Daniel Cormier Raises Red Flag Over Jon Jones’ Role in Gable Steveson’s UFC Title Chase

Gable Steveson’s path to MMA stardom looks almost pre-written. Olympic gold, NCAA dominance, and a heavyweight frame built for chaos. On paper, it’s the kind of résumé that makes people jump ahead and ask the dangerous question: how soon can this guy be champion? But as Daniel Cormier recently pointed out, raw potential doesn’t always determine the speed of arrival. Sometimes, the people around you matter just as much as the skills you bring with you.

Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, Cormier was asked to look into the future. Helwani framed it conservatively: “True or false, end of 2027… Gable Steveson, UFC Heavyweight Champion.”

Cormier didn’t dismiss it. In fact, he leaned in, “You know, I believe he has a chance. I believe he has a real chance to be a world champion,” Cormier said. He pointed to Steveson’s willingness to experiment outside his comfort zone as a positive sign, adding that Steveson doing Dirty Boxing, “where he essentially takes away his greatest skill,” actually bodes well for his long-term growth.

But then Cormier paused, not because of Steveson, but because of who’s guiding him. “I believe that there are some other factors that may slow down,” Cormier said.

When Helwani asked what those factors were, Cormier didn’t dodge it. “Well, his coach is Jon Jones. I think that as long as he lets the other coaches coach him, yes. But if he is like, if Jon is actually coaching him, I don’t know that he’ll… “

He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was clear. Helwani took it further, asking if this was a “disaster”, a blue-chip prospect learning from a generational talent who also made “a whole bunch of mistakes outside the cage.”

Cormier shut that door quickly, “I don’t even think that Gable’s ever gonna fall into the trap of making the mistakes.” That distinction is important. The former ‘champ-champ’ isn’t questioning Steveson’s character. He’s questioning the environment, and this isn’t a new stance.

Cormier has been consistent about what makes a great MMA coach. In previous interviews, he’s contrasted Jon Jones with figures like Khabib Nurmagomedov. Not in terms of fighting brilliance, but selflessness. Coaching, in Cormier’s view, requires the coach to disappear. To let the athlete become the center of gravity.

According to him, “In order to be a great coach, you cannot have an ego. You have to become secondary to everyone that you coach. And Jon, he’s still active and on the roster, and I don’t know if he can be as giving and selfless to make [Gable Steveson] the true star of the show.”

Can Jon Jones help Gable Steveson become a champion? Absolutely. But only if the structure allows Steveson to be coached, not overshadowed. Only if Jones steps back enough to let the process work. Because talent isn’t the question here, guidance is. Yet, despite the concerns, his potential move to the UFC has already begun to draw comparisons to a former heavyweight champion who also had a wrestling background!

Laura Sanko claims Gable Steveson has the same hype as Brock Lesnar without even being “signed” to the UFC

UFC color commentator and analystLaura Sanko sees the same raw potential Daniel Cormier does, but she frames it through opportunity rather than caution. And at heavyweight, opportunity arrives faster than anywhere else. Speaking with MMA Junkie, Sanko didn’t pretend Steveson is a finished product. She acknowledged the unusual nature of the hype, saying, “Gable Steveson could have a very big year in the UFC, which is wild to say about a guy who is not even signed yet.”

That line alone tells you how rare this situation is. Two pro fights, two finishes, and already, the UFC’s attention. Why the urgency? Look at the division. Heavyweight has always been thin on depth but rich in spectacle.

Sanko pointed directly at that reality, explaining that “When you look at the heavyweight division and how desperately they need stars – and heavyweights are stars – new broadcast deal (with Paramount+), the average fan wants to see big guys do big things and big knockouts.”

And then came the comparison that raised eyebrows. “It feels a little bit, not quite as big, but it feels Brock (Lesnar)-ish in terms of his ability to appeal to a general audience and go out there and deliver in a division that really needs some stars and someone to compete with Tom Aspinall”, referencing the last true crossover wrestling phenomenon to shake the division. Is that premature? Maybe. But the blueprint exists.

So the takeaway is simple. Gable Steveson doesn’t need hype or shortcuts. He needs space to develop, coaches who put him first, and a timeline that matches his transition. If that balance is struck, the championship talk won’t feel premature; it’ll feel inevitable!

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