Gable Steveson is absolutely fired up for UFC 331 this Saturday, and honestly, you can’t blame the guy. Sean Sharaf just poured gasoline on the flames by bringing up Steveson’s controversial past on social media, reportedly calling the unbeaten heavyweight a “rapist” ahead of their clash at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Steveson, the 26-year-old Olympic gold medalist and one of MMA’s brightest prospects, isn’t holding back, calling Sharaf’s move pure cowardice and vowing brutal payback.
Talk About Adding Fuel to the Fire
Man, oh man. Sharaf’s move to dig up Steveson’s history has clearly pushed a button. Back in June 2019, Steveson was arrested on suspicion of criminal sexual conduct following an alleged incident at the University of Minnesota. The critical part? No criminal charges were ever filed. Despite that, Sharaf went personal, tossing that word out there in a post. You just know that kind of attack, especially when charges were never brought, has to sting. Steveson didn’t mince words at Wednesday’s UFC 331 media day. He told MMA Junkie and other reporters that bringing up “certain things” just shows “a coward coming up out of him.” Steveson sees Sharaf as someone “showing up for his own will and to say, ‘Hey, I’m a sacrificial lamb.’” And Steveson plans to make good on that prediction this Saturday.
Steveson’s Perfect Record and Unwavering Focus
Here’s the deal: Gable Steveson isn’t just some guy. This dude is an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, rolling into this fight with a 4-0 MMA record, including a 1-0 run in the UFC. His promotional debut at UFC 329 in June? A first-round knockout victory. Sharaf, on the other hand, is sitting at 4-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC. It’s no surprise that Steveson is a massive betting favorite heading into this weekend, and he fully intends to back up those wide odds and keep that perfect record untouched. When he talked about his mindset, you could hear the determination. He said he treats every opponent the same, “whether they’re the best or the worst. Go out there and pick them apart and dominate them.” He’s not there for games. “I’m here to win. I’m not here to joke around. I’m not here to sh*t talk. I’m not here to be a rude person to anybody. I’m here to win and go home and that’s my whole objective.”
So, buckle up, because Saturday night at UFC 331 is going to be something else. Steveson plans to wipe out Sharaf “in brutal fashion,” and after Sharaf’s comments, you have to wonder if he just sealed his own fate. Steveson is out to “show the world once again that Gable Steveson is going to keep upgrading himself and keep being the best he can possible be.” We’ll see if he lives up to that promise when he steps into the octagon.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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