Gable Steveson to face 14-fight MMA veteran as Olympian continues UFC push

Gable Steveson is officially getting a step up in competition for what will be his third MMA fight after the wrestling standout debuted last year.

Already considered a must-watch heavyweight MMA prospect, Steveson is a two-time NCAA Division 1 national champion in freestyle wrestling and also claimed a gold medal for the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The 25-year-old tried his hand at careers in both the NFL and the WWE before he finally turned to MMA last year, winning his debut in September before he also competed in Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship and then closed out the year with a 24-second knockout in his second MMA bout.

Gable Steveson Returns To MMA At Mexican Fight League 3

Steveson’s three combat sports victories all came during a three-month span at the end of 2025, and now the Olympic gold medalist is set to kick off 2026 by facing Hugo Lezama at Mexican Fight League 3 on February 19.

MFL 3 is scheduled to take place at Showcenter Complex in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, and Steveson vs. Lezama is the only bout that’s been announced for the card so far. MFL actually held its first event last September, just days before Steveson made his MMA debut at LFA 217.

How Many Wins Does Steveson Need Before UFC Call?

Steveson’s first two MMA opponents Braden Peterson and Kevin Hein had a combined record of 3-1 in professional MMA, but the 25-year-old is now set to face a fighter in Lezama that has 14 fights of professional MMA experience.

“Pandemonium” made his debut in 2014 and scored a first-round finish to kick off what eventually became a five-fight win streak to begin his MMA career. Lezama claimed the Budo Sento Championship heavyweight belt in 2023 and was stopped by UFC veteran Emiliano Sordi in a bid to claim the FFC light heavyweight belt in his next outing, but he returned to Budo Sento Championship in late 2024 to defend his heavyweight strap with a second-round finish.

Gable Steveson won his pro MMA debut in less than two minutes. | (LFA)

Even though the 37-year-old Lezama will have an edge in MMA experience, Steveson will likely be a significant favorite heading into his third MMA bout after the 25-year-old logged less than half a round of combined total fight time across his three combat sports outings last year.

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