Gable Steveson might have had the worst week of anyone in combat sports. The 2020 Olympic gold medalist was flatlined in just 12 seconds at UFC 331, suffering the third-fastest knockout in heavyweight history.
Things were already getting personal heading into fight week, with Sean Sharaf bringing up Steveson’s 2019 assault case. To make matters worse, Sharaf was 0-2 in his UFC career, while Steveson entered the fight as a massive -2400 favorite. On paper, it looked like it should be an easy night for the former Olympic champion. Instead, everything went completely sideways.
Sharaf sent Steveson to the shadow realm with a brutal left hook to pull off the massive upset. But the controversy didn’t end with the knockout. After being dropped, Steveson quickly left the cage instead of sticking around for the traditional result announcement. Once he regained consciousness, he didn’t wait for Bruce Buffer to announce Sharaf as the winner either.
Jon Jones Still Backs Gable Steveson to Become One of UFC’s Best Heavyweights After UFC 331
Before the referee could even raise Sharaf’s hand, Steveson walked out of the cage and headed backstage alongside Jon Jones. The Los Angeles crowd had already mercilessly booed him as he walked back to the locker room at Crypto.com Arena. His decision quickly drew criticism from fans and fighters, with Dustin Jacoby, Julian Marquez, and Daniel Cormier among those calling him out for not showing his opponent the proper respect after the loss.
Gable Steveson and Jon Jones just got booed out of the arena 😬 pic.twitter.com/XgcflQkIKs
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) September 20, 2026
Now, Jones has stepped in to defend his protégé. The former two-division champion explained on social media that he was actually the one who decided to take Steveson backstage. He said, “I’ve seen some reports online, and I really wanted to clear the air. It was my decision to take Gable straight to the back after the fight.”
Jones continued, “Honestly, it was the first time in this situation for me, and my instant reaction was to get my friend to the back to make sure he was ok. Gable’s work ethic and will to win is there, and I stand by him and believe he will go on to be one of the best heavyweights in the UFC. He will be back; I’m sure of it.”
I’ve seen some reports on line and I really wanted to clear the air. It was my decision to take Gable straight to the back after the fight. Honestly it was the first time in this situation for me and my instant reaction was to get my friend to the back to make sure he was ok.…
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) September 21, 2026
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For the unversed, Jones has been mentoring Steveson since before the former Olympic wrestling champion made the jump to MMA. He has also previously backed Steveson as a future UFC heavyweight champion.
Steveson entered UFC 331 with a perfect 4-0 record, having finished all four opponents in the first round. However, the brutal knockout loss has now handed him the first real setback of his MMA career. How he responds from here could tell us a lot about what comes next for the former Olympic gold medalist.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
