Sleeping on a mat three weeks before his UFC 331 knockout, Sharaf's story stuns the sport

Sean Sharaf was sleeping on a mat on the floor with his belongings crammed into luggage bags just three weeks before he knocked out Gable Steveson in 12 seconds at UFC 331, UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has revealed after sharing private messages between the two fighters.

Sharaf entered the fight as a +1000 underdog against Steveson, who was priced at -2500 and widely expected to win comfortably. Instead, Sharaf ended the contest with a single left hook, producing one of the most dramatic upsets in UFC history and almost certainly saving his place on the roster in the process.

Strickland, who had been privately supporting Sharaf in the build-up, posted screenshots of their direct message exchange on his Instagram stories. In the messages, Sharaf sent the champion a photo of his living situation — a thin mat on the floor and packed luggage — to which Strickland responded with characteristic bluntness.

“Bro getting off the floor sucks,” Strickland wrote. “Least get a cheap Amazon mattress and box spring. 300 dollars.”

Sharaf replied that he would pick up an air mattress from Walmart. Whether or not he made that purchase, the former U.S. Marine will not need to worry about the cost of a bed for much longer.

Sharaf earned a $50,000 performance bonus for his victory at UFC 331. UFC president Dana White then doubled the award by adding $50,000 of his own, bringing the total to $100,000. Sharaf has said he intends to give the money to his ailing mother to help her retire.

Strickland acknowledged the windfall in a follow-up Instagram story directed at Sharaf: “Time to get a nicer mattress after that 100k bonus you’re about to get.”

The story has drawn widespread attention across MMA circles, adding a human dimension to what was already one of the most talked-about results on the UFC 331 card.