[UPDATE]
The Gable Steveson Sweepstakes is officially over.
On Saturday, September 4, former free agent Gable Steveson put out a semi-announcement, informing the world that he had officially signed a contract, thus terminating his free agency.
“Just put the pen to paper….” Steveson wrote.
Soon after Steveson’s tweet, The Wrestling Observer revealed that Steveson has decided to sign with the WWE. No additional details are currently known about the contract. Steveson had spoken with Bellator President Scott Coker, attended a recent PFL event, and flirted with the idea of signing with the UFC. But now, the Gable Steveson Sweepstakes has officially ended, with the Olympic Gold Medalist committing to the world of sports entertainment.
[ORIGINAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED AUGUST 27, 2021, 12:00 PM]
Olympic freestyle wrestling gold medallist Gable Steveson says he has a good idea about his next career destination, stating that it’s already “60% done.”
Steveson became the hottest free agent in combat sports after his incredible triumph at the recently concluded Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. In reaching the freestyle discipline’s mountaintop, the 21-year-old defeated three-time and reigning World Champion Geno Petriashvili in the final, having already beaten the defending Olympic champion Taha Akgül in an earlier round.
Since his latest wrestling success, Steveson’s future has been the talk of the combat sports circuit. With contact with WWE, the Minnesota Vikings, Bellator, and his desire to be a star in the UFC, the Indiana native certainly isn’t short of options.
Having stirred rumors of his potential trajectory with recent appearances at Bellator 265 and WWE SummerSlam, Steveson has now revealed that he has a pretty good grasp of where he’ll be placed for his immediate future.
During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Steveson said he’s hoping to announce his plans soon, and is targeting confirmation before October.
“I want to do it fairly soon. But if it doesn’t work like that, then I won’t make it soon. I’ll just weigh it out. But at the end of the day, I’m gonna make a good decision and do what’s best for me. And if it takes another month, then it takes another month. But I’m hoping before October.”
Steveson further fueled the fire by revealing that he effectively already knows where he’s headed. But the 21-year-old maintained that he’s still considering every option that’s there for him.
“Yeah. Oh, I know…
“It’s not 100% done. I’d say about 60% done. Like I said, I’m weighing all options.”
When asked whether he could confirm his decision to his mother if she asked, he replied: “Most definitely.”
After Steveson uploaded a picture with WWE kingpin Vince McMahon, many suggested any stint in mixed martial arts will come after he’s made his name in the professional wrestling world. Former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier, who was also a decorated wrestler, believes Steveson should follow the “Brock Lesnar” approach.
Whichever direction he chooses to go in, Steveson will certainly be a star in the combat sports world for years to come.
For all the updates on the battle to sign Gable Steveson, stay tuned to MMANews.com.
