A former UFC champion has weighed in with advice for Gable Steveson following his knockout defeat to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331. Over the weekend, Sharaf delivered a devastating 12-second KO, marking the third-fastest knockout in UFC heavyweight history and handing Steveson his first professional MMA loss, which also derailed his ambition to contend for the heavyweight title by 2027.
After the knockout, Steveson exited the octagon without staying to see Sharaf’s hand raised, a move that sparked boos from the crowd as he left alongside Jon Jones. This decision drew criticism from various corners, including Daniel Cormier, who felt Steveson should have stayed to show respect, accept the loss graciously, and learn from defeat. Questions were also raised about Steveson’s corner team for not advising him to wait inside the cage during the official winner’s celebration. Additionally, Steveson endured backlash from fans during fight week due to Sharaf bringing up his controversial past.
Israel Adesanya, the former two-time UFC middleweight champion, offered Steveson some guidance following the brutal knockout. In a conversation with Demetrious Johnson, “The Last Stylebender” suggested Steveson should disconnect from social media, focus on training, and stay close to his support system, urging him to “weather the storm” and not let negativity disrupt his progress.
Adesanya emphasized, “He was already like a villain this fight, and by the crowd’s response and also by his allegations or convictions or whatever. And now after this, he just has to weather the storm, just f*cking log off, bro. People are gonna do all that stuff. Don’t let that affect you. But then, when you log off, just be in the gym, be around your people… Keep training, man. Keep training. You cannot let these kinds of things derail you.”
Fan Take:
This moment is crucial for fight fans because it highlights the immense pressure rising stars like Steveson face both inside and outside the cage. How he bounces back from this high-profile loss could shape the future landscape of the UFC heavyweight division and set an example for handling adversity in the sport.
Source: www.lowkickmma.com
