Olympic champion and Jon Jones protégé Gable Steveson, now a UFC fighter, was arrested in June 2019 along with a teammate on charges of group sexual assault involving a foreign object while he was a member of the U.S. wrestling team. The victim reported to the hospital and filed charges. The charges were ultimately dropped due to a legal loophole that prevented the victim's testimony from being admitted because she had voluntarily consumed alcohol on the evening of the incident. There were no witnesses besides the victim and the two wrestlers, and their accounts contradicted each other. While there is no direct evidence of Steveson's guilt, the law was changed after this case to allow victim testimony regardless of circumstances. The post includes a video of Steveson celebrating with Jones at a Dirty Boxing event.
A sexual assault case involving UFC heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson has resurfaced as he continues to build his professional mixed martial arts career under the mentorship of Jon Jones.
In June 2019, Steveson — then a member of the U.S. wrestling team and not yet the Olympic champion he would become — was arrested alongside a teammate on charges of group sexual assault involving a foreign object. The victim sought medical attention at a hospital and formally filed charges. The case was ultimately dropped after a legal loophole prevented the victim's testimony from being admitted as evidence, because she had voluntarily consumed alcohol on the night of the incident. With no witnesses beyond the victim and the two wrestlers, and with their accounts directly contradicting each other, prosecutors could not proceed. There is no direct finding of guilt against Steveson in the record. Following the case, the relevant law was amended to allow victim testimony regardless of the circumstances surrounding alcohol consumption.
Jones, now 38 and holding a 28-1-0 professional record, has been publicly visible in Steveson's corner in the MMA world. A video circulating alongside the resurfaced reporting shows the two celebrating together at a Dirty Boxing event. Jones, a six-foot-four orthodox fighter with an 84-inch reach, is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished heavyweights in UFC history, posting 4.38 significant strikes landed per minute across his career at 58 percent striking accuracy.
Why it matters
- The resurfaced case raises questions about the scrutiny applied to fighters entering the UFC with high-profile backing.
- The legal outcome did not involve an acquittal on the merits — charges were dropped on procedural grounds.
- The subsequent change in law signals that legislators viewed the loophole as a gap that needed closing.
- Steveson's association with Jones amplifies public attention on the story within the MMA community.
