Amateur wrestling fans were shocked to see Gable Steveson lose in the NCAA National Championship finals, a loss many are calling the biggest upset of all time. In the 285 NCAA finalm Wyatt Hendrickson got the win over Steveson, a former Olympic Gold Medalist. Hendrickson scored the takedown in the third round to pull off the victory.
Given his established success on the mat, Steveson’s defeat is being heralded as a massive upset. FloWrestling described the result as “unthinkable” and questioned if this was “the biggest upset in college wrestling history.” DraftKings acknowledged Steveson’s track record and said that Hendrickson’s win “might be considered the largest upset in NCAA history.” GopherHole added that Hendrickson’s victory was shocking and that fans had “witnessed the biggest upset in the history of collegiate sports.” Steveson hadn’t lost an NCAA match since 2019, only adding to the shocking nature of his defeat.
After capturing gold in the 2021 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, Steveson signed with WWE shortly after to much buzz. That same year, he was drafted to Monday Night Raw, the first-ever draftee to be selected without a match to his name. Ultimately, Steveson’s career in pro wrestling would not live up to the expectations of fans and he was quietly released from the promotion in 2024.
After his time with WWE, Gable Steveson joined the Buffalo Bills but was cut before playing in the league. With this setback on the mat, it remains to be seen what’s next for the Olympic Gold Medalist.
