Gable Steveson returns to wrestling following UFC 329 debut win

Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson will return to the wrestling mat at Real American Freestyle 12 on August 22 in Cleveland, facing former collegiate rival Anthony Cassioppi. The matchup comes on the heels of Steveson's successful UFC 329 debut, where he stopped Elisha Ellison via first-round knockout to remain undefeated at 4-0 as a professional.

Steveson had previously defeated Alexander Romanov at RAF 9 in May before making his Octagon statement against Ellison. The decorated wrestler plans to balance competition between wrestling and MMA, with hopes of returning to the UFC later this fall. RAF 12, which streams on Fox Nation, marks the promotion's first anniversary celebration. Steveson's decision to continue wrestling while building his UFC career reflects a multi-sport approach used by several combat athletes to maintain sharpness and compete at the highest levels.