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Gable Steveson

Gable Dan Steveson is an American freestyle wrestler and mixed martial artist born in 2000.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Gable Dan Steveson is an American freestyle wrestler and mixed martial artist born in 2000. He won Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, became a two-time NCAA champion for the University of Minnesota, and later transitioned into professional combat sports including WWE and MMA.

Early life and education

Steveson was born in Portage, Indiana, and attended Apple Valley High School in Minnesota before wrestling at the University of Minnesota.

Collegiate wrestling career

At Minnesota, he became one of the most decorated wrestlers in program history, winning two NCAA titles and earning multiple national and conference honours. Minnesota wrestling describes him as the program's only five-time All-American and a four-time Big Ten champion.

Olympic success

Steveson won Olympic gold in freestyle wrestling at Tokyo 2020, a result widely noted as a major upset and a landmark achievement for U.S. wrestling.

Professional wrestling and MMA

After his collegiate and Olympic wrestling career, Steveson signed with WWE in 2021 and was later released before moving into MMA. He made his professional MMA debut at LFA 217 on September 12, 2025, winning by first-round TKO. Reports in 2024 also noted a brief stint with the Buffalo Bills as a defensive tackle.

Key facts

  • Steveson won the men's freestyle super heavyweight wrestling gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021.
  • He was a two-time NCAA Division I national champion for Minnesota and a two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner.
  • Minnesota wrestling describes him as the program's only five-time All-American and a four-time Big Ten champion.
  • He signed with WWE in 2021 and was later released before moving on to other combat sports.
  • Steveson made his professional MMA debut at LFA 217 on September 12, 2025, winning by first-round TKO.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Gable Steveson?
Gable Steveson is an American freestyle wrestler and mixed martial artist best known for winning Olympic gold in 2021 and for his collegiate wrestling career at Minnesota.
What Olympic medal did Gable Steveson win?
He won gold in men's freestyle wrestling at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
How successful was he in college wrestling?
He won two NCAA Division I championships, two Dan Hodge Trophies, and four Big Ten titles, according to Minnesota athletics.
Did Gable Steveson wrestle for WWE?
Yes. He signed with WWE in 2021 and was later released before moving into MMA.
When did he debut in MMA?
He made his professional MMA debut at LFA 217 on September 12, 2025, and won by first-round TKO.

References

  1. University of Minnesota Athletics — https://gophersports.com/sports/wrestling/roster/gable-steveson/22871
    Supports: College career, hometown, major wrestling honours, NCAA titles, Big Ten titles, All-American status
  2. The Guardian — https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/18/gable-steveson-olympics-wwe-ufc-mma-tokyo
    Supports: Olympic gold medal context and significance
  3. ESPN — https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/42353367/wrestler-gable-steveson-ends-retirement-returns-minnesota
    Supports: Olympic gold, retirement and return to Minnesota, age context, Hodge Trophy status
  4. ESPN — https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/5214652/gable-steveson
    Supports: MMA profile, weight class, birthdate
  5. NFL.com — https://www.nfl.com/players/gable-steveson/
    Supports: Signing with the Buffalo Bills as a defensive tackle
  6. Wikipedia — https://www.wikipedia.org/
    Supports: WWE signing/release and MMA debut timing