Jon Jones Takes Blame for Gable Steveson's 12-Second Octagon Exit

Q: How did a heavy underdog shatter an Olympic champion's undefeated MMA streak in just 12 seconds?

Sean Sharaf ended Gable Steveson’s unbeaten MMA run by capitalizing on a defensive mistake in the opening exchange and landing a clean left hook that Steveson never recovered from. The fight lasted only 12 seconds at UFC 331 in Los Angeles. Steveson opened with a leg kick and appeared to reach his arms out to parry incoming punches rather than resetting behind a tighter guard. Sharaf immediately pressed forward, threw a right hand, then looped a left hook over Steveson’s extended hands and caught him flush on the chin. Steveson crashed to the canvas, and Sharaf’s follow-up shots prompted the stoppage. The result was a major upset because Steveson came in as one of the UFC’s most hyped heavyweight prospects, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA champion who had opened his pro MMA career undefeated with a string of first-round finishes. Sharaf, by contrast, entered as a heavy betting underdog, with some books listing Steveson as high as a -2400 or -2500 favorite, and Sharaf had been 0-2 in the UFC before the bout. But the finish also underscored a basic MMA truth: elite wrestling credentials do not eliminate the danger of a heavyweight striking exchange, especially in 4-ounce gloves. Sharaf said during fight week he was not intimidated by Steveson’s résumé, and his game plan was simple — attack early, land clean, and avoid being hit. It worked perfectly, producing the third-fastest knockout in UFC heavyweight history.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Sep 21

Jon Jones said he, not Gable Steveson, decided to take the heavyweight prospect straight backstage after Steveson’s first professional MMA loss drew criticism for his immediate Octagon exit.
On X, Jones said his instinct was to get his friend checked and away from the scene, adding that Steveson’s work ethic remains intact and predicting he will return as a top UFC heavyweight.
Daniel Cormier was among the critics, saying Steveson could not be “a great winner” and then “an ungrateful loser” after leaving without staying in the cage.
Sean Sharaf triggered the backlash by knocking out Steveson 12 seconds into their UFC 331 bout in Los Angeles — the third-fastest knockout in UFC heavyweight history.