Olympic gold medal heavyweight wrestler Gable Steveson is set to meet with Dana White this weekend as the UFC president looks to win the race for him ahead of his WWE counterpart Vince McMahon.
Steveson has reportedly considered competing in mixed martial arts and claimed gold for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics last month.
The 21-year-old sent a wave-emoji tweet to White just days after his dramatic victory in the final of the men’s 125kg freestyle wrestling tournament.
The tweet has led to a meeting with White, and the UFC president is excited about the prospect of meeting the champion.
“[Gabe] will be in town this weekend, and I think we’re gonna hook up and talk,” White told TMZ.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of work for him to do before he can make it to the UFC. But we’ll see what happens.”
White may be forced to move quickly to secure the signature of the Minnesota Golden Gopher, as Steveson was personally approached by WWE chief McMahon in an attempt to lure him to the WWE.
“I haven’t really thought about what’s next,” Steveson told the Sun earlier this month. “I told everybody I was going to come home and sit down for a little bit and just relax myself and just pick what's best for me and what's next.
“I could go for double gold in 2024, I could see Vince McMahon - who has reached out to me personally to go out there to do WWE.
“Or I could go see Dana White. I mean, even the [Minnesota] Vikings gave me a message,” the gold medalist revealed. “The options are open, my doors are open.
Steveson is refraining from making any quick-fire decisions when it comes to his future, but he admits the prospect of competing in mixed martial arts could be the one for him.
“[I’m] most definitely a [long-time follower of MMA]. I’ve been following for a long time,” Steveson revealed. “I feel like in Olympic wrestling, I've secured myself as the baddest heavyweight on earth, to go out there and bring the gold medal home.
“For me to go out there and to bring a UFC championship home, at the heavyweight division too, could cement me as the baddest man again.
“Who wouldn't want to put their best foot forward and be the baddest man in two different things at one time? I can do that myself, I know I can do it."
UFC returns with Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum on Saturday August 21.
