Gable Stevenson to make WWE debut against Corbin at Sunday’s NXT Great American Bash

Screenshot 2023-07-26 at 1.30.47 PM — Gable Steveson

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Last night on NXT on USA Network, 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time NCAA Wrestling Champion Gable Steveson announced his first WWE match would be on Sunday at the Great American Bash PLE on Peacock. Steveson came to the ring to his entrance theme as the fans at the Capitol Wrestling Centre in Winter Park, Fla. chanted his name.

Steveson introduced himself to the audience and said many might not know who he is. He said said his name. A “USA!” chant started and smiled and nodded and thanked them. He said he could become America’s first-ever two-time Olympic Gold Medalist in the 2024 Olympic games or go back to college and become a three-time NCAA Champion. “Or I can finally make my decision right now, and that decision is…” at which point Baron Corbin interrupted him.

Corbin said his decision could determine his entire future. Corbin advised him to go back to college or the Olympics. “Just don’t come to NXT,” he said. He said if he does come to NXT, he’ll make him do something he’s never done before: “Fail.” He said what happens in the ring against him will make him question his entire existence because it’ll be clear he doesn’t belong there. Corbin said for eight years he has done whatever was asked of him and towed the line and never stepped over it. “You are swimming with sharks,” Corbin said. “And right now you are staring eye-to-eye with a great white and I am starving and I smell blood.”

Cable laughed and looked away. Gable said, “You just made my decision that much easier. How about this – me versus you at the Great American Bash.” Gable then delivered a German suplex and an overhead suplex. Corbin rolled to the floor and then was held back by five security guys.

Steveson’s announecment has made headlines, including his hometown paper, the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The headline reads “Gable Steveson announces first WWE match will be Sunday.” Local news station KARE 11 reported: “His decision comes after plenty of speculation about the young grappler’s future, Steveson having hinted at several different paths, including returning to the NCAA to wrestle with either the University of Minnesota, where he won both national championships, or transferring to the University of Iowa.” He has more recently qualified for the 2023 World Championships in Serbia n September.

Steveson had recently created a buzz when he posted a photo of himself inside a werstling room with University of Iowa coach Tom Brands. Earlier this month, the University of Minnesota Athletics Director Mark Coyle said the university was excited at the prospects of him returning to the U of M for a final season of competition. He called him “the most entertaining athlete in collegiate sports.” He added: “(W)e are thrilled about the possibility of being able to watch him compete once again as a Gopher.”

An Associated Press report said he had been splitting his time training with his college coach at the U of M and the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla.

Two years ago Steveson had also talked about wanting to compete in UFC. “I do want to fight UFC and strap on the gloves and be the baddest man on Earth, which I believe I can be,” Steveson told KARE 11.

Stevenson signed a lucrative NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) contract with WWE in 2021, giving WWE final say over his career path.

Steveson attended a WWE event with his parents and brother when he was in 10th grade. He was introduced to Brock Lesnar, a fellow University of Minnesota alum and NCAA champion who went on to make millions of dollars with WWE.

Within WWE, Steveson is seen as having top level physical potential to perform in the ring, and the question – as applies to everyone in WWE – is whether he has the acting range, communication skills, and WWE-style charisma to connect with a crowd. He showed where he stands in that regard on last night’s NXT segment with Corbin. He isn’t regarded as “a natural” in that regard, as compared to the other Olympic Gold Medal winner who wrestled for WWE, Kurt Angle.

Because WWE is not actual sports competition but rather athletic theater, Steveson decision to wrestle Corbin on Sunday doesn’t affect his eligibility to wrestle at a university or in the Olympics again.