Olympic gold medallist Steveson looks to stay unbeaten against Sharaf at UFC 331

Gable Steveson and Sean Sharaf meet in a main card heavyweight bout at UFC 331, held Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with the unbeaten Steveson looking to extend his perfect professional record to 5-0.

Steveson, 26, arrives as one of the most decorated prospects in recent heavyweight history. A gold medallist in freestyle wrestling at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and a back-to-back NCAA Division-I champion in 2021 and 2022, he translated that pedigree into a seamless UFC debut in July, stopping Elisha Ellison by first-round knockout. Widely projected as a future title contender, Steveson represents a rare blend of elite athleticism and finishing power at the top of the heavyweight division.

Sharaf, 33, enters the bout still searching for his first UFC victory. The former United States Marine built an impressive 4-0 professional record entirely through first-round knockouts before stepping into the octagon, but has struggled to replicate that form at UFC level. He was stopped by knockout in the second round by Junior Tafa and suffered the same fate against Steven Asplund — though that contest earned both fighters a Fight of the Night bonus, underlining Sharaf’s willingness to engage.

The contrast in trajectories makes for a compelling matchup. Steveson’s wrestling credentials give him a clear path to controlling the fight on the ground, but Sharaf’s knockout power in the early rounds means the unbeaten prospect cannot afford a slow start. Whether Steveson can continue his rapid rise or Sharaf can produce the upset that would announce his own UFC credentials is the central question heading into Saturday night.