Gable Steveson’s Return Labeled “Dangerous Recipe” as NCAA Coach Reveals Major Impact

Gable Steveson might not have been able to channel his inner entertainer in his failed WWE stint. But coming back to NCAA wrestling, the 24-year-old has been making quite a buzz. After all, who would not want to have a 2x NCAA champion and an Olympic gold medalist in their ranks? Coming back to where he belongs, the Gophers have looked like a champion outfit. Now, apart from Steveson coming back to Minnesota, the Gophers have stayed out of the limelight mostly. 

But as a matter of fact, a glance at their performance will tell a completely different story. Steveson and co. have been toiling hard in the shadows and are now threatening to pose a menacing challenge to all of their heavyweight opponents. Minnesota has been on a winning high, clinching a total of 4 dual meets this season. With a total of 40 bouts so far, Minnesota wrestlers have out-wrestled their opponents 38 times while succumbing on just a couple of occasions. 

Add to that their consecutive shutout victories over Campbell and North Dakota State. This is a feat that was achieved way back in 1997. And coincidentally, present head coach Brandon Eggum is featured as one of the prominent stars. Thus, it is very much expected that Eggum will be a happy man so far. Reflecting on the Gophers, Eggum mentioned that he did like the killer mindset of the team. The Minnesota HC also stressed consistency and was particularly impressed with the form of Cooper Flynn. 

Moving on, Eggum also touched upon the impact of Gable Steveson on his team. In an exclusive interview with FloWrestling, Eggum said, “And then you can close with a guy like Gable… that’s a dangerous recipe there… We’ve always known that he could come back and wrestle. We were just kind of waiting to see what was best for him.” As a matter of fact, Steveson decided to manifest the idea of his NCAA return way back in 2021.

According to Eggum, it was after Steveson’s Buffalo Bills tryout did not work out that he contacted the Minnesota HC. Opining on the same, Eggum said, “We had the discussion if he wanted to apply for the Olympic waiver, and if he wanted to come back and compete, we’d love to have him.” Meanwhile, after Steveson decided to return to the mat, despite his failures in WWE and NFL, Eggum is confident that his star pupil will surely take a popular sporting discipline by storm. 

Coach Eggum wants Gable Steveson to explore a different realm after his NCAA return

After ending his short-lived quest with the NFL and WWE, Gable was quick enough to realize where he truly belonged. And with his return to the mat, leaving the squared circle and gridiron, he has reignited hopes in his NCAA ambitions. While his massive prowess has already made him one of the greatest heavyweights on the mat, his coach believes he can shine bright in the octagon despite his unsuccessful stint with WWE.

Coach Eggum, in the recent conversation with FloWrestling, revealed how he always knew Gable Steveson was a ‘born leader.’ He emphasized the fact that he was always sure of the fact that wrestling is the best ground for Steveson’s phenomenal talent to flourish. However, the coach of the 24-year-old also stated that he believes that Steveson, who has been looking to delve into other fields as well, must consider MMA as an option. Eggum said, “I think it could be good training for him if he decides to go a different path, meaning MMA.” And it is not just the coach who believes that Gable would shine bright as a mixed martial athlete.

UFC legend and reigning heavyweight champion Jon Jones made a fiery prediction for the young wrestler. Assessing the towering potential of Gable Steveson, Jones stated, “He’s gonna be scary. He’s gonna be very scary when he decides to do MMA.” Training alongside Steveson before UFC 309, Jones could gather a better idea of Steveson’s true caliber. He added, “When he learns how to box and a little about jiu-jitsu, it’s not a matter of if he’ll become a UFC Champion; it’s when he’ll be a UFC Champion… He’s an asset.” Another wrestler turned UFC phenom, Bo Nickal, too praised Steveson’s qualities and expressed his desire to watch Gable take up MMA as a career option.