Gable Steveson has packed more into his early 20s than most athletes achieve in a lifetime. By age 25, he had already navigated three vastly different arenas. From the prestige of the Olympic wrestling mat, the high-octane drama of the WWE, and his attempt to break into the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, he has been everywhere. But with his latest move, however, it finally seems Steveson has found the sport where he truly belongs.

As per reports, the UFC has officially added a major star to its roster with the signing of U.S. Olympic gold medalist wrestler Gable Steveson. Announced during the UFC 327 broadcast in Miami, the move brings one of the most highly anticipated prospects in combat sports into the Octagon.

“THE NEWEST ADDITION Gable Steveson is officially signed and will be fighting at #UFC329!” UFC’s official handle reported on X.

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Gable Steveson is heading to the UFC with a legendary wrestling resume, but his journey also includes a fascinating, albeit short-lived, detour into professional football. In the summer of 2024, Steveson decided to attempt something completely foreign to him: playing in the NFL. Despite never playing a single down of football in high school or college, the Buffalo Bills signed him to see if his elite wrestling power could translate to the defensive line.

His debut came during the Bills’ preseason opener. For someone who had never played organized football, he held his own quite well. Over the course of three preseason games, he played 14 snaps, recorded three tackles, and managed two quarterback hits.

Even though Steveson was enjoying the process and starting to find his footing, the Bills released him in August. This followed a previous release from the WWE. Steveson also admitted that his departure from wrestling was difficult to swallow.

“Of course, there’s going to be disappointment. I feel like I could have done so much more in the business, and I could have lasted a really long time, but like I said, business is always going to be business. Business doesn’t stop for anyone, and it’s not going to stop for me—especially even if I’m the Olympic champion. So there’s no problem with it; I’m good to go. I’m going through college wrestling again and restarting everything and getting back to where I was.”

With his NFL chapter closed for now, Steveson is trying his luck with combat sports.

Gable Steveson set to make a UFC debut at the International Fight Week

Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson has officially signed with the UFC, marking a major shift in his professional sports career. Before deciding on MMA, Steveson explored other high-profile opportunities, including a stint in the WWE and a trial as a football player for the Buffalo Bills. Ultimately, he chose the cage and moved to New Mexico to sharpen his skills alongside MMA legend Jon Jones.

The move to full-time fighting has been a massive success so far. Steveson has won his first four professional fights since September, all by first-round knockout.

His first fight was against Braden Peterson on September 12, 2025, which he won with a TKO in 98 seconds. In his second matchup, he stopped Billy Swanson in only 15 seconds. During his third fight in November, he ended the match in just 24 seconds by knocking out Kevin Hein with a powerful left hook. His latest match was a TKO win over Hugo Lezama on February 19, 2026.

After his win, he took the chance to speak directly to UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard, who was watching from the audience. Steveson told him he wanted to show the world even more of what he can do, and his message clearly paid off.

He has been so dominant that he has spent a total of less than seven minutes in active competition. Because of his world-class wrestling skills and newfound punching power, experts believe he is a natural fit for the world’s biggest fighting organization.

Former fighter and Olympic wrestler Ben Askren is particularly confident in his success.

He said, “Gable can be champ in 18 months.”

Steveson is scheduled to make his big UFC debut on July 11, 2026, at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. This event is a centerpiece of International Fight Week, and while his opponent hasn’t been announced yet, there is already huge excitement surrounding the fight. 

Steveson plans to use his elite athleticism to climb the heavyweight rankings quickly and prove he is the next big star in the sport.