WWE has landed its long speculated top free-agent acquisition.
Olympic Gold medalist and reigning NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion Gable Steveson has signed the company's first-ever NIL deal, which will allow him to join the WWE roster while also competing for the University of Minnesota during his final collegiate season, according to WWE.com.
"WWE signs Olympic gold medalist and reigning NCAA wrestling champion Gable Steveson to an exclusive agreement," an official WWE statement read. "In the company’s first-ever NIL deal, Steveson will join the WWE roster while defending his NCAA title for the University of Minnesota."
"Childhood dream accomplished.. I have officially signed with the @WWE!!! Thank you for the opportunity!! LETS WORK," Steveson tweeted on Thursday (September 9).
Minutes later, the Gold medalist tweeted, "Dear @GopherWrestling, I'm Back!"
The Apple Valley, Minnesota native outscored opponents, 42-4, during Olympic Trials before winning the Gold medal in the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics earlier this summer.
The 6-foot-1, 265-pound wrestler was also reported to be in talks with UFC, as well as contemplating pursuing an NFL career, while in negotiations with WWE, ESPN reports.
WWE plans to set up a remote training facility for Steveson near the University of Minnesota campus where he can work on his in-ring skills while defending his NCAA national championship with the Gophers, ESPN reports.
He will also have access to the WWE Performance Center in Central Florida, where his brother, Bobby Steveson, is already training with WWE's NXT developmental brand.
Steveson will be the second Gold medalist to join WWE, following in the footsteps of WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle, who joined the company after winning Gold in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and has already drawn comparisons to fellow former University of Minnesota wrestling national champion Brock Lesnar.
"I've been on WWE since I was really young," said Steveson via ESPN. "I was on guys like Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman for a very long time. So growing up watching them, me being an entertainer on the wrestling mat, it just felt like it was the right choice."