Former WWE NXT wrestler wins MMA debut
Gable Steveson’s MMA career is off to a winning start.
The Olympic gold medalist made his MMA debut on Friday at LFA 217 at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Jon Jones was in Steveson’s corner for his bout against Braden Peterson.
Steveson was dominant in the fight, which he won via TKO just 1 minute and 38 seconds into the first round. He took down Peterson with a single-leg early and kept up the pressure until the fight was finally stopped.
The show aired on UFC Fight Pass. Clips of the fight are available here and below.
The 25-year-old was released from WWE in May 2024 after first signing with the company in September 2021 in a deal that allowed him to continue wrestling at the University of Minnesota. Steveson was asked about his time in WWE during an interview last November, saying it “just wasn’t his time.”
“The WWE just wasn’t the right time. I had a lot of competitive edge in me, and they knew that, and it was not the time for it. So maybe one day, if the stars align, it’ll be a great opportunity to do it again. I have no bad feelings with it. I have no bad blood with it, and I would like to keep moving forward with everything I have going on.”
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.