Steveson's manager backs Olympic champion to recover after 12-second UFC knockout by Sharaf

Gable Steveson suffered one of the most stunning defeats in UFC history on Saturday night, knocked out in just 12 seconds by Sean Sharaf on the main card of UFC 331 in Los Angeles. Steveson, who entered the fight as a -2400 favourite, was put to sleep by a sharp counter left hand from Sharaf early in the opening exchange.

The following day, Steveson’s manager Abe Kawa took to Instagram to defend his fighter and project confidence in his long-term future in the sport. Kawa drew comparisons to some of MMA’s all-time greats, noting that losses have not defined legendary careers.

“It’s OK that Gable got caught,” Kawa wrote. “It’s OK that he was booed. It’s OK his opponent talked shit. It’s OK that the world is kicking him when down. It’s the life he chose. Islam got clipped. Arman has lost. DJ has lost. GSP lost. DC lost. Jose Aldo lost. All went on to have absolutely legendary careers. We stand by our guy. He will be back real soon, and he will be great!”

The defeat itself was damaging enough, but Steveson has faced additional criticism for his conduct in its immediate aftermath. The two-time NCAA champion and 2020 Olympic gold medalist walked out of the octagon before the official decision was announced, drawing a sharp rebuke from Daniel Cormier and a number of other current and former fighters.

Sharaf, for his part, earned $100,000 in performance bonuses for the finish — a reward that underscores just how significant the upset was considered within the sport.

Steveson arrived in the UFC with considerable fanfare, his wrestling pedigree generating genuine excitement about his potential at heavyweight. Saturday’s result is a significant setback, but Kawa’s statement makes clear the camp has no intention of treating it as anything more than an early stumble on what they believe will be a longer journey.