Olympic gold medallist Gable Stevenson open to MMA transition as he tells UFC chief Dana White to 'come and talk'

OLYMPIC gold medallist Gable Steveson is open to transitioning into mixed martial arts but admits he's undecided about his future.

Steveson, 21, claimed gold for Team USA last week with a stunning last-gasp victory over Georgia's Geno Petriashvili in the final of the men's 125kg freestyle wrestling tournament in Tokyo.



The MMA community have been keeping close tabs on the phenom ever since he was seen wrestling with former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

The prospect of testing himself inside the cage greatly appeals to the Kill Cliff ambassador, who told SunSport: "[I'm] most definitely a [long-time follower]. I've been following for a long time.

"I feel like in Olympic wrestling, I've secured myself as the baddest heavyweight on earth. To go out there and bring the gold medal home.

"For me to go out there and to bring a UFC championship home, at the heavyweight division too, could cement me as the baddest man again.

"Who wouldn't want to put their best foot forward and be the baddest man in two different things at one time?

"I can do that myself, I know I can do it."

Steveson had MMA fans salivating at the prospect of him competing in the cage earlier this week after he sent a tweet to UFC president Dana White.

The Minnesota Golden Gopher said of the tweet: "It's a 'Dana, come say hey' [message].

"I'm here. I know you know I'm here too. If you want us to talk, you have all the rights to talk to me.

"That tweet was a message for me to open the door for him to come and talk.

"He's probably followed me for a little bit.

"But I know what Dana has done for the UFC promotion-wise and everything else.

If you want the next big fighter, I'm right here

"If you want the next big fighter, I'm right here."

MMA organisations across the world will have to compete with the WWE for the services for Steveson, who has been courted by the wrestling promotion for several years.

But with time on his side, Steveson is in no rush to make a decision about his future.

In fact, the Team USA star hasn't ruled out the possibility of becoming a two-time Olympian at the 2024 Games in Paris.

He said: "I haven't really thought about what's next. I told everybody I was going to come home and sit down for a little bit and just relax myself and just pick what's best for me and what's next.

"I could go for double gold in 2024, I could see Vince McMahon – who has reached out to me personally to go out there to do WWE.

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"Or I could go see Dana White. I mean, even the [Minnesota] Vikings gave me a message. The options are open, my doors are open.

"I'm gonna pick the best option. But as of right now, I'm not sure. I'm gonna keep searching.

"I have the world to explore and I'm just gonna step my foot in that door and open it all and explore myself."

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