Amateur wrestling sensation Gable Steveson, the reigning NCAA Division-I National Champion out of Minnesota, is the talk of the combat sports town after winning a gold medal in thrilling fashion at the Tokyo Olympics.
Not bad for just 21 years old.
“Vince McMahon is drooling right now,” fellow Olympian Kurt Angle told App. “I think he’s going to continue to wrestle amateur for another four years, probably win another gold medal and then I think eventually end up in the pro wrestling business or UFC or Bellator MMA. So, the kid has an incredible future.”
One that could include the world-famous Octagon.
Steveson had the MMA community buzzing on Monday night after tweeting a wave to UFC President Dana White. And no celebrity tweet would be complete without career advice from slack-jawed yokels who can’t get their own shit together — but have all the answers for everyone else.
—Nah train and fight on the regional scene first.
—Go to @AliAbdelaziz00 he is the best manager in mma
—This is the real champ put him in front of @JonnyBones
—You have actual ability and talent, go somewhere that you will be appreciated. You don’t have an Irish accent and 1 win in 5 years, so you won’t be hyped up like you should.
—Why not make a million in the @PFLMMA and then make Dana and @ONEChampionship show you your value
—U gonna need to mix yo striking with wrestling and bjj and born fram krazy mountain mentality
—Go to Bellator you will get better treatment and built up slower!!!
Perhaps the heavyweight Gopher had other intentions when calling out White?
On his IG Dana White congratulated David Taylor for winning gold, but never mentioned Gable.
Gable doesn’t want to fight in UFC, he just wants to be acknowledged. And rightly so. pic.twitter.com/esh9q3s1LE
— MMA FOCUS (@themmafocus) August 10, 2021
Only Steveson knows for sure.
“Gable has not said what he is going to do,” said USA Wrestling spokesman Gary Abbott (via Around the Rings). “He drops a lot of hints. He is interested in pro wrestling, but he also has started participating in NIL so he might still continue to wrestle in college. Gable will be able to accept the prize money even if he stays in college, because the NCAA allows athletes to take their largest bonus from their national team program. We have given out over $2.5 million since the Living the Dream Medal Fund program was created in 2009.”
In short: UFC fans shouldn’t get their hopes up.