PRIOR LAKE, Minn. — Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson made a thunderous professional MMA debut at LFA 217 on September 12, 2025, defeating Braden Peterson in the first round with a relentless ground attack. The 25-year-old wrestling star’s victory sent fans into a frenzy on X, with posts like @BJJEE’s “Gable Steveson CRUSHES it!” racking up 200,000 views.
Steveson, competing at heavyweight, took down Peterson in under a minute at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, pinning him to the mat and landing heavy punches for a referee stoppage at 2:07. “I came to show I belong,” Steveson told Yahoo Sports post-fight. His performance, mentored by UFC legend Jon Jones, drew high praise. “Gable’s got heavyweight champ potential,” Jones said.
The former WWE wrestler and 2020 Olympic freestyle wrestling champion showed off his athleticism, seamlessly blending grappling with striking. Fans on X went wild, with @MMAManiac posting, “This dude’s a beast!” earning 50,000 likes. Others, like @FightFanatic, predicted, “UFC’s calling his name!”
Steveson’s journey to MMA began after a brief WWE stint and a year of intense training with Jones, focusing on boxing and jiu-jitsu. “He’s sacrificed everything for this,” his coach Greg Gibson told Yahoo Sports. The win positions Steveson as a top prospect, with rumors of a UFC contract swirling.
The fight, part of LFA’s main card, came amid buzz over Steveson’s withdrawal from a grappling event last month, fueling talk of his MMA focus. As X users share clips of his knockout, Steveson’s explosive debut marks him as a rising star in a new arena, with fans eagerly awaiting his next fight.