United States Olympian Gable Steveson hopes Roman Reigns will “hand the belt down respectfully” when they face each other in WWE one day.
Steveson, 21, is the reigning NCAA Division I national champion. In August, the 260-pound wrestler will represent the United States in the rescheduled 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
Speaking to Minneapolis-based television station KARE 11, Steveson reiterated that he wants to work for WWE in the future. He also had a message for WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
“Surreal feeling, to be honest,” Steveson said, recalling his first meeting with Roman Reigns. “He’s one of the guys who I’d always wanted to meet besides The Rock. I met [Brock] Lesnar… Lesnar was one of the guys I always wanted to meet too. Roman Reigns… seeing a guy like that in person and seeing everything he’s done with WWE and in his life, too, it’s crazy. He lives different, he breathes different than a lot of people. He wants to be a winner, he wants to be a champion. Roman Reigns is the top of the top, and I know sooner or later, hopefully by the time I’m in that spot, he’ll hand the belt down respectfully, so I’m ready.”
Roman Reigns recently defeated Daniel Bryan and Edge in the main event of WrestleMania 37 to retain his WWE Universal Championship. Reigns’ on-screen special counsel, Paul Heyman, shared a picture of Gable Steveson meeting The Tribal Chief backstage at the event.
When could Gable Steveson vs. Roman Reigns realistically happen?
Gable Steveson would likely have to train at WWE’s Performance Center in Orlando, Florida for several months before facing the likes of Roman Reigns.
The Olympian is currently focused on representing his country this summer. Beyond that, he is confident there will be a place for him in WWE.
“That’s a hard question [when he will join WWE],” Steveson added. “It’s on the air right now. There’s a lot of things going on. I want this Tokyo gold first, and we’ll go from there. WWE is in the near future. When? I’m not sure, but I’ll be there.”
As Gable Steveson mentioned, he has also met one of Roman Reigns’ greatest WWE rivals, Brock Lesnar. The Minnesota Gophers YouTube channel uploaded a video of the two men training together in January 2020.