UFC heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson shared a statement on his social media following his first career loss to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331.
Steveson lost as a -2500 betting favorite as Sharaf pulled off the biggest upset in UFC history when he brutally KO’d Steveson in just 12 seconds.
We hadn’t heard anything from Steveson following the loss, as he immediately exited the Octagon and went into hiding after getting stopped by Sharaf.
Now, Steveson has broken his silence.
Gable Steveson Issues Statement Following 1st Career Loss
Taking to his Instagram, Steveson released a lengthy statement after losing to Sharaf.
“This statement is for my family, my friends, my fans, and the people who truly know me and know the kind of man I am. I know there are people who will never support me, no matter what I say or do. That’s their choice. But I’m speaking to the people who know me not just as an athlete, but as a husband and a father to a young daughter.
“Prior to and during fight week, an incident from my college years was brought up by my opponent. I believe it was raised to get in my head, but it also reopened something that had been addressed years ago. I want to be clear: I did not do anything alleged. I was never charged with a crime, and the matter was ultimately dropped by the district attorney. The allegations were not ignored nor brushed aside. They were thoroughly and heavily reviewed as I fully cooperated with law enforcement, including a separate Title IX review.
“There were no criminal charges, no conviction, and no finding of responsibility against me. The matter was closed, and there is no pending legal issue involving me. My own attorney did their own investigation and stated on the record that even if the law was changed, I would have the same outcome, which now speaks for itself.
“I understand how serious allegations like this are, and I understand that people may have questions when they hear only part of a story. Moving forward, I am going to keep focusing on my wife, my daughter, my family, and the work in front of me. To the people who support me, thank you. I know who I am. My family knows who I am. The people who have walked with me through life know who I am. That’s what matters to me, and that’s where I’m going to keep my focus.
“As for my opponent, congratulations, you caught me. A mistake on my end was made. It was your night. Just like my wrestling days after my loss, I came back with an undeniable will to win and focus that led me to the top of my sport. The result of Saturday night, I believe, will catapult me to do the same. I will be great, and this won’t deny me.— Gable Steveson”
What’s Next for Gable Steveson?
Despite suffering such a devastating loss to Sharaf, Steveson can still rebound in his MMA career, as he is only 26 years old and the UFC heavyweight division is the shallowest men’s weight class in the sport right now.
Steveson would be wise to take the rest of the year off, heal up, and then return sometime in early 2027 after he works on his striking defense in training, as he clearly has some work to do as far as avoiding strikes and his head movement goes.
Still, given his athletic tools and his elite wrestling skills, don’t count out Steveson from making a comeback and coming back better than ever in his next fight.
Gable Steveson Issues Statement Following UFC 331 Loss