Olympic gold medalist and Next In Line signee Gable Steveson made an appearance on the latest episode of Monday Night Raw.
The December 13th episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from St. Paul Minnesota, providing the perfect opportunity for Gable Steveson to make an appearance as he currently attends the University of Minnesota. The Olympic wrestling champion appeared in the front row during the show with his gold medal around his neck.
After winning Olympic Gold in Tokyo, Steveson became one of the most sought-after combat athletes in the world. With Steveson already an NCAA Champion, Danny Hodge Trophy winner and junior World Champion, his resume attracted a sting of suiters.
A tweet from WWE declared “The future of #WWERaw is here!”
The future of #WWERaw is here!@GableStevesonpic.twitter.com/P28oTTxRwy
— WWE (@WWE) December 14, 2021
Steveson’s appearance served to highlight WWE’s Next In Line program, which WWE says “serves to recruit and develop potential future Superstars and further enhances WWE’s talent development process through collaborative partnerships with college athletes from diverse athletic backgrounds.”
Gable Steveson was the first to sign an NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) contract when he signed with the WWE in September, and the company recently signed 15 more athletes to NIL contracts as part of this new program, including two sisters that WWE reportedly hopes could be the “next Bella Twins.” The new signings are listed below.
- Carlos Aviles, of Ventura, Calif., a 6-foot-6, 305-pound track & field athlete from Ohio State University
- Haley Cavinder, of Gilbert, Ariz., a 5-foot-6 basketball player from Fresno State University
- Hanna Cavinder, of Gilbert, Ariz., a 5-foot-6 basketball player from Fresno State University
- A.J. Ferrari of Dallas, Texas, a 6-foot, 200-pound wrestler from Oklahoma State University
- Lexi Gordon of Fort Worth, Texas, a 6-foot basketball player from Duke University
- Aleeya Hutchins of Toronto, Canada, a 5-foot-5 track & field athlete from Wake Forest University
- John Krahn of Riverside, Calif., a 7-foot, 400-pound football player from Portland State University
- Glen Logan of Kenner, La., a 6-foot-5, 305-pound football player from LSU
- Isaac Odugbesan of Lagos, Nigeria, a 6-foot-4, 275-pound football player from the University of Alabama
- Mason Parris of Lawrenceburg, Ind., a 6-foot-2, 275-pound wrestler from the University of Michigan
- Masai Russel of Potomac, Md., a 5-foot-5 track & field athlete from the University of Kentucky
- Jon Seaton of Hillsborough, N.J., a 6-foot-1, 285-pound football player from Elon University
- Joe Spivak of Lombard, Ill., a 6-foot, 300-pound football player from Northwestern University
- Dalton Wagner of Spring Grove, Ill., a 6-foot-9, 330-pound football player from the University of Arkansas
- Riley White of Hoover, Ala., a 5-foot-6 track & field athlete from the University of Alabama
Despite not having made any in-ring appearances for WWE, Gable Steveson was drafted to Monday Night Raw in the WWE Draft in October, skipping over NXT entirely.
This is Gable Steveson’s first WWE appearance since being drafted.