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Gable Steveson Brutally Knocked Out in Stunning 12-Second Upset at UFC 331

Steveson was a massive favorite to win his second UFC fight.
Drew Beaupre|
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sean Sharaf scored one of the biggest upsets in combat sports history when he met Gable Steveson at UFC 331.

Taking place at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA, UFC 331 is headlined by a highly-anticipated rematch between reigning UFC Flyweight Champion Joshua Van and the division’s former titleholder Alexandre Pantoja.

Leading up to the night’s main attraction, the five-fight main card also saw Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time NCAA Division 1 National Champion Steveson make his second UFC appearance opposite Sharaf.

Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf Was Promoted to UFC 331 Main Card During Fight Week

Steveson vs. Sharaf was originally scheduled as part of the UFC 331 prelims, but the fight was bumped up to the main card the week of the event when Brian Ortega withdrew from a scheduled rematch with Renato Moicano.

Gable Steveson during weigh-ins for UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena.
Gable Steveson during weigh-ins for UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The decision to move the heavyweight bout to the main card came as little surprise given the considerable hype around Steveson, who won his first three MMA bouts in a little over a round of combined fight time before joining the UFC this year.

Gable Steveson (red gloves) celebrates after defeating Elisha Ellison (blue gloves) in a heavyweight bout during UFC 329 at T
Gable Steveson (red gloves) celebrates after defeating Elisha Ellison (blue gloves) in a heavyweight bout during UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Debuting on a UFC 329 card headlined by Conor McGregor and Max Holloway, Steveson only needed half a round to dispatch Elisha Ellison with strikes and bring his professional MMA record to 4-0.

Sean Sharaf Sleeps Gable Steveson in Massive UFC Upset

The Olympic gold medalist was lined as a massive favorite ahead of his meeting with Ellison, and the betting odds were even steeper when he was matched up with Sharaf for his sophomore outing.

Sharaf entered the night looking for his first UFC win, as the 33-year-old joined the UFC with a 4-0 record in 2024 before he was stopped in back-to-back outings against Junior Tafa and Steven Asplund.

Sean Sharaf (blue gloves) looks on before a fight against Gable Steveson (not pictured) during UFC 331 at Crypto.com Arena.
Sean Sharaf (blue gloves) looks on before a fight against Gable Steveson (not pictured) during UFC 331 at Crypto.com Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“The Smoke” seemed unfazed by the hype around Steveson all throughout fight week, and once he finally entered the cage Sharaf only needed 12 seconds to dispatch his opponent with a vicious knockout.

Bella Mir Also Suffered Massive Upset Loss on DWCS Last Month

Although it wasn’t technically under the UFC banner, Steveson’s loss was the second major upset in the last month after Bella Mir also dropped a unanimous decision to Alex Apodaca on the final Dana White’s Contender Series even of August.

Sharaf likely would have been cut from the UFC with a third-straight loss but has made himself the frontrunner for MMA's “Upset of the Year”, and now the question becomes how Steveson will respond after suffering the first setback of his MMA career.

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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