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Gable Steveson wins first career MMA fight in dominant fashion

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs7 hours agogrant_grubbs_
Gable Steveson MMA debut win
© Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Gable Steveson introduced himself with authority on Friday in his MMA debut at LFA 217. Steveson defeated Braden Peterson via TKO just over a minute and a half into the first round.

Steveson used his wrestling prowess to take Peterson down before beating him nearly unconscious with brutal ground-and-pound. Steveson’s victory is no surprise for those familiar with the former Minnesota star.

Steveson was a two-time national champion at the collegiate level and brought home gold in freestyle wrestling at the 2020 Olympics. Additionally, Steveson is a four-time Big Ten champion.

For his efforts, Steveson was named an All-American five times and was awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy twice. The honor is annually bestowed upon the best college wrestler in the nation.

In August, Steveson announced he was hanging up his singlet to enter the MMA world. Ahead of Steveson’s debut on Friday, Brandon Gibson, the coach of legendary UFC fighter Jon Jones, raved about the heavyweight’s potential.

“We’ve seen him in there boxing, ripping mitts, grappling, doing jiu-jitsu, doing ground and pound drills. He’s incredible,” Gibson said, per Damon Martin. “I have no doubt he can be heavyweight champion.

“Obviously to achieve that level of becoming an Olympic gold medalist, you have to be willing to make the sacrifice, have that dedication, have the skill set, have the IQ… He came in and he’s so humble and so friendly and so cool. The sky’s the limit for Gable. He’s a super athlete.”

Athletes like Gable Steveson don’t grow on trees. In 2024, Steveson signed with the Buffalo Bills and played in the preseason before being cut. Steveson has also trained with Jon Jones in the past. Now, he’s ready to carve out his own legacy in the fight game.

“The sun always comes up the next day,” Steveson said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “But what’s next for me is I’ve been boxing. I’ve been putting on the gloves, doing jiu jitsu classes, trying to get ready for an MMA career. Right after I stepped off the mats Saturday night, just a couple calls from a few new teams in the NFL, and just, the roads keep opening.

“And I’m just so happy that I can go out there and put on my best performance, win or lose. Like I said, I’m always a showman. I go out there and, and I turn the crowd up. I show love, and if a guy gets his hand raised across from me, it’s respect as always. And so the doors are still opening, and I’m just so happy where I am today and where the future is going to take me.”