Gable Steveson lost in 12 seconds, then left the cage. Daniel Cormier had a problem with the second part.
Sean Sharaf caught Steveson with a left hook almost immediately at UFC 331 in Los Angeles on Saturday, ending an unbeaten run that had Steveson pegged as a future heavyweight force. The Olympic gold medalist got up, walked out and did not stay for the official decision or acknowledge his opponent.
Cormier, calling the card alongside Joe Rogan, said the exit was the bigger error.
I think Gable made some mistakes in there. You’re a 4-0 fighter. Wrestle. You have to. Also, you stand there and you take your licks whenever you lose. You let that man get his hand raised and you stand there no matter how you feel.
He spoke from experience.
If you’re concussed, cry. I did it! There’s the truth! But you take your licking whenever stuff [doesn’t go your way]. You cannot be a great winner but then an ungrateful loser and I think that was bad by Steveson.
Rogan pointed at the buildup rather than the aftermath. Steveson was a heavy favorite over an opponent who had lost both his previous UFC fights.
I think the odds and the hype got to his head and he felt he couldn’t be beaten. He stood there flat-footed and Sean just uncorked a picture-perfect left hook.
Cormier, a two-division UFC champion and an Olympian himself, said the credentials cut no ice with Sharaf.
Gable’s an Olympic champion and maybe people expect other people to respect that but they’re not going to. Sharaf was not having any of it. He went in there to knock Gable Steveson out and he did.
Steveson is 26 and now 4-1. Jon Jones, who cornered him for the fight, watched from cageside.
