Gable Steveson’s Move From Wrestling to Football
Olympic wrestling champion Gable Steveson’s brief NFL attempt ended before the 2024 season: the Buffalo Bills released him during roster cuts on Aug. 27. Since then, he has moved into mixed martial arts and made his UFC debut in 2026.
From Olympic wrestling to the Bills
Steveson won heavyweight freestyle gold for the United States at the Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021, and was a two-time NCAA champion at the University of Minnesota. The Bills signed him as an undrafted defensive tackle on May 31, 2024. Buffalo Bills announcement.
He took part in training camp and preseason, but Buffalo released him on Aug. 27 as it set its initial 53-player roster. His release was part of the team’s roster cuts; reports at the time speculated about a practice-squad opportunity, but he did not join the Bills’ regular-season roster. Bills roster moves · NFL.com report.
His move to MMA
Steveson later turned to professional MMA. He won his UFC debut against Elisha Ellison by first-round TKO at UFC 329 on July 11, 2026. In his next UFC appearance, Sean Sharaf knocked him out 12 seconds into the first round at UFC 331 on Sept. 19. UFC 329 results · UFC 331 results.
Sources
Tags: Wrestling
