UFC legend Jon Jones announces Gable Steveson's next fight following pro MMA debut

After making his professional MMA debut earlier this month, Gable Steveson has booked his next fight under an entirely unexpected ruleset.

A 2020 Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA Division 1 national champion in freestyle wrestling, Steveson attempted to transition to professional wrestling with the WWE and to NFL football with the Buffalo Bills before announcing that he’d be making the jump to MMA this year.

The 25-year-old made short work of his first MMA opponent at LFA 217 just a few weeks ago, and now Steveson is apparently set to headline the Dirty Boxing 4 scheduled for October 30.

Gable Steveson Booked To Headline DBX 4

Announced by retired UFC star and Steveson teammate Jon Jones (who is co-owner of Dirty Boxing Championship), DBX 4 will take place in Nashville, TN and see Steveson square off with MMA veteran Billy Swanson in the night’s main event.

Started by former UFC fighter and current BKFC star Mike Perry, Dirty Boxing Championship features a unique ruleset where fighters wear 5 oz. gloves and are allowed to use elbows. If someone hits the ground, the standing fighter is able to utilize ground and pound as long as they continue standing over their opponent and don’t go to the mat themselves.

Gable Steveson will test his striking in a Dirty Boxing Championship main event. | (ESPN)

The most recent Dirty Boxing event was DBX 3 on August 29, which saw former top-ranked UFC fighter Jairzinho Rozentruik claim the promotion’s inaugural heavyweight title when he knocked out Rakim Cleveland in the first round.

Billy Swanson Brings Edge In MMA Experience To DBX Fight

While it may be an unexpected turn in Steveson’s combat sports career, a headlining bout at DBX 4 will at least give the wrestling star a chance to show off developments in his striking.

After withdrawing from a grappling bout with Craig Jones that was scheduled to take place two weeks earlier, Steveson made his MMA debut in the co-main event of LFA 217 against Braden Peterson. The 25-year-old had little difficulty bringing Peterson to the mat, and he ended things with ground and pound less than two minutes into the opening round.

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

Steveson will be taking on a fighter with a considerable experience edge at DBX 4, as Swanson went 9-1 during his amateur MMA career and is 4-3 as a pro. That being said, “Big Sexy” will also enter the matchup on a four-fight skid, as he was stopped in his last two MMA bouts for Bellator and the PFL before he was also knocked out in a Muay Thai bout last year and his first BKFC outing in August.

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