Sean Sharaf isn’t happy with the attention Gable Steveson is receiving ahead of their heavyweight showdown at UFC 331.
Sharaf is set to face Steveson on September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, but tensions are already building weeks before they step inside the Octagon. Sharaf took aim at the UFC after Steveson appeared in another social media collaboration with popular content creator Nina Marie Daniele, better known as Nina Drama.
The latest appearance didn’t sit well with Sharaf, who questioned why his opponent continues to receive promotional opportunities while he feels largely overlooked.
Sean Sharaf Questions UFC Treatment
Sharaf voiced his frustration in the comments underneath Daniele’s Instagram video with Steveson, claiming it was roughly the fourth collaboration between them.
The former Marine also referenced the serious allegations Steveson faced several years ago while questioning why the UFC was putting so much promotional attention behind him.
This is like the 4th collab they do with him, what’s up with that UFC guess Marines aren’t worthy of interviews just r**ists,” Sharaf wrote.
Steveson and former University of Minnesota teammate Dylan Martinez were arrested in 2019 following allegations of sexual assault. Prosecutors ultimately declined to file criminal charges, citing insufficient evidence.
Sharaf’s comments have added another layer of hostility to a fight that already carries significant stakes for both heavyweights.
Gable Steveson Continues Rapid UFC Rise
Steveson entered MMA with enormous expectations following an elite amateur wrestling career that included an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the Tokyo Games.
His transition to MMA has been rapid. Steveson earned his opportunity in the UFC after recording three consecutive first-round finishes and continued that streak by stopping Elisha Ellison in the opening round of his promotional debut in July. He now owns a 4-0 professional record.
Sharaf’s UFC journey has gone in the opposite direction so far.
He entered the promotion as an undefeated prospect after beginning his professional career with four straight first-round finishes. However, Sharaf has since suffered knockout defeats in each of his first two UFC appearances, leaving him with a 4-2 record heading into UFC 331.
That makes the September 19 matchup particularly important for Sharaf. Beating one of the UFC’s fastest-rising heavyweight prospects would immediately change the direction of his career while handing Steveson his first MMA defeat.
