Gable Steveson, recognized as one of the most outstanding heavyweight wrestlers of his generation, has confirmed his professional debut in mixed martial arts.
Steveson, 25, will face Braden Peterson at the LFA 217 event, scheduled for September 12 in Minnesota, his home state. The competition will take place at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and will be broadcast via UFC Fight Pass. The LFA is one of the leading regional promoters in the United States, known for being a hotbed of talent for the UFC.
In 2020, Steveson made history by becoming the youngest Olympic gold medalist in the freestyle heavyweight division, at just 21 years old. During his time at the University of Minnesota, Steveson earned two NCAA Division I champion titles, two Dan Hodge Trophy awards, and was a five-time All-American.
He advanced to the final of the NCAA Championship in March 2025, where he suffered an unexpected defeat to Wyatt Hendrickson of Oklahoma State University. Steveson was leading the match in the final stages when Hendrickson achieved the first takedown against Steveson all season.
Steveson has been seen in the MMA world in recent years, including training time with former UFC heavyweight champion and legend Jon Jones before Jones’ last fight in 2024. He has also trained at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas. His opponent, Peterson (1-0), is a 37-year-old fighter from Montana, with a knockout victory in 14 seconds obtained in July.
