex-challenger Ovince Saint Preux and also clashed against decent names like Ion Cutelaba, which are some of the highlights of his career. 

After a string of losses, Nzechukwu moved up to the heavyweight division, and that turned out to be a really positive change. He beat Chris Barnett and Łukasz Brzeski via first-round knockouts to prove that he’s well-suited for the 265 lbs division. Yet, he faced a tough matchup against Marcus Buchecha, who took him to a draw in his last fight. 

Even with that draw in mind, it won’t be a stretch to say the unranked heavyweight packs a prodigious punch, as he has 10 knockouts on his resume. But how could Gable Steveson pose a threat to the Nigerian? The answer is wrestling. Yes, that’s been one of the weaker points in Nzechukwu’s career.

Time and again, the Nigerian has struggled with well-versed wrestlers, as he did against Saint Preux and Buchecha. So, the Olympic champion can pose a great threat to him in that regard. However, the exchanges on the feet become very interesting, as both heavyweights hit like a truck. 

Next on the list? A very underdog name that might fly under the radar. 

Vitor Petrino 

Like Kennedy Nzechukwu, the Brazilian sensation Vitor Petrino was also a light heavyweight who transitioned to heavyweight. But when it comes to name value, the Minas Gerais native has a much stronger presence than many other 265ers. Though he’s not ranked, Petrino’s wars against Thomas Petersen and Steven Asplund earned him solid recognition among fans.

Like other heavyweights, the Brazilian might not be a pure power puncher, yet he likes to out-volume his opponents by throwing constant combinations. In addition, Petrino also possesses a decent submission game, with two wins by submission. Whenever the 28-year-old gets the fight to the ground, he looks for guillotine attempts that can create trouble for anyone. 

With that in mind, if Steveson wants a complete challenge on both the ground and feet, Petrino would be a tremendous debut opponent. That said, why not give him a ranked fighter? Well, the 25-year-old has indeed looked incredible so far, but it’s also a fact that he only has three fights under his belt. So, dealing with someone like Marcin Tybura might be a tough ask. 

That said, a win over any of these three opponents would put him in a position to face ranked contenders without much risk. What do you think?