Gable Steveson Targets UFC Debut in 2026 After MMA Wins

Gable Steveson, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, has transitioned from a brief stint in professional wrestling to mixed martial arts, where he is already drawing high praise from industry figures. In a recent interview on the Joe Rogan Experience, the 25-year-old athlete reflected on his departure from WWE and outlined his ambitions for a UFC debut in 2026, capping a year marked by professional pivots and a new personal milestone as a father.

Steveson signed with WWE in 2021 shortly after his gold-medal win at the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first athlete recruited through the company's name, image and likeness program. He appeared in several NXT live events and SmackDown dark matches but competed only once on televised programming, a 2023 NXT match against Baron Corbin that ended in a double countout. Released by WWE in May 2024, Steveson attributed the exit to an unresolved competitive drive that prevented him from fully committing to the entertainment side of wrestling. "Honestly, I had a great experience. I have nothing wrong with anybody there," he said. "TKO was great. Triple H, Paul Levesque, was great. Stephanie, Vince, everybody was great. I just...