Overview
- Steveson is scheduled to fight Elisha Ellison on Saturday at UFC 329, coming into the official weigh-ins at 241 pounds while Ellison weighed 236 pounds.
- Oddsmakers have installed Steveson as one of the largest favorites in UFC history, with lines reported as steep as -4000 that reflect huge public and bookmaker expectations.
- The 26-year-old Olympic gold medalist enters the Octagon with elite coaching and mentorship from Jon Jones and Greg Jackson's team, who say they are preparing him for rapid progression in the division.
- Steveson’s professional MMA résumé is brief but explosive — three first-round stoppage wins on the regional circuit — a record that fuels the hype but also frames questions about fast-tracking him past more experienced heavyweights.
- Ellison, a former police officer and military veteran who has publicly discussed severe mental-health struggles, provides a human- interest contrast to Steveson and a test that could signal whether the heavyweight ranks will be reshaped by this newcomer.