Gable Steveson Steps Back from 2023 World Championships

USA Wrestling has revealed that 2020 Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson will not be participating in the upcoming 2023 Senior World Championships set for September 16-24 in Belgrade, Serbia. Steveson, a Minneapolis native, had previously signaled his return to freestyle wrestling with a victory at the 2023 U.S. Open in Las Vegas and a subsequent win at Final X in Newark, N.J.

Steveson's absence from the tournament clears the path for Mason Parris to step in as his replacement in the 125 kg men's freestyle category. Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., Parris holds the No. 2 spot on the 2023-24 U.S. Senior Men’s Freestyle National Team. This event marks his inaugural appearance at a Senior World Championships representing Team USA.

2020 Olympic champion Gable Steveson (Minneapolis, Minn./Gopher WC RTC) has notified USA Wrestling that he will not be competing in the 2023 Senior World Championships at 125 kg in Belgrade, Serbia in September.

Replacing Steveson in the 125 kg position in men’s freestyle at the World Championships is Final X runner-up Mason Parris (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC). Parris, who is No. 2 on the 2023-24 U.S. Senior Men’s Freestyle National Team, will be competing in his first Senior World Championships for Team USA.

Steveson returned to freestyle wrestling for the first time since the Olympic Games in Tokyo when he won the 2023 U.S. Open in Las Vegas in April, then secured his position on the 2023 U.S. Senior World Team with his victory at Final X in Newark, N.J. in June.

Parris will compete at the Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, September 16 and 17.

Parris was a 2019 Junior World champion in men’s freestyle at 125 kg, competing in Tallin, Estonia. Other freestyle achievements include a 2022 U.S. Senior Open title, runner-up in 2023 Final X, second place at the 2023 U.S. Open, runner-up at the 2021 World Team Trials and a third-place finish at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Parris most recently won a gold medal at the United World Wrestling Ranking Tournament in Hungary.

He has a 2023 NCAA champion for Michigan at 285 pounds. Parris won the 2023 Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s top college wrestler, going undefeated for the Wolverines with a 33-0 record, with 21 bonus point wins.

Parris was a 2021 NCAA runner-up. He was also fifth in the 2022 NCAA Championships. In 2020, when the NCAA Championships were cancelled, Parris was named NWCA First-Team All-American.

A native of Lawrenceburg, Ind., Parris won three Indiana state high school titles for Lawrenceburg High School.