Gable Steveson, Olympic Wrestling Gold Medalist, Signs with WWE
Gable Steveson has yet to complete his time wrestling at the University of Minnesota, but he already has his post-college career path apparently set after he signed a multi-year deal with WWE earlier today, as first reported by ESPN’s Mike Coppinger.
The 21-year-old Steveson earned a gold medal in incredible fashion at this year’s Summer Olympics, rallying in the final seconds to defeat Geno Petriashvili before doing a backflip in celebration. Steveson quickly made the rounds in the combat sports world and allegedly considering a move to MMA after his time at Minnesota to sign with big promotions such as Bellator and the UFC.
ESPN also has previously reported that the UFC wanted to sign Steveson if he would get some MMA experience on the regional scene first. The promotion was also interested in having him fight on Dana White’s Contender Series for a chance at a contract against another up-and-coming prospect.
Steveson provides an incredible addition to the WWE roster, as the American Wrestling Federation (AWF) continues to make its rise into the elite of professional wrestling. He’s also the first Olympic gold medalist signed to WWE since the promotion added Kurt Angle, who ended up becoming a fan favorite right away.
“Being able to learn how to take bumps and with the wrestling background I have right now, I think I can adapt to all of it really quick,” Steveson told ESPN. “I feel that I can go on screen and have a good role and know what to do perfectly.”
While it’s clear that Steveson is putting a potential run in MMA on the back burner for now, he hasn’t completely ruled out considering the move in the future. Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar began to build his brand in WWE before ultimately becoming one of the biggest names in the UFC.
Do you think we’ll ever see Gable Steveson fight in the Bellator or UFC cages?
