Jon Jones Says He Called for Gable Steveson's Early Exit at UFC 331

Jon Jones said it was his decision to take Gable Steveson backstage immediately after his knockout loss to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331.

Gable Steveson suffered a stunning upset at UFC 331, losing by knockout just 12 seconds into his fight with Sean Sharaf at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Sharaf, who entered the bout 0-2 in the UFC, landed a left hook to finish Steveson, who had been a heavy -2400 favorite. The finish was the third-fastest knockout in UFC heavyweight history.

After being knocked out, Steveson left the cage before the official result was announced, drawing boos from the crowd and criticism from fighters including Daniel Cormier, Dustin Jacoby, and Julian Marquez for not staying to show respect to his opponent.

Jon Jones, who has mentored Steveson since before the wrestler moved into MMA, addressed the exit on social media. He said it was his own decision to take Steveson straight to the back, explaining it was the first time he had been in that situation and his instinct was to make sure his friend was okay.

Jones added that Steveson's work ethic and will to win are intact and that he believes the former Olympic gold medalist will become one of the UFC's best heavyweights. Steveson had entered the fight 4-0 in MMA with four first-round finishes, and the loss marks the first setback of his career.