Carter Starocci Sends Powerful Message as Gable Steveson Confirms MMA Debut

What’s the biggest promise that the Real American Freestyle (RAF) league comes with? That it would give America’s best wrestlers a chance at a pro wrestling career. Until this RAF vision becomes a reality, the MMA transition is likely the most viable option for a wrestler who has to make a career out of his skill set. So, Olympic Champion Gable Steveson deciding to give MMA a chance is not outrageous. Yes, it may have taken us by surprise a little. But what does Carter Starocci have to say about it?

When such a big development is being discussed, of course, expert opinion matters. And what Carter Starocci has to say has a lot of weight. After all, he just signed off from the NCAA as a legend. Well, the 5-time Penn State Champion shared the MMA news of Gable Steveson as an Instagram story on August 19. It was a screenshot of the Instagram update of Full Violence, which announced Gable Steveson’s MMA debut on September 12

Well, two things about the post tell you one thing—that Carter Starocci is hyped for the big man’s debut. How can you tell? Well, the backing soundtrack of GOAT by WUYS sets the tone straightaway that something colossal is about to go down. Well, the 285-lb Minnesota alum brings the momentum with him. He is fast, and he is big. Gable Steveson will be an exciting prospect to watch out for at the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) 217 when he takes on Braden Peterson.

Starocci captioned the story with a line that can only imply that he thinks this is a success story: “Dreams come true when you work 🦍.” For Gable Steveson, his life journey in wrestling is a massive success story. So much so that your loss in the NCAA Final becomes a historic upset, even if it came against a massive wrestler like Wyatt Hendrickson. To be honest, we are so intrigued to see Gable Steveson inside the Octagon.

As for Carter Starocci, we are not surprised he is hyped by Steveson’s MMA transition. For a long while, the Penn State icon himself has shown affinity towards MMA and teased a future step into the cage.

Carter Starocci’s UFC dream amidst his possible career choices

The Nittany Lions legend has never shied away from showing his love for the UFC. Of course, that didn’t stop him from completing his full NCAA tenure and winning 5 titles in a row. It is a distinction that only he has now. But back in 2023, switching to UFC was a legit consideration for Starocci. Time and again, he has teased an MMA future for himself, even once stating in 2024 that he would make the Octagon his home.

Just recently, he was seen hanging out with Taylor Cahill, an MMA wrestler from Pennsylvania. His cozying up with the other combat sports leaves us to ponder when, and not if, he will make the grand debut. We don’t have any rumors going on that suggest an MMA beginning any time soon. But he has been busy exploring other options.

As a wrestler, his achievement is truly special. But something he rates higher is being a successful coach, training a 5-time Penn State Champion, which Cael Sanderson has done. And it seems Carter Starocci has also given coaching a thought, as he got a bit of a taste of what it’s like on August 17. The 24-year-old took a three-hour training program at the World Team Trading Center in Van Nuys, California, to share his expert insight about wrestling with anybody who wanted to learn.

What’s next for Carter Starocci? Only time will tell. The MMA switch will be the least shocking, but boy, is it anticipated.