Heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson will make his professional mixed-martial-arts debut on 12 September 2025 at LFA 217 in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Yes, you heard that right! The decorated freestyle wrestler is trading the mat for the cage, facing undefeated Braden Peterson in a co-main event at the Mystic Lake Casino.
Gable Steveson’s Path to the Cage
As a collegiate wrestler at the University of Minnesota, Gable Steveson amassed a 103-3 career record with a perfect 59-0 dual-meet mark. He became Minnesota’s first five-time All-American and the only wrestler in program history to produce four top-3 finishes at the NCAA Championships.
His résumé includes two NCAA heavyweight titles (2021 and 2024) and four Big Ten crowns, making him the only heavyweight to win four conference titles. Steveson also captured Olympic gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games and twice received the Dan Hodge Trophy.
Key Achievements
- 103-3 collegiate record with a perfect 59-0 dual-meet record
- Two NCAA Division I heavyweight championships (2021 and 2024)
- Four Big Ten titles, the only heavyweight to accomplish this
- Five-time All-American with four top-3 NCAA finishes
- Olympic freestyle gold at Tokyo 2020
Olympic champ Gable Steveson is making his MMA debut at #LFA217 tomorrow night, and he is a MASSIVE favorite 👀 pic.twitter.com/rnJL4CLpIy
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 12, 2025
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Multi-Sport Detours: WWE and the NFL
After Tokyo, Steveson signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and appeared on the company’s programming before being released in 2024. In addition, the Minnesota native also pursued American football, signing as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills in May 2024; he was released three months later.
Steveson admitted he once thought he could excel at everything, from WWE to the NFL. According to reports, he eventually realized he needed to focus on one grand pursuit—choosing MMA.
In early 2025 he withdrew from a scheduled grappling match against Craig Jones to focus entirely on MMA. Those setbacks, combined with being released by the Bills and WWE, fueled his desire to prove himself in a new sport.
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Cross-Sport Timeline
Sport | Period | Highlight |
WWE | 2021-2024 | Signed after Olympic gold; released in 2024 |
NFL | May-Aug 2024 | Signed with Buffalo Bills; released after preseason |
MMA | August 2025 onward | Signed with LFA; scheduled debut Sept 12 |
Training Camp and LFA 217: What to Expect
Steveson is training at the Jackson Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque alongside former UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones and coaches Greg Jackson and Brandon Gibson. He says fans should expect a “full-package guy” who plans to dominate and show the world who he is.
At the official weigh-in, Steveson tipped the scales at 259.2 lbs, looking every bit the powerhouse that fans remember from the mats. His opponent, Braden “Bloodaxe” Peterson, brings a 1-0 record and heavy hands; he knocked out Chris Thompson in 14 seconds. Despite Peterson’s power, Steveson is widely favored.
Legacy Fighting Alliance CEO Ed Soares called Steveson’s arrival “a historic moment.” The event’s main card—headlined by Mitch McKee vs. Christian Strong—starts at 9 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass.
Event Summary
Item | Details |
Event | LFA 217: Strong vs. McKee |
Date/Time | 12 September 2025, 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT |
Venue | Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Prior Lake, Minnesota |
Co-Main Event | Gable Steveson vs. Braden Peterson |
Broadcast | Live on UFC Fight Pass |
Pankaj Kapoor’s Thoughts
I’m eager to see whether Gable Steveson, heavyweight champion, can translate his grappling dominance to MMA. Likewise, starting in LFA rather than hopping straight to the UFC shows respect for the sport and should prepare him well.
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FAQs
- When is Gable Steveson’s MMA debut?
He debuted on September 12, 2025 at LFA 217. - What are his major wrestling achievements?
Two NCAA titles, 4 Big Ten crowns, five All-American honors, a 103-3 career record, two Hodge trophies, and Olympic gold. - Did he really sign with WWE and the NFL?
Yes; he signed with WWE after the Olympics and later joined the Buffalo Bills before being released in 2024. - Where can fans watch his debut?
LFA 217 airs live on UFC Fight Pass at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
