Gable Stevenson Signs with WWE and STILL Allowed to Wrestle in NCAA?

[Honkey_Kong]

Ok so WWE signs Gable Stevenson to a multi-year deal. He's the reigning NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist.

But here's the problem, he's getting paid money by WWE, but it's not affecting his amateur status and he's still allowed to compete in the NCAA for the Univ of Minnesota.

We all know wrestling is a worked sport, but are they not still athletes? Does receiving money from WWE not mean that Stevenson is a professional athlete? What are your opinions on this?

https://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/...-year-deal-wwe

And I must add that this one of the biggest signings WWE has done since signing Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle.

[SampsonandDelilah]

College athletes are allowed to get paid now, right? And the Olympics changed their rules to allow professional athletes in as well a while ago so not sure if any violations are being incurred?

The guy is a National treasure in my book, let him do whatever he wants! That gold medal match was simply fucking amazing and the guy had the heart of a lion

(Not saying you’re implying otherwise, just my thoughts)

[Honkey_Kong]

College athletes are allowed to get paid now, right? And the Olympics changed their rules to allow professional athletes in as well a while ago so not sure if any violations are being incurred?

The guy is a National treasure in my book, let him do whatever he wants! That gold medal match was simply fucking amazing and the guy had the heart of a lion

(Not saying you’re implying otherwise, just my thoughts)

They're allowed sponsors, but they're not allowed to be professional athletes. I kind of would like to know what MuscledLawyer thinks about it from a legal perspective.

But yeah, signing this guy is probably the best move WWE's going to do. He's a once-in-a-generation type of athlete.

[Test Monsterone]

WWE is sports entertainment, I believe. Since there is no real competition because the outcome is predetermined, it doesn’t really qualify as a sport. Are there reasons as to why an athlete should not be able to do both?

[SampsonandDelilah]

They're allowed sponsors, but they're not allowed to be professional athletes. I kind of would like to know what MuscledLawyer thinks about it from a legal perspective.

But yeah, signing this guy is probably the best move WWE's going to do. He's a once-in-a-generation type of athlete.

I’d temper my expectations until he wraps his head around the importance of genetics

[Honkey_Kong]

I’d temper my expectations until he wraps his head around the importance of genetics

Hahahaha. Yeah, I don't know how somebody can write off the importance of genetics. I mean desire, training, diet, rest, gear, etc are all important too, but you're not going to beat somebody who has all of that and has better genetics than you.

[Honkey_Kong]

WWE is sports entertainment, I believe. Since there is no real competition because the outcome is predetermined, it doesn’t really qualify as a sport. Are there reasons as to why an athlete should not be able to do both?

He's going to be on the payroll and his job is going to be to just continue wrestling in the NCAA.