Gable Steveson Scores 24-Second Knockout, Calls Out UFC Matchmaker
Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson continued his dominant transition to mixed martial arts with a 24-second knockout victory over Kevin Hein in the main event of APFC 21 on Sunday night.
The former WWE signee needed less than half a minute to dispatch Hein at the Minnesota-based promotion’s latest event, improving his professional MMA record to 2-0. Steveson’s debut victory came via TKO over Braden Peterson in just 1:38, meaning he has spent less than two minutes combined inside the cage across both professional fights.
Following his latest victory, Steveson made his intentions clear by calling out UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard during his post-fight interview, signaling he believes he’s ready for the sport’s biggest stage.
Steveson captured Olympic gold in freestyle wrestling at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before signing with WWE. After a brief stint with the company that never saw him reach the main roster, Steveson pivoted to MMA, where his elite wrestling background has translated into devastating finishing ability.
With UFC Fight Pass broadcasting the knockout and Steveson publicly lobbying for a shot, it appears only a matter of time before the 25-year-old gets the call to the Octagon.
Steveson’s quick win over Kevin Hein this weekend keeps his momentum going. Last month, it took him a mere 15 seconds to drop Chattanooga’s Billy Swanson on the canvas in the main event on the Dirty Boxing Championship’s fight card on Oct. 30.
