Backstage Update On Gable Steveson's WWE Progress (Or Lack Thereof...)
Olympian Gable Steveson was supposed to be a LOT further along in WWE by now.
WWE's quest to build its next Olympic megastar has stalled.
An appearance on Sunday Night's Main Event saw the Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer document Gable Steveson's stumbling WWE career, which has fallen behind schedule. Key amongst Meltzer's points was the promotion's original idea to debut Steveson as a wrestler at WrestleMania 38, which obviously didn't come to pass. Instead, Steveson was involved in a fleeting interaction with Chad Gable at the April supershow.
WWE had intended to fast-track the Olympic gold medallist into the main event scene by now. Although the 22-year-old is currently training under company veteran Ken Anderson, there is now talk of him returning to college for another season of NCAA wrestling, despite his apparent retirement from the amateur circuit in May.
Per Meltzer, WWE wanted to build Steveson as the new Brock Lesnar, going as far as sending coaches to the University or Minnesota during the college wrestling season. While Gable was engaged in NCAA completion, WWE would attempt to prepare him for his transition into sports entertainment. There is currently no confirmation of this actually happening.
Drafted to Raw in October 2021, WWE planned on having Gable make sporadic red brand appearances to build him up throughout the year. Now, his wrestling career is a mystery, despite the fanfare that accompanied his signing in August 2021.
Steveson has not appeared on-camera for WWE since 'Mania 38's second night (3 April). An Olympic gold medal-winner at the 2020 Tokyo games, competing in the 125 kg men's freestyle wrestling division, Gable won his second NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship in Detroit this past May.