RAF 9 live blog: Gable Steveson vs. Alexandr Romanov

Gable Steveson dominated Alexandr Romanov in a lopsided technical fall at RAF 9, held Saturday at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. Steveson, the 25-year-old 2020 Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, controlled the match throughout, scoring a 10–0 victory by the second period after Romanov appeared to suffer an arm injury early in the bout.

Steveson, who has juggled pursuits in professional wrestling and football in recent years, recently signed with the UFC and is preparing for an MMA debut this summer. However, his appearance at RAF demonstrates his continued commitment to wrestling, with aspirations of competing in the 2028 Olympic Games. Romanov, a former UFC heavyweight now ranked fifth in the PFL, brought freestyle wrestling credentials—including a bronze medal from the 2016 World University Championships—but could not overcome Steveson's superior athleticism and technical execution. This was Romanov's second RAF appearance, following a loss to Mason Parris at RAF 2 in October.

After the match, Steveson called out several high-level opponents in RAF, naming Abdulrashid Sadulaev and current world champion Amir Hossein Zare as desired matchups. The victory underscored Steveson's wrestling pedigree and signaled his intent to remain a force in both MMA and the wrestling mat as he pursues his dual ambitions.