Gable Steveson is probably rolling on the mat at this very moment. The legendary University of Minnesota heavyweight has returned for another run at a NCAA title next month. It would be his third such accomplishment, something that no wrestler in the history of the storied program can lay his or her claim toward.
Of course, his third and possibly fourth NCAA Division I heavyweight title could have been sealed some time ago. Steveson, however, took to the WWE and thrilled fans with high-flying antics and backflips, all while pinning most of his opponents into submission.
WWE fans will recall the announcement in 2021 that Gable Steveson was added to the company roster for an undisclosed amount. While figures are not normally publicly revealed, it is commonly known that a minimum main roster salary in WWE is $350,000 per year. As the most decorated heavyweight amateur wrestler of his time, one would have to think that figure was likely just the starting point of negotiations. Steveson took the money and left Minnesota for WWE training.
Fans of the company became excited. Predictions of Steveson building upon the tradition of dominant amateur wrestlers leaping from the NCAA to the WWE began to fill online chat rooms. The immediate comparison that came to mind was, of course, Brock Lesnar, another University of Minnesota Golden Gopher NCAA heavyweight champion. Brock Lesnar has the unique distinction of being a seven-time WWE Heavyweight Champion, and while on hiatus from the company, became the UFC Heavyweight Champ.
There have been others who have assumed the “All-American” wrestler persona as WWE personalities with dominant NCAA backgrounds. Retired WWE icon Kurt Angle often wore his Olympic Gold Medal during interviews and in the ring, sometimes toying with much larger opponents such as the Undertaker. Angle also had the proud distinction of being a WWE champion during his long tenure.
Currently, Chad Gable, who bears the pseudonym last name, in honor of the famous Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable, is making waves as a WWE contender. While teaming up with Jason Jordan and Team Alpha, he has held the NXT Tag Team Championship.
Gable Steveson does not require a pseudonym in any of the wrestling domains that he enters into now or at any time in the future. He was born with the name that was a testament to the greatest wrestler and coach to have ever donned a singlet for the United States of America.
The stage was certainly set for Steveson to bring fans what they had craved. He offered some high-flying backflips, similar to what he had shown following his NCAA Championships. Steveson was one of the headliners for the Great American Bash in July of 2023 and he seemed to impress.
Perhaps it was conditioning or prolonged inactivity, but the hype surrounding Steveson in the WWE deflated rather quickly following that event, and Gable Steveson was dropped from the WWE roster in May of last year.
Steveson’s wheels seemed to have spun in various directions ever since his stint with the WWE abruptly ended. He was signed for a practice roster role with the Buffalo Bills during the preseason last spring, but that too did not prove to have lasted long. The AFC East Champions had hoped that Steveson would pan out as a defensive end.
It was not to be. Now, as a graduate student, Gable Steveson looks to be right where he belongs. Chasing an unprecedented third NCAA Division I Heavyweight wrestling title. At the young age of 24 though, WWE fans believe that a bright and decorated career in pro wrestling still awaits Gable Steveson.
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