Gable Steveson has been a phenomenon in NCAA wrestling in recent times. He has been on a golden run so far that was kicked off with his 2021 Olympic gold win. Since then, he has been making and breaking all kinds of NCAA records. With sufficient success in the amateur background, he eventually tried his luck with professional wrestling. He signed a contract with WWE, hopeful about his future but things did not work out and eventually, his contract was revoked. Since then, the champ has returned to collegiate mats for Minnesota for another stint.

With two NCAA titles already under his belt, Steveson will be fancying a third title behind his name. This will also serve as a golden chance for the 24-year-old to set things straight with fans who have been criticizing his recent performances. Advancing in the NCAA wrestling season, Minnesota will be squaring off next against Rutgers. And while the Rutgers are by no means a weak opposition, their recent season has been a significant mess. 

A look at the rankings will reveal the huge difference right away between the two teams. With 52.5 points, Steveson’s Minnesota is sitting pretty at number 5. While they need to buckle up significantly, Steveson and co. still have the chance to catch up with the #1 Penn State. Sadly, the same cannot be said for Rutgers. Struggling with just 12.5 points, Rutgers is languishing at the 28th position as per the January 27, 2025 update from FloWrestling.

And this might be the perfect opportunity for Gable Steveson to prove his worth in the NCAA once again. After all, he has been quite impressive so far in the current season. Till now, the 24-year-old has secured six technical falls and a pin in the seven games he has appeared in. Steveson also has an overall record of 28 tech falls, 14 pins, and 25 major decisions in his career.

Another interesting stat that might bolster Minnesota’s spirits significantly is the fact that it has been almost 6 years since Steveson has lost. His previous 4-3 loss came way back in 2019 when he locked horns with Penn State’s star athlete, Anthony Caesar. Thus, with things looking quite upbeat for Steveson, the next developments remain to be seen. After all, the 24-year-old has been vehemently urged by the fans to leave the NCAA previously! 

Gable Steveson asked to leave the NCAA

When Gable Steveson announced that he would return to the NCAA for his final year, there was a string of uncertainty among the fans. They immediately felt a bit insecure owing to the extensive experience that Steveson has gathered over the years. Not only is he a 2x NCAA champion and an Olympic gold medalist. The 24-year-old also had short stints with the WWE and the NFL. But once the wrestling season started, the concerns from the fans turned out to be true. 

Back in January 2025, Steveson bulldozed his opponent to secure his 59th consecutive victory. Leading the charge for his team, Steveson helped Minnesota clinch a 29-12 victory over Northwestern. Facing off against Dirk Morley, the 24-year-old inflicted as many as four takedowns with several near-fall points. Thus, looking at such dominance, the fans seemed utterly frustrated. They are of the opinion that Steveson is a mismatch in the NCAA realm and must leave the game to ensure fair competition. 

However, all the noise does not seem to deter the Olympic gold medalist. Expressing his gratitude to Minnesota, Steveson is hell-bent on bringing the glory back home. Making his NCAA comeback, the 24-year-old stated, “Minnesota has given me everything, and now it’s my turn to give it right back to them.” Thus, with the performance graph going upwards, Gable Steveson will now look to continue his dominance against a lackluster Rutgers come Sunday.