Gable Steveson has been on WWE’s radar for years. The standout collegiate wrestler turned Olympic Gold Medalist caught the attention of the global leader in sports-entertainment after dominating the rescheduled 2020 Olympic Games. Shortly after the international event wrapped up, Steveson appeared at WWE SummerSlam, making his squared circle intentions clear. Come September 2021, Steveson signed with WWE and became the company’s first-ever “Next in Line” athlete. This unique contract allowed Steveson to return to college to finish his amateur career before eventually joining WWE full-time. Steveson made sporadic on-screen appearances in the months that followed, but progress on his debut match was nowhere to be seen.
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That changed in Summer 2023. Steveson began appearing on WWE NXT and began a feud with Baron Corbin. Their bad blood culminated in a match at NXT The Great American Bash in July, which ended in a no contest after both men were counted out. Steveson was largely unpopular with the Texas crowd, as he was showered with boos and “You’re not Angle!” chants, a reference to fellow Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle who successfully transitioned from the mats to a hall of fame pro wrestling career.
Steveson has not appeared on WWE programming since, leaving many wondering what’s next for him within WWE.
Gable Steveson Removed From WWE NXT Roster
As reported by the Wrestling Observer, Gable Steveson has been “officially removed from the NXT roster.” Steveson is still listed on NXT’s online roster page.
Steveson had once intended to compete in this month’s Senior World Championships in Serbia but pulled out of the amateur wrestling tournament earlier this week. It’s currently unclear as to why Steveson is no longer competing in the event.
What’s Next For Gable Steveson?
While his debut match made many believe that Gable Steveson still has much work to do in developmental, WWE could be looking to fast track him to the main roster.
NXT crowds tend to be a bit more ruthless than main roster audiences. As evident by stars like Elias, sometimes prospects are better suited for Monday Night Raw or WWE SmackDown right out of the gate. Steveson was technically “drafted” to Monday Night Raw back in Fall 2021, but that angle was never followed up on.
Steveson could find success in having a run of short squash matches on WWE TV before the company tries to have him work longer bouts and in-depth feuds. This strategy worked with talent like Ryback and Braun Strowman in years past.
All that being said, Steveson could also be on his way out of WWE entirely. His progress has been slow and two years of work led to a critically-panned debut match.
