USA wrestler Gable Steveson signs NIL deal with Kill Cliff
Cliff Brunt
Associated Press
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FILE - Minnesota's Gable Steveson celebrates after defeating Michigan's Mason Parris in their 285-pound match in the finals of the NCAA wrestling championships in St. Louis, in this Saturday, March 20, 2021, file photo. The NCAA heavyweight champion is brimming with confidence heading into the biggest competition of his career. His stardom was seemingly planned from the beginning his mother named him Gable Dan -- after amateur wrestling icon Dan Gable. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)FILE - Minnesota's Gable Steveson, top, takes on Air Force's Wyatt Hendrickson during their 285-pound match in the second round of the NCAA wrestling championships in St. Louis, in this Thursday, March 18, 2021, file photo. Steveson looks to become one of the youngest U.S. wrestling gold medalists ever when he competes at 125 kilograms in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)FILE - Minnesota's Gable Steveson does a backflip to celebrate after defeating Michigan's Mason Parris in their 285-pound match in the finals of the NCAA wrestling championships in St. Louis, in this Saturday, March 20, 2021, file photo. The charismatic 21-year-old hopes a successful run at the Games launches him into a WWE career like his mentor, Brock Lesnar, and an acting career like former WWE star Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)FILE - Minnesota's Gable Steveson prepares to take on Penn State's Greg Kerkvliet during their 285-pound match in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA wrestling championships in St. Louis, in this Friday, March 19, 2021, file photo. Steveson looks to become one of the youngest U.S. wrestling gold medalists ever when he competes at 125 kilograms in Tokyo. The charismatic 21-year-old hopes a successful run at the Games launches him into a WWE career like his mentor, Brock Lesnar, and an acting career like former WWE star Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
FILE - Minnesota's Gable Steveson celebrates after defeating Michigan's Mason Parris in their 285-pound match in the finals of the NCAA wrestling championships in St. Louis, in this Saturday, March 20, 2021, file photo. The NCAA heavyweight champion is brimming with confidence heading into the biggest competition of his career. His stardom was seemingly planned from the beginning his mother named him Gable Dan -- after amateur wrestling icon Dan Gable. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
CHIBA – United States Olympic wrestler Gable Steveson has taken advantage of the new opportunities for college athletes to cash in on their name, image and likeness by signing with clean energy drink company Kill Cliff.
Steveson was a national champion as a junior at the University of Minnesota this past season and won the Dan Hodge Award for best college wrestler. The charismatic heavyweight is quite a target for companies -- he has nearly 250,000 followers on Instagram and more than 30,000 on Twitter.
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Steveson is among the favorites in the freestyle 125-kilogram weight class at the Tokyo Olympics. The gold medal match will be Aug. 6.
“Being tough and authentic are two trademarks of a Kill Cliff Fight Club Member, and Gable is all that and then some,” Kill Cliff CEO John Timar said in a statement.
Kill Cliff said in a news release that Steveson joins a stable that includes mixed martial arts fighters Israel Adesanya, Ryan Bader and Robbie Lawler.
Steveson previously had signed with Gopuff, a consumer goods and food delivery service. He also has a marketing agreement with Barstool Sports.
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