Gable Steveson may enter UFC 329 as one of the biggest betting favorites in UFC history, but Elisha Ellison’s coach Javier Torres believes the Olympic gold medalist still has plenty to prove in MMA.
Ahead of Steveson’s promotional debut, Torres questioned Hablemos MMA about the heavyweight prospect’s accomplishments inside the cage despite his wrestling pedigree.
“Yeah, he’s an Olympic wrestler, and he won gold and did well, but what has he done in MMA?
Torres sees openings in Steveson’s game
Torres pointed to Steveson’s previous MMA outing against Hugo Lezama, saying he was not impressed with the performance.
“He got hit several times and left himself open to hits. Around the three-minute mark, he was already breathing heavily.”
The game plan for Ellison is simple: stay active early, attack the body, and drag the fight into deeper waters.
“Our job in this fight is to take him into our world and take him to the second round.”
Embracing the underdog role
Ellison spent camp training with UFC heavyweight contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta and wrestler Tyrell Fortune under Torres’ guidance.
Despite the odds, Torres believes the pressure is on Steveson heading into Saturday night.
“I think the pressure is on Gable Steveson,”
“We’re the biggest underdog, and we’re good with that.”