An undated picture of US Olympic gold medalist wrestler Gable Steveson. — Instagram/ gable
US Olympic gold medalist wrestler Gable Steveson has signed with the UFC, officials confirmed during Saturday’s UFC 327 broadcast in Miami.
The heavyweight prospect is expected to make his promotional debut at the organisation’s annual International Fight Week card in July in Las Vegas, marking a major step in his transition to mixed martial arts. His signing adds another elite wrestler to the UFC’s heavyweight division.
Steveson, 25, remains unbeaten at 3-0 in professional MMA and is widely regarded as one of the sport’s most promising heavyweight talents.
A two-time NCAA Division I national champion at the University of Minnesota, he has quickly adapted to the cage. He is currently training alongside MMA legend Jon Jones.
In February, Steveson recorded a first-round knockout victory over veteran Hugo Lezama in Mexico, extending his streak of early finishes to three.
Steveson famously won Olympic gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games in dramatic fashion, overturning an 8-5 deficit in the final seconds of his 125kg final against Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili to secure a remarkable 10-8 victory.
Prior to his February bout, Steveson had expressed hopes of fighting on the UFC’s planned White House card on 14 June alongside Jon Jones.
However, Jones was not booked for the event, and his future in mixed martial arts remains uncertain.