Steveson: I'd skip 2028 Olympics for UFC gold — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Gable Steveson said he would skip the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics to pursue UFC heavyweight gold, telling CBS Sports: 'If that means giving up the Olympics, then it has to happen.'
- Steveson is preparing for his second UFC bout Saturday at UFC 331 against Sean Sharaf, one year removed from his July professional debut against Elisha Ellison.
- Steveson rejected the idea of jumping straight into top-five opponents, saying 'we say, "no," and make sure that business is in the right spot,' citing past business decisions with the NFL and WWE.
- The UFC heavyweight division shifted when Tom Aspinall vacated the title due to eye injuries, promoting interim champion Ciryl Gane to undisputed status.
- Steveson plans to debut new tools including spinning back elbows and flying knees against Sharaf, noting his wrestling foundation 'isn't going anywhere.'
- Steveson dismissed Josh Hokit's attempts to manufacture a feud, calling him 'a top five heavyweight right now' but predicting Hokit will eventually move to light heavyweight.
Why it matters: Steveson's choice to forgo a home-soil 2028 Olympic bid — a stage he's already conquered — redefines his career arc away from wrestling dominance toward MMA's ultimate prize. With the heavyweight title in flux after Tom Aspinall's eye-injury exit elevated Ciryl Gane, a deliberately patient Steveson could emerge as the division's next marquee attraction on his own timeline rather than the UFC's.
Ask SkimNews
