Gable Steveson

Steveson mixed front kicks and power punches before closing distance into the clinch. Knees and punches collapsed Ellison and ended the bout at 2:31 of round one.

Key moments

• Steveson mixed front kicks with power punches.
• He closed distance and attacked with knees from the clinch.
• Ellison collapsed under the sequence at 2:31 of round one.

Steveson's most revealing test to date, Lezama — a durable veteran with 11 wins — came out with a scrambling, awkward style and even rocked Steveson with a clean spinning wheel kick mid-round. Steveson absorbed the shot cleanly, reset, and eventually dragged Lezama to the canvas for the final time, swarming with ground-and-pound until the stoppage at 3:50. The performance confirmed both a granite chin and patience beyond what the early finishes had shown.

Key moments

• Lezama tested Steveson's chin with a stiff spinning wheel kick that connected flush — Steveson absorbed it without visible distress and immediately re-engaged
• Steveson repeatedly took Lezama down and let him back up, showing deliberate mat patience rather than just swarming for the finish
• Final sequence: Steveson secured a takedown, moved to mount, and unloaded accurate ground-and-pound until the referee stepped in at 3:50

Hein came out aggressively and walked straight into a single left hook from Steveson that ended the night in 24 seconds — Steveson's fastest finish and one of the quickest MMA knockouts of 2025. As Hein crumpled unconscious, Steveson's wrestling instincts fired and he shot a power double-leg before realising the fight was over. The result put the MMA world on notice and sparked a public callout for a UFC contract.

Key moments

• Hein charged forward looking to seize the initiative early — Steveson timed a single left hook perfectly as Hein closed the distance
• Hein dropped unconscious at 0:24; Steveson instinctively shot a takedown before registering the stoppage
• Post-fight callout: Steveson addressed the UFC matchmaker directly from the cage, demanding a contract

Steveson's professional MMA debut in front of a home-state crowd in Prior Lake, Minnesota. He had Peterson on the ground inside 17 seconds, taking him down off a kick attempt, landing a smashing elbow, and never letting him recover. Peterson never returned to his feet, and the referee waved it off at 1:38 of round one.

Key moments

• Steveson secured his first professional takedown in just 17 seconds, catching Peterson off a kick and driving him to the canvas
• An immediate smashing elbow on the ground stunned Peterson and removed any chance of a scramble or escape
• Relentless ground-and-pound with no defensive wrestling from Peterson forced the stoppage at 1:38