LFA hopes to host another fight for Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, who recently made his MMA debut there, before he likely transitions to the UFC, while also celebrating a new television deal with Vice TV.
LFA might just become a fun trivia question in MMA circles. Why? It’s where Gable Steveson made his mixed martial arts debut. They’re hoping to see him in the cage again before he jumps to the UFC.
Steveson’s debut was a knockout—literally. At LFA 217, he stopped Braden Peterson in just 98 seconds. With another MMA fight and a Dirty Boxing bout under his belt, the UFC seems like his next stop. But LFA CEO Ed Soares is optimistic about one more fight with them.
“I do believe we’ll see Gable again,” Soares shared with MMA Fighting. He praised Steveson, calling him a gentleman and a fierce competitor. Olympic gold medalists, he noted, have a unique mindset. Just look at Kayla Harrison and Henry Cejudo—Steveson fits right in.
It was a big deal for LFA to host Steveson’s debut. Especially since it happened just eight miles from his hometown, Prior Lake, Minnesota. Everything just clicked into place. The hometown hero vibe was strong.
LFA’s got more going on too. They’ve signed a new TV deal with Vice TV for 25 events through 2025. It’s part of a bigger plan, including international broadcast rights and digital distribution in the U.S.
The Vice TV deal kicks off with LFA 224 this Friday at 9 p.m. ET. Soares has seen hype before, but Steveson’s debut was on another level. The buzz was electric.
“We’ve had Olympic gold medalists before, like Henry Cejudo,” Soares explained. But Steveson brought something different. Not to downplay Cejudo, who’s a great guy and a friend, but Gable’s just phenomenal—both in and out of the cage.