Gable Steveson, once hailed as the future of American wrestling, has found himself at a crossroads yet again. After suffering a dramatic 5-4 loss against Oklahoma State’s Wyatt Hendrickson in the NCAA wrestling championships finals, which marked Steveson’s first takedown conceded all season and ended his remarkable 70-match college winning streak.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling has a history of jumping between sports that’s left fans dizzy. After his Olympic triumph, Steveson ventured into professional wrestling with WWE, making his debut at WrestleMania 38 in 2022 at Arlington, Texas, only to be released later. Signed with the Buffalo Bills of the NFL in May 2024, but was released there too later in even before the start of the regular season. Now, he’s stepping onto the mats for a new challenge, but this latest pivot has wrestling purists shaking their heads. What’s driving Steveson to switch sports once more?
The answer came on April 2, 2025, when a bombshell announcement dropped: Steveson will face BJJ star Craig Jones in a superfight at the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) 2 on August 31, 2025. In a X post shared by @JustinJBasch, the matchup, confirmed by Craig himself, pits the Olympic champion against one of grappling’s biggest names in a clash that’s being called “the biggest Jiu-Jitsu vs. wrestling crossover match in history” . Steveson, with his unmatched wrestling pedigree—including two NCAA championships, two Dan Hodge trophies and an Olympic gold medal —will test his skills against Jones, a two-time ADCC medalist and BJJ elite known for taking on the toughest opponents.
While Craig Jones faces a significant hurdle in this grappling match against Gable, not only due to Steveson’s elite wrestling pedigree but also the considerable size disparity, with Steveson competing at 120kg. While Jones has proven his world-class grappling abilities in ADCC at both 88kg and 99kg, overcoming a weight difference of over 20kg presents a formidable challenge. Conversely, Steveson, despite his exceptional grappling skills from wrestling, will need to adapt to the nuances of this new sport’s ruleset. While his grappling foundation is undoubtedly strong, he will need to focus on developing his submission defense and refining his guard-passing techniques to succeed in this different competitive environment. But how did fans react to this unexpected news?
Steveson’s switch to BJJ sparks Olympic fans’ frustration
The announcement of Gable Steveson’s superfight against Craig Jones at CJI 2 has unleashed a wave of resentment among wrestling fans, who see this as yet another detour from his Olympic potential. A fan on X didn’t hold back, venting, “I can’t wait until the last time we have to hear about Gable Steveson. Could have been the greatest ever but instead chose to jump from sport to sport like a clown. One of the biggest sporting fumbles ever.” This sentiment captures the frustration of a fanbase that watched Steveson dominate as a 2020 Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA champion, only to see him chase ventures in WWE, the NFL, and now BJJ—leaving many to wonder if he’ll ever return to the sport that made him a star. But how deep does this disappointment run?
For many, Steveson’s latest move feels like a betrayal of the legacy he could have built representing the U.S. on the global stage. Another fan on X summed up the longing for a simpler path, asking, “Is it too much to ask for Gable to just wrestle for 4 years for the Red White and Blue lol?” Meanwhile, another speculated, “I assume that means Gable is not going to try to make the world team,” reflecting a growing fear that the former Gophers star is abandoning his chance to compete for Team USA at the highest level. Fans had hoped the 24-year-old phenom would cement his status as a wrestling legend, but his sport-hopping has left them questioning his commitment, prompting some to propose alternative paths he could have taken instead.
The frustration has even turned to outright disdain for some fans, who feel Steveson’s actions border on opportunism. One fan on X rated Steveson’s various endeavors, stating, “BJJ Gable: 3 WWE Gable: 2 NFL Gable: 3 MMA Gable: 4 NCAA D1 Gable: 10 USAW MFS Gable: 10,” adding, “As I’ve said before, if I’m him I go to USAW leadership and give them my number, which donors would pay.” Others were more direct, declaring, “Steveson turning into a Grifter, just go away.” These reactions paint a picture of a fanbase that feels let down by a once-in-a-generation talent, leaving many to wonder: Will Steveson ever reclaim the trust of the wrestling community, or has his legacy already been tarnished beyond repair?
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