WWE Reportedly Releases Controversial Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson

2021 Olympic Gold Medalist and inaugural WWE NIL signee Gable Steveson has been released. Following news that there had been cuts made to the "WWE NXT" roster, including Drew Gulak, Dave Meltzer reported that Gable Steveson had been a part of them. When Steveson signed with WWE in 2021, declining to continue in freestyle wrestling or a potential move into MMA, he set the precedent for an influx of college athletes to be molded into professional wrestlers at the Performance Center. Meltzer's report in particular makes mention that he'd signed his WWE deal in 2020 — going against all other reporting — with the caveat that he'd continue as an amateur wrestler to compete in the 2021 Olympics. WWE was supposed to be facing competition from its now sister promotion, UFC, but won out to eventually land him. 

Steveson continued in freestyle wrestling afterward, winning the 2022 NCAA Division I National Championship, and most recently the 2023 US Open Wrestling Championship. He would also defeat fellow NIL signee Mason Parris to qualify for the 2023 World Championship, but Meltzer notes that WWE forbade him from competing in the tournament. 

Despite being a hot commodity within the context of collegiate and national wrestling, Steveson had been unable to make such a mark in the world of professional wrestling. In 2019 it was alleged that he and a Minnesota wrestling teammate — Dylan Martinez — had sexually assaulted a woman and were arrested. In December that year, it was confirmed that no charges were being brought forward due to a lack of significant evidence. The county attorney also pointed to a lack of law in Minnesota which would allow them discretion in charging perpetrators of sexual assault of an inebriated victim. It's worth noting that an overturned conviction in the case of the State vs. Francois Khalil in 2021 saw Minnesota law-makers update legislation regarding alcohol consumption and consent.