Kody Steele vs. Gauge Young
UFC Fight Night · August 22, 2026 · Golden 1 Center
Young's volume and cleaner boxing should bank rounds at range, and his 77 percent takedown defense makes Steele's entries a grind. But Steele is genuinely dangerous the second this hits the floor — the heel hook against Mar Fan took under four minutes. Expect Young to hurt Steele on the feet and Steele to threaten with at least one deep submission attempt. Most likely outcome is Young by decision or late stoppage, with a Steele submission as the live underdog path.
The Matchup
Classic striker-versus-grappler tension with a twist: Steele's takedown defense is perfect so far, but his striking defense is not — he absorbs over six significant strikes per minute. Young is the sharper, higher-volume striker and has never been stopped by strikes. The fight likely comes down to whether Steele can create scrambles and hunt legs the way he did against Dom Mar Fan, because extended kickboxing exchanges favor Young badly. Young has gone the distance in all three of his UFC appearances, while Steele brings finish-or-be-finished energy.
Tale of the Tape
| Kody Steele | Gauge Young | |
|---|---|---|
| 8-1 | Record | 11-3 |
| 31 | Age | 26 |
| 5'9" | Height | 5'9" |
| 71" | Reach | 70" |
| Orthodox | Stance | Orthodox |
| United States | Country | United States |
| Syndicate MMA | Team | Ignite Jiu Jitsu & MMA |
The Numbers
Career UFC averages. Red bar = statistical edge.
Kody Steele
Kody Steele is a Combat Jiu-Jitsu world champion from Port Angeles, Washington who now trains at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas. He went 8-0 on the regional scene and earned his UFC contract with a body-shot knockout on the 2024 Contender Series. His UFC debut was a rough one — a decision loss to Rongzhu at UFC 312 where he ate a lot of strikes. He bounced back in May 2026 with a first-round heel hook of Dom Mar Fan in Perth, a reminder of exactly why his ground game scares people.
- WDom Mar Fan · Submission (heel hook)UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena vs. Prates · May 2, 2026
- LRongzhu · Decision (unanimous)UFC 312 · February 8, 2025
- WChasen Blair · KO/TKO (body shot)Dana White's Contender Series · October 8, 2024
Gauge Young
“Gee Money”
Gauge 'Gee Money' Young is a 26-year-old from Sedalia, Missouri who built his record with the Fighting Alliance Championship before reaching the UFC. He lost his debut to Evan Elder, then rattled off decision wins over Maheshate and veteran Thiago Moises. Six of his eleven wins have come by knockout, and he throws serious volume — more than six significant strikes landed per minute at a 52 percent clip. He's a young, durable action fighter climbing the lightweight ladder fast.
- WThiago Moises · Decision (split)UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Malott · April 18, 2026
- WMaheshate · Decision (unanimous)UFC Fight Night: Walker vs. Zhang · August 23, 2025
- LEvan Elder · Decision (unanimous)UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs. Prates · April 26, 2025