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Olympic gold medalist and rising MMA star Gable Steveson has joined Real American Freestyle (RAF).
Steveson's management confirmed the news to mmafighting.com, stating he has signed a multi-fight deal with the freestyle wrestling promotion. His debut is slated for the RAF 9 event in Dallas, with his opponent yet to be determined.
Steveson, a two-time national champion and Olympic gold medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Games, is widely considered one of the brightest heavyweight talents in combat sports. Before committing to professional fighting in 2025, the 25-year-old athlete had stints in the NFL and WWE. In MMA, he remains undefeated, having secured a first-round knockout victory over Braden Peterson in his September debut. This was followed by a win against Billy Swanson in a "Dirty Boxing" rules match, and two more subsequent MMA victories.
None of Steveson's opponents to date have managed to last beyond four minutes in the first round.
“Gable is a once-in-a-generation athlete and one of the biggest stars our sport has ever produced,” RAF CEO Chad Bronstein stated. “Our goal was to build a true professional home for the best wrestlers in the world, and Gable’s choice to join RAF is proof that we are doing just that.”
The wrestling organization already features several active UFC fighters, including Arman Tsarukyan, Michael Chandler, and Colby Covington. Recent bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is also set to compete at RAF 8, and veterans like Henry Cejudo, Luke Rockhold, and Urijah Faber have also participated in past events.
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