Gable Steveson Debuts in MMA: An Olympic Wrestling Giant Seeking Success
Gable Steveson, recognized as one of the most outstanding 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. The fight will take place on September 12 in Minnesota, Steveson’s home state. The event will be held at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and will be broadcast via UFC Fight Pass. LFA is one of the leading regional promoters in the United States, known for being a breeding ground for UFC talent.
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 won two NCAA Division I championships, was a two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner, and earned All-American recognition five times.
In March 2025, Steveson reached the final of the NCAA Championship, where he suffered a surprising defeat to Wyatt Hendrickson of Oklahoma State University. Steveson was leading the match when Hedrickson achieved the first takedown against an opponent of Steveson’s all season.
In recent years, Steveson has been seen in the MMA world, including training with former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones before his 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 earned a knockout victory in 14 seconds in July.
