Sean Sharaf is setting the record straight on what actually happened backstage after his stunning 12-second knockout of Gable Steveson at UFC 331, pushing back on the idea that the moment ended without any real closure between the two fighters.
“I don’t know if the cameras caught it, after I celebrated a little bit, took it all in, I saw him standing there before he walked out, I went to him and shook his hand and shook Jon Jones’ hand,” Sharaf told Damon Martin. “Stay in the cage, leave the cage, I’m getting my hand raised either way.”
Sean Sharaf’s Historic Upset Over Gable Steveson
The knockout itself ranks among the biggest upsets in UFC history. Sharaf, a 33-year-old retired U.S. Marine who entered as more than a 10-to-1 underdog and was previously winless in his first two Octagon appearances, landed a single left hook just 12 seconds into the fight that put the heavily hyped Steveson on the canvas, with follow-up shots making the finish official. Steveson had entered as a massive betting favorite, at times as high as -1800, and was widely regarded as the sport’s top heavyweight prospect before the loss.
Jon Jones Took the Blame for Gable Steveson’s Hasty Exit
Gable Steveson left the Octagon before Bruce Buffer had even announced the official result, a moment that drew heavy criticism from UFC commentators, including Daniel Cormier, who said on the post-fight show that Steveson needed to “stand there, and you take your lick whenever you lose.”
Amid the backlash branding Steveson a sore loser, his coach and mentor Jon Jones stepped in and took responsibility for the hasty exit. Sharaf, for his part, said the walkout didn’t bother him regardless, joking that fans calling it a “rage-quit” only made the moment funnier.
Gable Steveson Breaks His Silence on the Loss and the Resurfaced Allegations
Gable Steveson has now addressed both the knockout and the fight-week controversy in a lengthy statement of his own, responding directly to Sean Sharaf having brought up a past incident from his college years during fight week.
“Prior to and during fight week, an incident from my college years was brought up by my opponent. I believe it was raised to get in my head, but it also reopened something that had been addressed years ago,” Steveson wrote. “I want to be clear: I did not do anything alleged. I was never charged with a crime, and the matter was ultimately dropped by the district attorney. The allegations were not ignored nor brushed aside.”
“They were thoroughly and heavily reviewed as I fully cooperated with law enforcement, including a separate Title IX review. There were no criminal charges, no conviction, and no finding of responsibility against me. The matter was closed, and there is no pending legal issue involving me. My own attorney did their own investigation and stated on the record that even if the law was changed, I would have the same outcome, which now speaks for itself.”
He continued: “I understand how serious allegations like this are, and I understand that people may have questions when they hear only part of a story. Moving forward, I am going to keep focusing on my wife, my daughter, my family, and the work in front of me. To the people who support me, thank you. I know who I am. My family knows who I am. The people who have walked with me through life know who I am. That’s what matters to me, and that’s where I’m going to keep my focus.”
On the fight itself, Steveson was direct in crediting Sharaf:
“As for my opponent, congratulations. You caught me. A mistake on my end was made. It was your night. Just like my wrestling days after my loss, I came back with an undeniable will to win and focus that led me to the top of my sport. The result of Saturday night, I believe, will catapult me to do the same. I will be great, and this won’t deny me.”
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