Jon Jones nearly KO’d Olympic gold medalist Gable Stevenson during a recent sparring session.
After 18 months on the shelf, ‘Bones’ is scheduled to return to the Octagon on November 16 for a long-awaited clash with two-time heavyweight titleholder Stipe Miocic. The bout was originally scheduled to go down around the same time last year, but Jones suffered a pectoral injury weeks away from fight night, forcing the undisputed heavyweight champ out of the bout.
With the fight rebooked and ‘Bones’ back to 100%, the consensus GOAT is getting ready for their clash at MSG by bringing in Stevenson—one of the most accomplished wrestlers in U.S. history.
During what was supposed to be a light sparring session, Stevenson shot in for a takedown that prompted Jones to throw a flying knee, catching the Indiana native in the face.
Check out the clip below courtesy of @HappyPunch on X:
Jon Jones almost accidentally caught a body while training with Gable Steveson 💀 pic.twitter.com/SJxAQ0Z56u
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) October 8, 2024
Fortunately, it appeared as though Stevenson was okay.
Is MMA Next for Gable Stevenson?
In the years since winning gold at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Stevenson has struggled to find a place to deploy his incredible athleticism. The following year, he signed a deal with WWE making him just the second Olympic gold-medalist to be signed by the promotion—the first being Kurt Angle.
After a few appearances on television and in untelevised “dark” matches, Stevenson was released in January 2024. He then tried to pursue a football career, signing a three-year deal with the Buffalo Bills as a defensive lineman. He was released three months after inking the deal.
With rumors swirling that Stevenson has been training with Henry Hooft and Robbie Lawler at Kill Cliff FC in South Florida, could we see the Olympian make the move from the mat to the cage?
Check out some of Stevenson’s work inside the WWE ring below:
