– As previously reported, WWE released a number of NXT talents including Valentina Feroz and Drew Gulak. According to a new report from The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson was also among this week’s NXT releases yesterday.
Steveson was signed to WWE in 2021 after winning a gold medal in the Olympics. He was later drafted to the Raw roster in October. However, he never ended up wrestling as a member of the Raw roster. After he was drafted to Raw, Meltzer reports that the idea was for Steveson to have his first match at WrestleMania before he started working full-time on the main roster after his college wrestling season was over. He did take part in an angle with Chad Gable at WrestleMania 38. However, WWE officials didn’t think Steveson was ready yet, so he stayed in developmental instead.
Steveson did work a number of NXT live events last year, and he even wrestled some dark matches on SmackDown this year as well. His only televised WWE matchup was against Baron Corbin at the NXT Great American Bash 2023 premium live event. The match ended in a double count out.
During his amateur wrestling career, the 23-year-old Gable Steveson became an Olympic gold medalist, a two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner, a two-time NCAA Division I National Champion, and a three-time All-American. His amateur wrestling career was marred by a 2019 allegation of sexual assault, though he was never charged due to “inadequate evidence.”
