Steveson Stays Undefeated, Skips UFC Call-Out
Olympic wrestling gold medalist Gable Steveson improved to 3-0 in professional MMA with a recent victory but chose not to issue a call-out for the UFC. Social media buzz highlighted his third consecutive win via KO at MFL 3, with fans calling for a UFC contract. Steveson's measured approach keeps fans guessing about his transition to the sport's biggest stage.
- Prior to his MMA career, Steveson had a highly decorated amateur wrestling career, winning a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics and two NCAA Division I National Championships for the University of Minnesota. He also won the Dan Hodge Trophy twice, an award given to the best college wrestler in the United States. - Steveson's path to MMA included a brief and largely unsuccessful stint in professional wrestling with WWE. After signing a multi-year contract in 2021, he had only one televised match in July 2023 that was poorly received by the audience before being released by the company in May 2024. - He also explored a career in professional football, signing with the NFL's Buffalo Bills in May 2024. However, his time with the team was short-lived, and he was released in August of the same year before the start of the regular season. - His first professional MMA fight was in September 2025 for the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA), where he defeated Braden Peterson by TKO in the first round. His second victory came in November 2025 via a 24-second knockout of Kevin Hein at an Anthony Pettis FC event. - The victory mentioned in the card was against Hugo Lezama, a veteran with a record of 11-3, representing a step up in competition for Steveson. The fight took place in Monterrey, Mexico, for the Mexico Fight League (MFL). - Despite the win, Steveson had to endure some adversity, as he was hit with a spinning heel kick by Lezama during the first round before securing the TKO victory via ground and pound. - Steveson has been training with notable figures in the MMA world, including former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Jon Jones at Jackson Wink MMA Academy. - The UFC's heavyweight division is considered by some to be in need of new, young talent, as many of the top contenders are aging. At 25 years old, Steveson is seen as a potential future star for the promotion.
