Many expect the heavyweight division to be saved by the arrival of Gable Steveson.
The American will join the somewhat floundering weight class following his recent signing, which came after a perfect 3-0 start in MMA for the decorated wrestler.
Steveson will make his debut at UFC 329 this summer, headlined by the return of Conor McGregor at International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
The 25-year-old will be a huge favorite for the main card opener, but his opponent is eyeing up an opportunity to shock the world.
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Elisha Ellison breaks down his gameplan for the Gable Steveson fight at UFC 329
Given his inexperience, many are expecting the UFC to give Steveson lay-up fights for his first few appearances inside the Octagon.
His debut opponent is the 5-2 Elisha Ellison, who lost his first UFC fight in Perth last September. ‘The Snack Panther’ has only seen a second round once in his pro career and was finished in both of his defeats.
While many are describing him as a sacrificial lamb in Steveson’s debut fight, Ellison hopes to pull off an almighty upset.
“I think the thing I was most excited about was the matchup itself and all the hype that Gable has,” Ellison told MMA Junkie. “The opportunity to shock the world is what I’m most excited about.”
And Ellison also detailed how he plans to make that shock result a reality come fight night on July 11.
“He’s a wrestler, so I think if he gets hit hard, he’s going to revert back to what his nature is, and that’s wrestling. And he’s good at it.
“I guess the goal would be to just really try and control the ring as much as possible and get him to shoot on our terms — which means, like, you know, setting up the right shots and anticipating that he’s going to shoot because he is a wrestler,” he added.
“I mean, he’s an Olympic-level athlete. But, you know, it’s a fight, and not a wrestling match. I can hit him and vice versa, which opens up a lot of space for many things.”
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Gable Steveson will make his Real American Freestyle debut first at RAF 09
Before making his highly anticipated UFC debut, Steveson will appear under a different banner for the very first time.
The 2020 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling will get back to his roots on Saturday, when he competes at the ninth Real American Freestyle event.
Steveson will headline RAF 09 in Arlington, Texas, against former UFC heavyweight contender Alexandr Romanov.
In addition to his debut, the likes of Colby Covington, Chris Weidman, Merab Dvalishvili, Frankie Edgar, and Arman Tsarukyan will also wrestle on May 30.
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