WWE and Gable Steveson have been circling one another for years now. The All-American wrestler trains with Brock Lesnar, gets praise from Paul Heyman & Kurt Angle, and has long said his goal is to sign with WWE. His brother Bobby is already training at the company’s Performance Center, which gives us major Steiner Brothers vibes.
Steveson is sending his stock soaring in Tokyo at the Olympics, where he competed in the 125kg division. After taking out 2016 Gold Medalist Taha Akgul of Turkey in an earlier round, Gable today (Aug. 6) cemented his amateur legend with a come from behind, buzzer beating Gold Medal win over three-time World champion Geno Petriashvili from Georgia.
The American jumped out to an early lead in the final, but Petriashvili stormed back to take an 8-7 lead with under a minute. It was just set-up for Steveson to prove he knows how to put on a show. Thanks to a takedown with less than a second left, and the Georgian’s failed challenge of said takedown, Gable took gold by a 10 - 8.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED! @GableSteveson grabs the GOLD as time expires. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/yqMc3wbXsu
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) August 6, 2021
He then showed the makings of a pretty nifty standing moonsault.
DO A FLIP!@GableSteveson x #TokyoOlympicspic.twitter.com/PpSNj8wUSc
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 6, 2021
If that’s not enough pro wrestling sports entertainment cred for you, just know the 21 year old already promos in the third person. “You can see that when the lights get bright, Gable comes to perform,” he told the Associated Press.
WWE, perhaps looking for an edge in the upcoming Steveson sweepstakes, was quick to shout out the new Olympic hero.
INCREDIBLE.
— WWE (@WWE) August 6, 2021
Congratulations, @GableSteveson! #Tokyo2020 #TokyoOlympics https://t.co/gPPy6Lfokx
A GOLD-MEDAL celebration!!!
— Triple H (@TripleH) August 6, 2021
Congratulations to @GableSteveson on his performance at the #TokyoOlympics. Focused until the last second, another gold meal for @USAWrestling and #TeamUSA!!!! https://t.co/3ngH9Mrbok
Congrats Gable! Can’t wait to see what you do next.