Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson to Make MMA Debut
Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, 25, is scheduled to make his professional MMA debut at LFA 217 on Sept. 12. The bout will take place at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Minnesota and will be available to stream on UFC Fight Pass.
Opponent and Promotion Details
Steveson will face Braden Peterson in his first pro fight. The Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) is a prominent U.S. promotion known for developing talent that often moves on to larger organizations, including the UFC.
Steveson's Wrestling Background
Steveson established himself as one of the premier heavyweight wrestlers of his era. He won Olympic gold in the freestyle heavyweight division at age 21 at the Tokyo Games in 2020, became a two-time NCAA Division I champion, earned five All-American honors, and twice captured the Dan Hodge Trophy while wrestling for the University of Minnesota.
Recent Challenges and Training
In March 2025, Steveson suffered a surprising defeat to Oklahoma State’s Wyatt Hendrickson in the NCAA Championship final. Hendrickson executed the first takedown Steveson had given up all season and ...