The UFC 323 title fights are the topic of all conversation, but everyone is looking at a possible earthquake in the heavyweight division. Olympic gold medalist and former WWE wrestler Gable Steveson is allegedly about to sign with the UFC, as whispers among the insider community tell, and as his professional MMA debut in the first half of this year indicated.
The 24-year-old wrestling sensation, who also cleared the freestyle gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has replaced grappling mats with the cage with the ruthless effectiveness that makes some wonder whether he would be able to overtake the giants of the division like Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall.
The MMA career of Steveson began in September of 2025, when he participated in a regional event in Minneapolis and starched Braden Peterson in the first round. The 6-foot-1, 250-pound heavy-handed onslaught saw Peterson lose consciousness in less than 2:47 and displayed the same feat of dominance on the mat that made him an NCAA champion at the University of Minnesota.
His November expedition into dirty boxing, however, really startled fans: a 15-second knockout of Billy Swanson with a hammerfist in one of the hybrid rules matches. It was but the start, Steveson howled after the fight, with his bleeding gloves high in the air.
Having made an impression on the professional fighting scene with a 2-0 record, the Minnesota native is combining the background of amateur wrestling and barehanded striking ability can hardly elicit anything but bated breath among the matchmakers in the UFC.
WWE Spotlight to Octagon Glory: Steveson Rapidly Rises
It does not come easy for Steveson on his way to MMA stardom. Following a middling tenure in WWE, where he flamed out in May 2024, he has turned to the bare and basic combat, training under Duke Roufus at Roufusport, where he has produced a couple of stars, such as Anthony Pettis. “Gable’s a freak athlete.
His bottom and top control explosiveness are of an elite nature, one of the camp insiders revealed. He is younger than most heavyweights, 24, with interminable cardio because of the wrestling days. He has little experience in stand-up, and critics mention this fact, but initial knockouts put people to silence.
Joe Rogan, in his podcast yesterday, gave a warning: “The heavyweight division, take note. The one that Steveson is like a young Brock Lesnar 2.0, unstoppable power against technical genius.
UFC president Dana White hinted at the signing in a UFC 323 presser Q&A when he said, “We are keeping our eyes on the best talents across the board. Wrestling gold means big in this sport.
There is yet to be an official announcement to this effect, but in the early part of next year, it is projected that it will be released, potentially on a Fight Night card against a mid-level grappler such as Marcos Rogerio de Lima.
Already there are betting markets in place, and Steveson is a -150 favourite in hypothetical fights with Ciryl Gane. His entry would put fresh blood into a division that needed it badly after the light heavyweight Jones had been flaunting his boxing skills.
The Heavyweight Shake-Up: Would Steveson Go against the Elite?
The timing couldn’t be riper. Heavyweight is still the wild west: Aspinall has an interim belt following a brutal KO of Curtis Blaydes in July, and Jones is considering a Stipe Miocic trilogy. The fact that Steveson is young and a marketable figure (he has more than 500,000 followers on Instagram) makes him a saviour of PPV draws.
Analyst Chael Sonnen admitted on his YouTube channel that this guy has the Lesnar charisma but lacks the ego. Nonetheless, there are dangers: a downfall of his hypetrain is possible in a short period of time, similarly to the after-title slump of Cain Velasquez.
The pro MMA record of Steveson is minimal yet encouraging: a 100% finish rate, 4.5 takedowns per 15 minutes on average during amateur matches. He demonstrated training on clips of him drilling guillotines and overhands, which suggest a well-rounded game. Last week, he tweeted that he was here to take belts, and not checks, referring to UFC leaders.
Greater MMA Ripples: PFL Finals Heat Up, Diaz Eyes Return
In the meantime, the Professional Fighters League completed the MENA 2025 season last night in Abu Dhabi with fireworks. Welterweight phenom Abus Magomedov presented Patricky Freire with the round two pinch to win the $1 million prize and regional belt in the finals.
Flyweight champion Kyoji Horiguchi successfully maintained his title by beating Timur Khizriev by unanimous decision; featherweight and lightweight champions were Mohammad Yahya and Mansour Barnaoui, respectively. PFL CEO Ray Sefo smiled: “This league is making legends. The spectacle attracted 15,000 spectators, highlighting the boom of MMA inthe Middle East.
Nate Diaz, who was rumoured to be returning to the stateside, trash-talked Ryan Garcia on X, calling the boxer a fake tough guy amidst crossover discussions. Diaz tweeted that “MMA, real men fight,” referring to a possible 2026 fight with Jorge Masvidal using the Misfits Boxing rules. In other places, Kron Gracie looks forward to a UFC comeback after capturing the Victory Fight League bantamweight belt on the weekend.
By 2025, the Steveson saga will represent the charm of MMA: reinvention, redemption, and never giving up. When he signs that UFC contract, the heavyweight scene will tremble. Wait a second, the following chapter falls shortly.
