Gable Steveson's Post-Olympic Career: A Story of Potential, Failures and Disappointment

Gable Steveson was one of the most hyped guys to have ever joined the UFC. Legendary UFC commentator Joe Rogan commented on Steveson's potential before he joined the UFC, saying, "There's basically four or five guys on Earth who are in this championship-calibre class, and you're already there, which is nuts. You haven't even fought in the UFC yet."

Ariel Helwani's colleague, 'New York Rick,' said that he was already championship calibre after a single UFC fight, and yet, UFC 331 showed that Steveson is nowhere near the elite level and arguably not even close to UFC level...yet.

With that being said, plenty of people believe that the Olympic gold medalist is already 'done' in the sport of MMA. Is there evidence to suggest that, despite only being 4-1 and only recently suffering his first loss, he's 'done' at the highest level?

Let's take a look at the evidence.

Gable Steveson - Done at the Top?

At one point in time, after leaving the Olympic programme, Gable Steveson had the world at his feet.

At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Steveson defeated Georgian Geno Petriashvili to secure gold. He was just 21 years old and dominated the heavyweight wrestling scene. At 21 years old, the benchmark was set. Olympic champion with the sky as the only limit.

The question on everyone's lips was 'what sport would Steveson choose to dominate in?' rather than, would he do well?

WWE Stint

It was announced that Gable Steveson would follow in the footsteps of former UFC heavyweight champion and college wrestling standout, Brock Lesnar and head to the WWE to try his hand at professional wrestling.

The 2021 WWE draft show saw Steveson drafted to the Raw brand. He debuted at WrestleMania 38, proving just how big a prospect he was. Not everyone gets to perform at WrestleMania, and plenty of athletes never get to experience WrestleMania, but Steveson debuted there.

It wouldn't catch fire, despite what plenty of people believed would happen. He was transferred to NXT and had a single match, although he was booed, despite being the 'good guy' or babyface. He was removed from the roster due to 'scheduling issues' and wouldn't make his return until 2024 in a dark match (a non-aired match).

Gable Steveson was amongst several fighters released from the roster in May, and he has since not made a return.

Failed Football Career

Following his release from the WWE, Steveson looked to transition into a career in the NFL. The Buffalo Bills signed him, and to say he was built for football is an understatement. He's a big, strong and explosive athlete, perfect for an NFL career.

It wasn't to be, however. He did have the specialities that were required, and his football career didn't last long. Having signed in May, he was released by August.

No one expected him to become an NFL star overnight; however, the experiment backfired for everyone involved.

MMA Career

It's hard to say that Gable Steveson's MMA career has been a failure. At 26 years old, he's only five fights into his career, has arguably the most important background (wrestling) and is a freak athlete for the division. 

The issues lie in the fact that he has been rushed because of his name. The signs were there when he was fighting on the regional circuit, as he was being caught with headkicks from guys that (on paper) shouldn't be landing a glove on him.

It doesn't help his cause that he's trained by one of the greatest UFC fighters to ever live, Jon Jones. Having the consensus GOAT in your corner is always going to force the eyes of the world onto you.

There were signs in his first UFC bout that he had the talent required to trouble some good guys in the heavyweight division. He was quick, capable in the stand-up realm and if things got difficult, he could fall back on his wrestling game. Finally, it appeared to be falling into place for Steveson.

Then came his UFC 331 bout with Sean Sharaf.

UFC 331 and Doubts

Gable Steveson was matched with Sean Sharaf, a man with a 4-2 record who had lost his last two UFC bouts, both via stoppage. The odds were stacked in Steveson's favour, sitting at a -2700 favourite, one of the biggest in the history of the sport.

Sharaf attacked Steveson's personality and past misdemeanours throughout fight week and did so in a manner which got fans on his side and against the Olympic hero.

Then the fight happened... 12 seconds is all it took for Sharaf to obliterate Steveson and end what hype he had. It wasn't just the speed of the finish; it was the manner in which it happened. Steveson looked amateurish. He exited the pocket with his eyes closed, hands down and paid the ultimate price.

After the fight, he didn't stick around to see Sharaf's hand be raised, something that didn't sit well with the UFC fans.

There are clear doubts as to whether he has what it takes to make it at the elite level. With that being said, he's a athletic phenomenon. He's young enough to make the adjustments and come back a more well-rounded fighter.

The UFC have the perfect fighter to make a villain character out of and Steveson has to lean in to that. His next fight will be must see, something the UFC always appreciates.