UFC heavyweight prospect and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, a protégé of Jon Jones, was arrested in June 2019 along with a teammate on charges of group sexual assault involving a foreign object while part of Team USA wrestling. The victim went to the hospital and immediately filed charges. However, the case was ultimately dismissed due to a legal loophole that prevented the victim's testimony from being admitted because she had voluntarily consumed alcohol the night of the alleged incident. There were no witnesses besides the victim and the two wrestlers, and their accounts contradicted each other. While no direct proof of Steveson's guilt exists, the law was changed after this case so that victim testimony is now admissible regardless of alcohol consumption circumstances.
A sexual assault case involving UFC heavyweight prospect and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson has resurfaced, drawing renewed attention to an arrest that took place in June 2019 when Steveson was competing as part of Team USA wrestling.
According to the report, Steveson and a teammate were arrested on charges of group sexual assault involving a foreign object. The victim sought medical attention immediately after the alleged incident and filed charges without delay. The case was ultimately dismissed, however, due to a legal loophole in place at the time: because the victim had voluntarily consumed alcohol the night of the alleged incident, her testimony was ruled inadmissible. With no independent witnesses and contradictory accounts from the accused and the accuser, prosecutors were left without a viable path forward.
Steveson has been publicly associated with Jon Jones, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion and one of the most accomplished fighters in the sport's history. Jones, 38, carries a professional record of 28-1-0 and has long been regarded as a dominant force in mixed martial arts, landing significant strikes at a rate of 4.38 per minute with 58 percent accuracy over his career.
Why it matters
- The case was dismissed on procedural grounds, not on a finding of innocence, a distinction the report makes clear.
- No direct proof of Steveson's guilt was established, but no exoneration was formally issued either.
- Minnesota law was subsequently changed as a direct result of this case, meaning victim testimony is now admissible in similar circumstances regardless of alcohol consumption.
- As Steveson's profile in combat sports continues to grow through his association with Jones and the UFC, this episode from his past carries renewed relevance for those following his career trajectory.
