Gable Steveson faces Alexandr Romanov at RAF 9 in Arlington

Gable Steveson looked in prime form last night (Sat., May 30, 2026) at RAF 09 from inside College Park Center in Arlington, Tex., as the renowned wrestler easily ended former UFC heavyweight contender Alexandr Romanov via technical fall. Steveson, who has begun preparation for his long-awaited Octagon debut at UFC 329 this July, still decided […]

Gable Steveson stepped away from wrestling to pursue other goals but he returned to form on Saturday with a shutout victory over ex-UFC heavyweight Alexandr Romanov in the RAF 9 main event. In his first match back since a stunning loss in the 2025 NCAA championships, Steveson was quick to showcase his dominance against Romanov, racking up points at will and effectively picking his shots whenever he wanted to score. Steveson ended the match in the second period after he got Romanov down and made a quick turn to go up 10-0 to end things by technical superiority. Following the win, Steveson took aim at a pair of Olympic medalists for his future matches in RAF while he’s also preparing for his octagon debut at UFC 329 in July. View this post on Instagram “I’m feeling amazing,” Steveson said after the win. “You questioned if I could still wrestle? You think Gable can’t wrestle? Whoever wants it can get it. I came here to be a wrestler. I’m a wrestler at heart but I’m a fighter now. “I have three matches in RAF that I really want. Next up I would like Abdulrashid Sadulaev and there’s a guy from Iran named Amir Hossein Zare, he’s the best heavyweight right now, we’ll go for my third match. If you want it, I’m here.” A quick go-behind put Steveson on the board early and he got a quick turn to go up with four points almost as soon as the match started. A pushout gave another point to Steveson but as time was running out in the first period, he broke Romanov’s grip and it appeared the former UFC heavyweight may have suffered some sort of shoulder injury. Despite the injury the match continued into the second period with Steveson getting another quick pushout before another go-behind and a turn to put him up 10-0 to end the match with the tech fall for the Olympic gold medalist. Steveson was a huge addition to the RAF roster as an Olympic champion and now a potential star for the UFC. While he’ll likely have to wait for his next appearance in RAF with his UFC debut drawing near, Steveson has all sorts of matches he could set up for the future, especially if there’s any chance he wants to take a stab at making the 2028 Olympic team with the games happening in Los Angeles.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 20: Gable Steveson of the Minnesota Golden Gophers reacts during the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championship at the Wells Fargo Center on March 20, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images This is the live blog for Gable Steveson vs. Alexandr Romanov, the main event match at RAF 9 from College Park Center in Arlington, Tex. on Saturday night. Still only 25 years old, Steveson is the 2020 Olympic gold medalist. But after his early success in wrestling, Steveson has spent the past few years trying his hand at other endeavors, including professional wrestling and football. Most recently, Steveson pivoted to MMA, and signed to the UFC where he will make his debut this summer. However, he’s also returning to wrestling, competing for RAF, with his sights set on making another Olympic run in 2028. A former UFC heavyweight, Romanov is currently signed to the PFL, where he holds their No. 5 ranking. But before taking up MMA, Romanov was a freestyle wrestler, winning a bronze medal at the 2016 World University Championships. This is Romanov’s second RAF match, having lost to Mason Parris at RAF 2 in October. Check out the live blog for Steveson vs. Romanov below. Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Official Decision Post Match

Follow along for live play-by-play of Gable Steveson vs. Alexander Romanov at RAF 9