Gable Steveson Speaks After 12-Second Knockout Loss at UFC 331

The Olympic wrestling champion addressed his stunning defeat to Sean Sharaf and pushed back on the college-era allegation his opponent raised before the bout.

Gable Steveson has publicly commented for the first time since being knocked out by Sean Sharaf in 12 seconds on the main card of UFC 331 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. The defeat was the first of his professional mixed martial arts career. In a social media post three days later, the Olympic gold medalist also responded to a sexual assault allegation from his college years that Sharaf brought up repeatedly in the days before the fight.

Steveson denied any wrongdoing, writing that he was never charged with a crime and that the matter was dropped by the District Attorney. He said the claims were reviewed thoroughly, that he cooperated fully with law enforcement, and that a separate Title IX review produced no finding of responsibility against him. He added that there is no pending legal issue and that his attorney stated on the record that a change in the law would not have altered the outcome.

The allegation dates to June 2019, when Steveson and Minnesota wrestling teammate Dylan Martinez were arrested on suspicion of criminal sexual conduct. Neither man was charged, and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman later cited inadequate evidence to prosecute. At the time, Minnesota law did not treat voluntary intoxication as mental incapacitation; lawmakers have since changed the statute, a gap critics called the intoxication loophole. Freeman never said the old law was the only reason charges were not filed, and because no charges came, the case never went to trial.

Turning to the fight itself, Steveson congratulated Sharaf and wrote, "You caught me." He said a mistake on his end led to the finish and predicted the loss would drive him to the top of the sport, just as his wrestling career rebounded after earlier defeats. His coach, former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, took responsibility for Steveson leaving the Octagon immediately after the stoppage, saying he made the call to bring his fighter backstage.

Steveson, 26, is now 4-1 as a professional and remains among the most decorated wrestlers to move into MMA. The loss registered as the biggest betting upset in UFC history.