Just twelve seconds into the fight, Sean Sharaf dropped to his knees inside the Crypto.com Arena octagon and recited a prayer. He had just made history by securing the third-fastest knockout in UFC heavyweight history, dropping Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson with a single left hook.
Before pulling off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, Sharaf was drowning in $600,000 of gambling and personal debt. His name is now everywhere after Dana White doubled his post-fight bonus to $100,000 upon learning about his financial crisis. Sharaf chose to give the entire payout to his mother to support her retirement instead of using it to pay off his own debts.
Following his stunning victory at UFC 331, fans are getting an intimate look into the fighter’s personal life after he recently shared the heartbreaking story of how his father died.
Sean Sharaf Details Super Messed Up Tragedy Behind Father’s Death
Speaking with Bradley Martyn on the Raw Talk podcast, Sharaf revealed that he had spent years fighting under a company banner tied to the worst day of his life: the death of his father. His father died of a heart attack while at work for Disney, which owns the UFC’s parent company broadcasting partner, ESPN.
“He died at work,” Sharaf said. “He had a heart attack, and he fell. Ironically, it was at Disney. So Disney owns UFC. So, like, I bleed for the same company where my dad died, and it was, like, super messed up because they let him bleed out because they didn’t want to, they didn’t want to blow up the spot, basically, and have an ambulance come before the on-site doctor checked him.”
He said on-site staff delayed calling an ambulance while waiting on a doctor to arrive, and that his father bled out before paramedics reached him. Sharaf was a sophomore in school when the call came telling him to get to the hospital.
He added, “And, um, they called me and told me, like, ‘Hey, like, you need to come to the hospital,’ and he was already dead.”
He entered the event with a vulnerable 0-2 UFC record and faced the immediate threat of being cut from the promotion. During his pre-fight media day interview, he explained what motivated him by pointing directly to his roots, saying, “My blood is Palestinian. My father’s from Jerusalem.”
As a six-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Sharaf compared the discipline of fighting to his military service, noting that his time in the Marines taught him strict rules of engagement.
Why Sean Sharaf Is Already Thinking About Walking Away
The victory snapped a difficult two-fight skid for Sharaf, who entered the cage following consecutive losses to Junior Tafa and Steven Asplund. Despite the massive win, the 33-year-old heavy underdog is already considering stepping away from the sport entirely, citing lightweight contender Justin Gaethje as an example of why fighters should leave the sport while they are ahead.
“I was 0-2, on the chopping block, going against the hottest prospect in MMA,” Sharaf said, detailing the pressure behind the matchup. “The pressure was as high as it gets, I feel like, for that one. But that’s why everyone keeps asking, like, what’s next? Who you want to fight? Who you gonna fight? I’m like, bro, I’m just not in a rush, man.”
Instead of hunting for his next opponent or trying to climb the heavyweight rankings, the heavyweight looks at his historic upset as the potential pinnacle of his career. Sharaf admitted he is conflicted about his future in the sport.
He explained that he approached the matchup believing it was the absolute pinnacle of his career, noting that the massive stage and lopsided betting odds would be incredibly difficult to replicate.
“The stage is the highest it’s going to get,” Sharaf said. “Maybe I could top that, but at the same time, I don’t know.”
While he is considering whether or not he truly wants to continue competing, his gambling background heavily influences his perspective on his current situation.
