Dan Gable

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Steveson was born in Portage, Indiana to a White father and a Black American mother. His name Gable Dan was given by his mother after legendary wrestler Dan Gable. He has an older brother, Bobby, who performed in WWE as Damon Kemp until his contract expired in July 2024. After winning multiple youth-level national tournaments, the Steveson family moved to Apple Valley, Minnesota when Gable was in the seventh grade, so he and his brother Bobby could compete for powerhouse Apple Valley High School. At 13 years old, Steveson entered the 2014 MSHSL state finals with a 39–2 record, but ultimately claimed second place. After that season, Steveson racked up four state titles and a 171 match win-streak, with his last two state tournament championship matches lasting a combined 28 seconds. He holds the highest winning percentage in Minnesota high school wrestling history, at 98.59% (210–3). For his 2017 performance, he received the Junior Schalles Award for best high school pinner. The next year, he was named the Junior Hodge Trophy winner. In freestyle, Steveson claimed multiple age-group World Championships, winning gold at the 2015 Cadet World Championships, 2016 Cadet World Championships, and the 2017 Junior World Championships. The top-recruit in the country, he chose to remain local and attend the University of Minnesota.

Reader's Guide

Steveson started his collegiate wrestling freshman season using a redshirt, winning titles at the Daktronics and Bison Open tournaments. Since his redshirt was pulled in November, he compiled an undefeated 14–0 record in dual meets and a Cliff Keen Invitational title during regular season. At the 2019 NCAA Division I National Championships, he made it to the semifinals, where he was defeated by Anthony Cassar by a 4–3 score. He then won two more matches to claim third place and All-American status. On June 15, 2019, Steveson and a Minnesota teammate were arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and were subsequently suspended from all team activities. After his suspension was pulled and wrestling back to folkstyle, Steveson compiled 12 wins and no losses in duals during regular season, becoming the top-ranked 285-pounder in the United States. At the B1G championships, he defeated the top-seeded Mason Parris from Michigan to claim the conference title. Steveson was then scheduled to compete at the NCAA championships as the top-seed, but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Competing as a junior during the 2020–2021 regular season, he compiled an impressive 9–0 record with a 100 percent bonus rate. At the NCAAs, he shut down Mason Parris to claim the NCAA National Championship. After the season, the dominant Steveson was awarded the prestigious Dan Hodge Trophy as the best college wrestler of the season, along with Spencer Lee from Iowa. The newly crowned NCAA champion and Dan Hodge Trophy winner, Steveson went back to freestyle and competed at the rescheduled US Olympic Team Trials from April 2 to 3 as the second seed. He made his way to the best-of-three with dominant technical falls over Tanner Hall and Greg Kerkvliet, before facing top-seed Nick Gwiazdowski. In the first match, he racked up another technical fall over the two-time World Championship medalist and in the second match he once again shut him down, this time by points, winning the championship bouts. This result qualified Steveson to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. On August 5, Steveson competed at the first date of the men's freestyle 125 kg event, where he outscored his three high-level opponents with a combined perfect score of 23–0 to secure himself a medal and advance to the finals, demolishing '15 Asian Champion Aiaal Lazarev from Kyrgyzstan, defending Olympic champion and multiple-time World Champion Taha Akgül from Turkey and '19 U23 World medalist Mönkhtöriin Lkhagvagerel from Mongolia. After stunning the field on his way to the finale, he faced three-time and reigning World Champion Geno Petriashvili from Georgia. With ten seconds left, Steveson scored a takedown to make it 7–8, and still trailing behind by a point, he rallied and got another takedown with half a second left to top the World Champion with a 9–8 score. After a failed challenge by Petriashvili's corner, Steveson earned the 2020 Summer Olympic Games gold medal with a hard-fought 10–8 score over the Georgian. With this new championship, Steveson became the first American super-heavyweight to win freestyle Olympic gold since B (the source cuts off). Steveson made his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) debut at LFA 217 on September 12, 2025. He was previously signed to WWE from 2021 to 2024, but was released after a poorly-received televised match. Steveson was signed to the Buffalo Bills in 2024, but was released before the start of the 2024 NFL season.

Did You Know?

• Steveson's name Gable Dan was given by his mother after legendary wrestler Dan Gable.
• His last two state tournament championship matches in high school lasted a combined 28 seconds.
• He holds the highest winning percentage in Minnesota high school wrestling history, at 98.59% (210–3).
• Steveson was signed to the Buffalo Bills in 2024, but was released before the start of the 2024 NFL season.
• He made his professional MMA debut at LFA 217 on September 12, 2025.