Gable Steveson opts for WWE's NXT, won't return to college wrestling

Gable Steveson, the Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time NCAA wrestling champion won’t return to the college mats for a final season. He’ll take his talents to WWE’s NXT, according to an announcement at a recent show.

Steveson challenged the promotion’s Baron Corbin for his first match. The two had a back and forth in the ring and Steveson ultimately made his career decision right there and then.

Well, he made it appear so since it is entertainment. The exchange can be seen below.

GABLE STEVESON IS NXT

The Olympic Gold Medalist has made his decision AND has challenged @BaronCorbinWWE for his first match…at The #NXTGAB! 😱@GableSteveson #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/gV9WAc8G7E

— WWE (@WWE) July 26, 2023

“You are swimming with sharks and right now you’re staring eye to eye with a Great White and I am starving and I smell blood,” Corbin said to Steveson during the exchange.

The former wrestling champion responded.

“You just made my decision that much easier,” Steveson said. “How about this? Me versus you? At my first match at the Great American Bash?”

As you can see, Steveson went to his patented wrestling and tossed Corbin around to get loose and build up the fight.

The University of Minnesota initially released a statement following reports of Stevson’s return. It didn’t confirm his return to college but the Gophers were ready to welcome him back with open arms.

Steveson initially retired from the sport after the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships, after he won his second national title.

Steveson’s tease of a return came amid his victory at Final X where he earned the United State World Team spot at 125 KG. 

At the college level, Steveson finished with 86-2 over the course of four seasons at Minnesota. The 2020 campaign ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and he finished third at the 2019 NCAA Tournament.

In the present day, Steveson has a goal of more Olympic Gold, this time in the 2024 games in Paris. At least, that’s what Steveson said in June.

It remains to be seen if he’ll chase more Olympic success after announcing his match in NXT.“The itch and fire will never go away,” Steveson said in June regarding wrestling. “And I feel like if you ask any competitor, old or young, I think it’s always there.

“But some people just don’t have the bodies to do it because they’re a little older. But I think me just turning 23, I still had that extra fire and I want to see what I could do. I wanted to test my limits. And so I stayed ready just in case the time came where I could come back.”