U.S. Olympic gold medalist wrestler Gable Steveson has signed with the UFC.
UFC officials announced Steveson's signing during Saturday's UFC 327 broadcast in Miami. Steveson, who is considered one of the best prospects in mixed martial arts, is expected to make his promotional debut during the UFC's annual International Fight Week card in July in Las Vegas.
Steveson (3-0) is one of the most accomplished heavyweight wrestlers of all time. He was a two-time NCAA Division I national champion wrestler at Minnesota and now trains alongside MMA legend Jon Jones. Steveson made his third professional appearance in MMA in February, when he defeated 11-year veteran Hugo Lezama in the first round of an event in Mexico. All three of Steveson's MMA wins have come in the first round via knockout.
Before his bout in February, Steveson told ESPN that he had hoped to fight alongside Jones at the UFC's White House card June 14. The UFC did not book Jones a fight at that event, and his future in MMA is uncertain.
Steveson, 25, won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in dramatic fashion, rallying from an 8-5 deficit in the final 10 seconds of his 125-kilogram matchup against Georgia's Geno Petriashvili to post an improbable 10-8 victory.
