How to watch: Gable Steveson makes MMA debut, Gophers' Mitch McKee also featured

Steveson begins his MMA journey on Friday night at Mystic Lake Casino.

Mar 21, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Gable Steveson of Minnesota looks on before the quarterfinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Gophers wrestling legend and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson is making his long-awaited professional mixed martial arts (MMA) debut on Friday night at Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Here's what you need to know.

Gophers legend and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson opens as a MASSIVE (-2000/ml) betting favorite for his MMA debut tomorrow night against Braden Peterson.@LFAfighting 217 will take place at Mystic Lake Casino. The main card will be broadcast on UFC Fight Pass. pic.twitter.com/lKNEBGdNQC

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) September 12, 2025

Event info:

Steveson is making his debut under an MMA promotion called Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA). Notable UFC fighters who fought for LFA early in their careers include Sean O'Malley, Kamaru Usman and Derrick Lewis, among others.

Steveson is fighting Braden Peterson, who is 1-0 and 37 years old. As a two-time wrestling National Champion and Olympic gold medalist, betting markets view the former Apple Valley High School standout as a massive favorite, and he's expected to roll.

Former Gophers All-American wrestler Mitch McKee is fighting in the main event on Friday night against (22-8-2) veteran Pedro Nobre. McKee is 9-0 in his professional MMA career at only 27 years old. Another win could go a long way in earning him an opportunity in a bigger promotion.

Dec 3, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; University of Michigan wrestler Stevan Micic (blue) competes against University of Minnesota wrestler Mitch McKee (maroon) in a 133 lb match on the second day of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational at Las Vegas Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

How to watch:

• Time: Main card at 8 p.m. CT
• Projected start of Steveson's fight: 10 p.m. CT

If you want to see Steveson and McKee live, you can make the trip to Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Tickets for the event currently start around $100 on most secondary websites.

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The entire main card will be broadcast on UFC Fight Pass, which is a streaming service that costs $9.99 per month. It's always hard to predict when a fight could start, but the main card is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT. With five fights before Steveson, he will likely make the walk around 10 p.m. CT at the earliest. McKee's fight will begin shortly after Steveson.