Olympic freestyle wrestler Gable Steveson recently picked up a gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Since then, the 21-year-old phenom has taken the combats sports world by storm after expressing an interest in becoming a part of the UFC.
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A few days after processing the massive accomplishment, Steveson shared a mysterious tweet and tagged UFC president Dana White. And although the Minnesota native has plenty of options to explore in the future, one can certainly imagine the UFC wanting Gable Steveson on their roster as soon as possible.
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CHIBA, JAPAN – AUGUST 06: Gable Dan Steveson of Team United celebrates defeating Geno Petriashvili of Team Georgia during the Men’s Freestyle 125kg Gold Medal Match on day fourteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Makuhari Messe Hall on August 06, 2021 in Chiba, Japan. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
In a recent interview appearance with MMA Fighting, Steveson shed some light on the reasoning behind his tweet, consequently making the following bold statement:
“I do believe that with my wrestling skills and me putting on some striking skills, I can be the [UFC] champ in less than 18 months. I can go out there and dominate my way through the heavyweight field.”
While the assertion that he could become the heavyweight champion in 18 months might be a little over the top, the fact that Steveson is just 21-years of age heavily increases his chances of becoming a top heavyweight down the line.
A wrestler since the age of three, Gable Steveson has the work ethic and drive to become an accomplished mixed martial artist should he put his mind to it. Furthermore, with the UFC being the top combat sports organization in the world, Steveson will have the opportunity to showcase his talents in front of a much larger audience.
Can Gable Steveson become an elite MMA fighter?
We’ve seen plenty of Olympic wrestlers make some of the smoothest transitions to MMA. Ben Askren, Henry Cejudo, and Daniel Cormier are just a few examples of the same.
Having an Olympic level of expertise in the sport of wrestling automatically makes Steveson a major threat on the ground. Furthermore, with opponents always being wary of the takedown, Steveson will also enjoy an advantage on the feet.
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Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Wrestling – Freestyle – Men’s 125kg – Quarterfinal – Makuhari Messe Hall A, Chiba, Japan – August 5, 2021. Gable Steveson of the United States in action against Taha Akgul of Turkey. REUTERS/Leah Millis
Undoubtedly an exciting prospect for the UFC, Gable Steveson has proven his worth as a world-class athlete who has the potential to become a superstar in the UFC.
What do you think? Will we ever see Gable Steveson inside a UFC octagon? Let us know in the comments.
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