Olympic gold medalist and NCAA Division I wrestling champ Gable Steveson will make his professional MMA debut next month.
Steveson, who in the past had pursued a career with professional wrestling’s WWE, is set to appear at LFA 217 on September 12, 2025, per promotion officials. The event takes place at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota.
Opposite Steveson, who will be competing as a heavyweight in the fight, will be Braden Petersen (1-0) (h/t Eurosport), who made his own professional debut earlier this year under the Fusion Fight League banner.
Steveson making the jump to MMA has been teased for years, but after signing with the WWE, that seemed to be on hold. In the pro wrestling world, Steveson wrestled under a “Next In Line” deal for WWE, appeared briefly at Summer Slam the year he was signed, and went as far as wrestling a dark match on WWE SmackDown, as well as working on NXT. However, along with several other talents, he was released from his contract in 2024, part of cost-cutting measures.
Last fall, Steveson reignited flames of a move to MMA by spending some time training with then-UFC heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones. Now, he’s taking the first steps to make it to the promotion where Jones once fought (and may yet again), which has seen Olympic gold medal winners Henry Cejudo and Kayla Harrison go on to become champions.
