Olympic wrestling champion and UFC newcomer Gable Steveson was arrested in June 2019 along with a teammate on charges of criminal sexual conduct involving rape with use of a foreign object. The alleged victim went to a hospital and immediately filed charges. Despite the serious allegations, charges were ultimately dropped due to a legal technicality that prevented the victim's testimony from being admissible in court because she had voluntarily consumed alcohol the evening of the incident. There were no witnesses besides the victim and the two accused wrestlers, and their accounts contradicted each other. While no direct evidence of guilt was established, the law was subsequently changed after this case so that victim testimony is now admissible regardless of alcohol consumption. The post does not provide updates on Steveson's current UFC status but raises questions about his past as he pursues an MMA career under the mentorship of Jon Jones.
A detailed account of a 2019 criminal sexual conduct case involving UFC newcomer and Olympic wrestling champion Gable Steveson has resurfaced as he pursues a career in mixed martial arts.
According to the report, Steveson was arrested in June 2019 alongside a teammate on charges of criminal sexual conduct that included rape with use of a foreign object. The alleged victim sought medical attention at a hospital immediately following the incident and filed charges at that time. The two accused wrestlers and the victim provided contradictory accounts of events, and no witnesses beyond those three individuals were present.
The charges were ultimately dropped due to a legal technicality. Because the alleged victim had voluntarily consumed alcohol on the evening in question, her testimony was ruled inadmissible under the law as it stood at that time. With no admissible testimony from the victim and no corroborating witnesses, prosecutors could not proceed. No direct evidence of guilt was established against Steveson or his co-accused.
The case did, however, prompt a change in the law. Following this incident, the relevant statute was amended so that a victim's testimony is now admissible in court regardless of whether alcohol was voluntarily consumed, closing the technicality that prevented prosecution in Steveson's case.
Why it matters
- Steveson is a high-profile UFC prospect mentored by former heavyweight champion Jon Jones, making scrutiny of his background significant for the promotion.
- The dropped charges did not result in a finding of innocence, and the legal technicality rather than a lack of allegations determined the outcome.
- The subsequent change in law signals that legislators viewed the existing statute as a barrier to justice in cases like this one.
The report does not address Steveson's current UFC status, scheduled bouts, or any response from the UFC or those in his corner regarding the newly detailed account of the 2019 case.
