Ellison dismisses Jon Jones factor as massive underdog ahead of UFC 329 debut clash

Elisha Ellison has brushed aside the Jon Jones factor ahead of his heavyweight bout against Gable Steveson at UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, insisting the presence of the pound-for-pound great in Steveson’s training camp changes nothing once the cage door closes.

Steveson, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics wrestling gold medalist, enters his highly anticipated UFC debut as a -2500 favourite on some sportsbooks — one of the most lopsided lines in recent memory. Ellison, however, is framing the mismatch as a career-defining opportunity rather than an obstacle.

“Anybody coming in, especially to a big promotion in the UFC, 3-0, you would be a fool not to call him green. It doesn’t mean I’m writing him off,” Ellison said at UFC 329 media day. “He obviously has a tremendous competition experience in the Olympics, collegiate wrestling… When I go out there and beat Gable Steveson, it will mean the world.”

On the revelation that Steveson has been working alongside Jones in preparation, Ellison was equally unmoved. “Jon Jones isn’t in the Octagon. So, it doesn’t matter to me,” he said.

The contrast in experience between the two fighters is stark. Steveson stands at 3-0, with all three victories coming by first-round finish. Ellison carries a 5-2 record and has himself never seen a second round across his seven professional outings — a streak that includes a first-round knockout loss in his own UFC debut last year.

For Ellison, a former police officer, the fight represents a chance to rewrite his UFC story against one of the most hyped debutants the promotion has seen in years. Whether Steveson’s elite wrestling translates cleanly to the demands of MMA remains the central question — and one Ellison is confident he can answer in his favour.