Gable Steveson’s UFC 331 Loss Sparks Backlash After Walkout

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The fact that Gable Steveson took part in UFC 331 made it one of the most discussed moments of the September 19 event in Los Angeles. The Olympic wrestling champion suffered his first defeat in his professional MMA career when Sean Sharaf ended the fight with a left hand just 12 seconds into the first round. Although the outcome was surprising, controversy persisted since Steveson left the Octagon before the official result was declared.

At first, the defeat seemed to be just a simple knockout, but it soon turned into a more general debate regarding expectations, sportsmanship, medical issues, and the difficulties involved in transitioning from elite wrestling to MMA.

Gable Steveson Suffers 12-Second UFC 331 Knockout​

When Steveson entered UFC 331 with a professional record of 4-0 and four victories by finish in the first round, he had just won his first-round match against Elisha Ellison at UFC 329 in July, so this made UFC 331 his second fight in the UFC rather than his first.

Steveston never got the chance to show off his wrestling or his developing MMA abilities against Sean Sharaf.

Sharaf advanced early on and took the low kick, then landed a strong left hand which knocked Steveson to the ground. The UFC listed the outcome as Sharaf having defeated Steveson by knockout at 12 seconds into the first round.

The loss brought Steveson's professional record down to 4-1 and 1-1 within the UFC.

The Walkout Creates a Second Story​

The knockout was just one aspect of the aftermath; after having taken the blow, Steveson left the Octagon before Bruce Buffer had announced Sharaf as the winner.

The decision received at once from fans and fighters. Daniel Cormier, who was providing commentary at UFC 331, criticized Steve's choice to leave and maintained that fighters should stay in the cage after a loss in order to acknowledge their opponent. Joe Rogan also raised questions about the circumstances of the exit and talked about the expectations that had been placed on Steveson as a highly promoted prospect.

Important background information was later given by Jon Jones, something that was absent from some of the first reactions.

Jon Jones Says He Sent Steveson Backstage​

After the event, Jones, who has been assisting Steveson with the development of his MMA career, commented on the controversy. Instead of Steveson just deciding to give up the Octagon, Jones stated that it was his own decision to take Steveson backstage after the knockout.

He stated that his first thought had been to ensure that his friend was all right after suffering his first knockout defeat in his career and that he had read the online reports, wanting to make clear what had taken place.

The fact that this clarification has been given does not remove the criticism that was directed at the moment, but it does alter the context; what many viewers at first thought was Steveson deliberately failing to acknowledge Sharaf, Jones instead described as a decision taken straight after the knockout in order to get him medical attention.

Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan Address the Reaction​

Cormier's criticism was directed at the way fighters cope with losing. Since he too has moved from being a top wrestler to entering MMA, Cormier is aware of the difficulties involved in competing under heavy expectations, yet he still questioned Steveson's decision to leave at once.

Rogan placed a greater emphasis on the circumstances surrounding the fight. When Steveson entered UFC 331, he was highly regarded and had an undefeated record, whereas Sharaf had already suffered losses in his first two bouts in the UFC. The contrast between the expectations and the fact that the result was reached in just 12 seconds made the upset all the more impressive.

Dana White Takes a More Measured View​

Dana White, who is the CEO of the UFC, also spoke about Steveson's loss and the response to his departure. Instead of seeing the defeat as the conclusion of Steveson's career in the UFC, White stressed that fighters do lose and that one result by no means decides what will happen next.

White also mentioned the very high expectations regarding Steveson prior to the fight, since the Olympic gold medalist was a strong favorite in the betting, which made Sharaf's win one of the more surprising upsets of the UFC event.

The fact that Sharaf won also showed how rapidly heavyweight matches can shift. A single accurate punch was sufficient to entirely change Steveson's trajectory on a night when he had anticipated keeping his momentum going.

Steveson’s Wrestling Background Meets MMA Reality​

Steveson still has extraordinary wrestling achievements, since he won gold in the freestyle wrestling event at the 2020 Tokyo Games and thus became one of the most accomplished American wrestlers of his generation.

However, MMA calls for a much wider range of skills. Wrestling can offer an excellent basis for takedowns, balance, positional control, scrambling, and physical pressure. It does not automatically include the striking defense, distance management, submission defense, and reactions required when facing experienced MMA opponents.

Before the fight at UFC 331, none of Steveson's professional opponents had managed to get beyond the first round against him. His defeat by Sharaf was thus his first time having faced adversity in the Octagon.

What’s next for Gable Steveson?​

We cannot yet assess what the UFC 331 loss means for Steveson's long-term MMA career since his experience in the UFC has been limited and the Sharaf fight lasted just 12 seconds.

There are certain aspects that he needs to improve upon, especially his defensive skills and his responses when under pressure, but it will be clear from his future fights just how quickly he can adapt.

Previously, Steveson had stated that he wanted to get through the UFC heavyweight division quickly. Before UFC 331, he believed that it would be possible for him to get a major opportunity and had said that he wanted to stay active.

The first real setback of his MMA career now raises the question of how he and his team will react to it.

The Bigger Picture After UFC 331​

The story of Gable Steveson at UFC 331 is more complicated than a knockout in 12 seconds. The official result is simple: Sean Sharaf defeated Steveson with a left-hand knockout at 12 seconds into the first round.

However, more background is needed about the walkout. Cormier and Rogan criticized the decision to leave the Octagon, while Jones later stated that he was responsible for sending Steveson backstage to ensure that he received proper attention after the knockout.

Steveson's defeat at UFC 331 should therefore be seen as both a sporting disappointment and a lesson to be learned. While his Olympic wrestling accomplishments remain the same, his unbeaten record in MMA has changed. The next steps his recovery, making adjustments to his training, and then returning to competition will show exactly how he deals with his first professional loss.