Olympic gold medalist and all-around wrestling phenom, Gable Steveson, made his official mixed martial arts (MMA) debut earlier tonight (Fri., Sept. 12, 2025) at LFA 217 from inside Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, Minnesota, stopping outmatched heavyweight, Braden Peterson, in the co-main event.
Steveson, who has trained alongside MMA legends like Jon Jones and Robbie Lawler, finally made his official MMA debut on Friday night at LFA 217 and it couldn’t have gone any better for the former wrestler. He wasn’t facing the best competition by any stretch of the imagination, but for someone trying to get their feet wet in a new sport Steveson handled himself as advertised.
It took Steveson no more than 15 seconds into the first round to land his first takedown and start peppering Peterson with punches. Steveson would remain in top control and rain down more punches for about another minute. The damage piled up and the referee eventually stepped in to save Peterson from any more punishment. Steveson walked away with his first-ever TKO victory.
Check out the video highlights below and let us know your thoughts on Steveson’s MMA debut!
