LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 19: Jon Jones provides instruction to Gable Steveson prior to a heavyweight fight against Sean Sharaf during the UFC 331 event at Crypto.com Arena on September 19, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
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Gable Steveson had a really tough weekend. The highly touted heavyweight prospect who seemed destined to contend for the UFC championship was derailed by a left hook from hell thrown by Sean Sharaf.
To add insult to injury, Sharaf shined light on a troubling legal situation from Steveson’s past that saw him accused of sexual assault during his days as a star wrestler for the University of Minnesota.
Steveson was investigated over the 2019 allegation and was never criminally charged. The district attorney dropped the matter citing insufficient evidence, and a separate Title IX review produced no finding of responsibility. After Steveson was wrecked by Sharaf’s left hook, the former didn’t bother to stay in the Octagon to stand with the ref and his opponent for the official decision.
That’s not professional and many people let him know about it — UFC analyst and all-time great, Daniel Cormier was among them. Joe Rogan joined Cormier in criticizing the exit on the same broadcast.
To put it all plainly, it was a disastrous showing during and after the fight. Two days after the loss, Steveson broke his silence, owned the loss, addressed the legal situation from the past and congratulated his opponent.
Steveson entered 4-0 after a July debut win over Elisha Ellison, but Sharaf needed just 12 seconds to defeat the former Olympic gold medalist. Sharaf told ESPN he wasn’t greatly bothered by the early exit and expects the UFC to book a rematch.
There’s been a lot made of Steveson training with his mentor, UFC great and former heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. Some wanted to blame Jones as he even took responsibility for Steveson leaving the Octagon before the official announcement. No matter the case, two people were exposed on Saturday and neither of them is Jones.
What Happened at UFC 331
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Result | Sean Sharaf def. Gable Steveson, KO, 12 seconds, Round 1 |
| Event | UFC 331, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles |
| Steveson’s record entering | 4-0 |
| Corner | Jon Jones and Greg Jackson, Jackson Wink MMA |
| Post-fight | Steveson left the Octagon before the announcement |
| Critics | Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan on the broadcast |
| Jones’ response | Took responsibility, said it was his decision |
| Statement | Tuesday, via Instagram and manager Abe Kawa |
| 2019 allegation | Investigated, never charged, dropped by the district attorney |
| Title IX review | No finding of responsibility |
First, Steveson has taken the bait. He’s a world-class wrestler, but too many of the fighters from his primary discipline have been bullied off their best weapon. The moment a wrestler shoots a takedown, you can hear fans booing and casuals sighing. Steveson came to the UFC seemingly opposed to wrestling, despite that being his most logical path to victory.
I’m not a fan of Steveson; I’m pretty indifferent, but as a hardcore MMA fan, I hate seeing any fighter lose because they chose to ignore their primary discipline because casuals can’t appreciate it. That’s a huge pet peeve as I watch any combat sport.
I spoke to Terence Crawford in 2025 and he talked about how fans and others push fighters into having wars, but when they have lost their faculties, no one is there to help the damaged warriors. Likewise, when wrestlers get knocked out because they refused to take an opponent down and instead chose to slang and bang, fans boo and make fun of the fallen fighter.
I’d rather be booed because you didn’t like my path to victory than cheered for fighting a style that doesn’t suit me — even if I was able to gut out a few victories. Steveson got exposed for trying to be something he’s not in the Octagon, and that’s nowhere to play that game.
Secondly, I love Cormier. He brings a freshness and everyman quality to commentary for UFC events. I’m usually dead-set against critics who take shots at Cormier’s style as an analyst. However, his criticism of Steveson leaving the Octagon before the official announcement was flat hypocritical.
Take a look at what Cormier did after he lost to Jones in their second meeting.
I have watched MMA for more than 30 years and covered it since 2011. Cormier is one of the five greatest mixed martial artists of all time, in my opinion. That said, he was correct in his criticism of Steveson, but he should have remembered and prefaced his comments on the matter by addressing the time when he did the very thing he was criticizing the young fighter for doing.
That’s not a good look.
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