Gable Steveson Debuts in MMA: The Olympic Champion Faces Braden Peterson
Gable Steveson, recognized as one of the most dominant heavyweight wrestlers of his generation, has confirmed his first professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fight.
Steveson, 25, will face Braden Peterson at the LFA 217 event, scheduled for September 12 in Minnesota, his home state. The event will take place at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and will be broadcast on UFC Fight Pass. LFA is one of the leading regional promoters in the United States, known for being a constant source 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 was a two-time NCAA Division I champion, a two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner, and a five-time All-American.
He advanced to the finals 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 Hedrickson achieved the first takedown against an opponent of Steveson all season.
In recent years, Steveson has been seen in the MMA world, including time training 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 wrestler from Montana, who achieved a knockout victory in 14 seconds in July.
