Time is a relentless force—one that shows no mercy, no matter who you are or how high you’ve climbed. Gable Steveson understands this better than most. “Time waits for nobody, and time waits for nobody in any sense,” he said on the 430th episode of The Bader Show, a reflection not just of his journey but of life itself. He knows what it means to fight against the clock, to push against the boundaries it imposes. And yet, as the hands of time move forward, they do so without pause, without hesitation.

At just 24, Gable has lived through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Olympic glory, WWE dreams, NFL entry, a return to the sport he loves—his path has been anything but ordinary. But time? Time has never been on his side. Since 2022, he has felt the weight of its passing, the crushing reality of expectations, setbacks, and uncertainty. Life has a way of humbling even the strongest, forcing them to question their path and their purpose. And he’s not one to throw around empty words. Steveson is a living, breathing example of it. The evidence? 

On a night that should have been Gable Steveson’s—his moment, his triumph—time showed no forgiveness. It reminded him, once again, that nothing is promised. That no matter how prepared you are, no matter how much you give, fate will still have its say. And here we are. The crowd watched, the world waited, and Gable Steveson stood at the mercy of time itself. On cue: a reality check. 

The fourth heavyweight championship title in Big Ten history, the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament, the 2025 Wrestler of the B1G Championship—Gable Steveson’s Sunday night could not have been better than this. Now add the fact that all such achievements came on a day when Gable’s Minnesota locked horns with Penn State, the wrestling program with the most national laurels. And did we miss signifying another glorified part? On Sunday, Gable became the first heavyweight wrestler to win four B1G heavyweight titles. Impressive and you don’t need our stamp on that! But, but, but, on the same day, the Olympian had to face criticism on social media. The reason? Well, reasons. 

On March 9, Gable Steveson’s achievement made a special place on social media. After all, in the final in Evanston, he overpowered the defending champion Greg Kerkvliet to win (10-3) the title. The victory also extended Gable’s winning streak to 66. However, several wrestling fans didn’t seem to be satisfied with the result. Regardless of Gable’s firm achievement, they spotted the flaws in the Indiana native on such a day. One such wrestling fan posted, “Started college in 2018. Left and went pro. Should not be wrestling in college. Absurd.” We can fact-check the comment, though. 

Gable Steveson began his collegiate wrestling journey in 2018, initially opting to utilize his redshirt season. However, by the end of the year, that redshirt was pulled, though it hardly fazed him. Even then, he showed no hesitation in defeating wrestlers ranked above him. From 2018 to the first half of 2022, he consistently reached new heights in his collegiate career, securing three Big Ten Championship titles in the 285-pound category. His third title came in 2022, and as for the fourth—well, you already know the answer.

His experience in college wrestling speaks volumes, shaping him into the competitor he is today. And when you think about it, his own words about time—how it waits for no one—now carry even more weight, don’t they? A few more comments might help us understand the problem.

Top Comment by Vietnam Vet 68

He shouldn’t be in College wrestling. He chose to leave and that should be honored

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Gable Steveson’s achievement takes the backseat to his criticism 

“Sure, in 7 years, great job!” someone wrote on X. The comment signifies that Gable Steveson’s vast experience in college wrestling has earned him the title. In a nutshell, his victory doesn’t include any awe factor for the fans. But the truth is that the former Olympic champion was missing from the college wrestling train for a long time. From April 2022 to August 2024, he didn’t have any participation in the college wrestling matches. So, the tag of “7 years” may not fit well here. Meanwhile, another wrestling fan wrote critical words about Gable on X. 

The comment read, “Failed WWE wrestler [Tick mark] Failed NFL player [Tick mark] Crawls back to college at 25 years old [Tick mark] Let’s go!” The comment certainly highlights some jabs that Gable has to swallow. He surely has multiple stints away from wrestling. He had a problematic career in WWE and in the NFL. On both platforms, he had chances to showcase himself. But premature endings put the death knell on those career chances. Well, there’s something wrong with the information shared in the fan’s comment. Gable is 24 years old, not 25. Meanwhile, someone quipped, “Still can’t beat Iowa!”

On February 14 this year, Gable’s Minnesota faced Iowa in Maturi Pavilion. The result, however, wasn’t cheerful for the Gophers. The program lost the challenge 11-23. Hold on, though. At least Gable tasted victory on such a day. Yes. He defeated Iowa’s Ben Kueter by tech fall, 30th in his career. And on such a gloomy day, the Gophers’ wrestlers took inspiration from him. Nonetheless, there was another criticism waiting for him in the corner. 

On X, someone wrote, “He should have been tossed from the tournament after he threw his opponent off of the mat.” On March 8, Gable defeated Ohio State’s Nick Feldman. However, the Olympian once threw Feldman outside the ring in the match. The wrestling connoisseurs called it a sheer act of showcasing one’s power. But the referee didn’t call the act an offense. Debates are still on over the issue.

But here’s the thing about Gable Steveson—he doesn’t break. He learns. He fights. Every lesson, hardship, and ounce of pain becomes something greater in his hands. He may have felt the cold, unforgiving nature of time once again, but if history has taught us anything, it’s that Gable Steveson never stays down for long.