Who is Gable Steveson fighting? Dana White skipping Top 15 for not so ‘crazy’ debut — ‘UFC jitters are real’

Aug 10, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Gable Steveson (61) prior to the game against the Chicago Bears at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Gable Steveson won’t be thrown into the deep end until Dana White knows he can swim.

That’s why the Olympic gold medalist will be drawing a fighter with similar experience for his Octagon debut later this year. That contradicts this “crazy” prediction from the former WWE wannabe but history has shown that White and Co. like to start with tune-up fights for big-name heavyweights.

Like this cranium-cracking legend.

“CM Punk fought here, we’ll find somebody,” White said at the UFC Winnipeg press conference. “I don’t know if we go after a Top 15 guy. The UFC jitters are real. I don’t care how you’ve competed or where or what you’ve done. When you come here, it’s a different level. Our matchmakers are the best in the business. We’ll figure him out and get him the right fight. When I say that, I mean at what we think his level is, and what we think he’s capable of.”