Another name has been added to the list of NXT/developmental talent released from their WWE contracts yesterday (May 3). Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reports that Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson was cut along with at least 11 others.
Steveson was signed in 2021, but he’d been linked to WWE well before he won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games (which took place the following year due to the pandemic). Despite being a Brock Lesnar protege who’d been hyped by Paul Heyman, Steveson never found his footing in pro wrestling.
He seemed to be on a fast-track to the main roster when WWE drafted him to Raw shortly after signing him. But in 2022, there were reports WWE wasn’t happy with Steveson’s progress at the Performance Center in Orlando, which were followed by it being revealed that his training had slowed so he could be treated for a rare congenital heart condition.
When Steveson’s rollout resumed, it was in NXT. He took part in one of his brother Bobby (who wrestles as Damon Kemp)’s 2023 feuds before getting his own match with Baron Corbin at last July’s Great American Bash premium live event. Around that same time, there were signs Steveson might return to amateur wrestling at the University of Minnesota and the U.S. National team. But WWE never appeared to be on-board with those efforts, and he eventually declined to pursue a spot on this summer’s Olympic team.
As Meltzer points out, that makes the timing of Steveson’s release interesting because it’s now too late for him to be a part of the Paris Games. But it doesn’t seem like WWE had the 23 year old factored into their current plans at any level, which is reportedly one of the main factors the company’s been considering when making recent cuts.
Steveson’s also expressed interest in a mixed martial arts career in the past, so perhaps his next move with still be under the TKO umbrella with UFC.
More as we have it.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login