Gable Steveson Will Make Decision On WWE Future Next Week
Over the past month or so, Gable Steveson — through his appearances on "WWE NXT" — has given fans a taste of what his future as a pro wrestler might look like. Now, the Olympic gold medalist is faced with the most difficult decision of his young life: either unretire from NCAA and Olympic wrestling in order to represent his country at the 2024 Summer Olympics, or sharpen his skills as a performer/entertainer in the world of pro wrestling.
On Tuesday's "WWE NXT," a promo aired through which Steveson revealed that he will announce his decision next week.
"Everyone has been talking about my future," Steveson began. "What's next for Gable Steveson? I can go back to school and go after another NCAA Division 1 national title. I can set my sights on Paris, representing our country in the Olympics, and go after my second Olympic gold medal. Or I can stay right here in WWE and NXT. Next week, I decide my future."
.@GableSteveson decides his future NEXT WEEK 👀#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/fe6iiYI80M
— WWE (@WWE) July 19, 2023
The promo seemed to suggest that, even if Steveson does pursue the career of a pro wrestler, he'd most likely begin his journey on the "NXT" brand as opposed to being fast-tracked to the main roster. Steveson — originally drafted to the "Raw" brand in September 2021 — has made only sporadic appearances since signing with WWE in 2021, with most of his recent cameos coming as the trainer of Eddy Thorpe on WWE's developmental brand. Prior to those sightings, he appeared on an episode of "SmackDown" in December 2022 where he celebrated fellow Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle's birthday by hosing down Alpha Academy with a milk truck.
There's been uncertainty surrounding Steveson's WWE future ever since his return to freestyle wrestling at the US Open and Final X earlier this year. Subsequently, Steveson told "MMA Fighting" that he was toying with the idea of pursuing another Olympic gold medal, stressing that he still had "a lot more left in the tank" and wanted to capitalize on the one more year of his NCAA eligibility.