Jon Jones Provides Update on Gable Steveson Following KO Loss
Former two-division UFC champion Jon Jones has provided an update on heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson following his shocking knockout defeat to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331 on September 19.
Steveson, an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, suffered his first MMA defeat when Sharaf stopped him in just 12 seconds. Steveson entered the fight as a -2,500 betting favorite, making the result one of the biggest upsets in UFC history based on the odds.
Jones, who has been mentoring Steveson, revealed that his teammate is already back in the gym and said he remains confident in his protege’s potential.
“Gable’s doing really, really awesome. I believe in Gable. I believe in the man and the person that he is,” Jones said. “And as far as the athlete that Gable is, he’s extraordinary.”
Jones compared the setback to Georges St-Pierre’s famous upset defeat to Matt Serra in 2007, arguing that even the greatest fighters experience unexpected losses. However, he also said Steveson’s preparation needs adjustments.
“He’s in the right head space. He’s right back to training. I feel like, as a team, we need to add a lot more sparring, and we have our little things that we can work on as a team.”
Steveson transitioned to MMA after pursuing opportunities in professional wrestling and American football. He won his first four MMA fights before suffering the defeat to Sharaf.
Jones believes the heavyweight prospect has the support and ability to rebound from the loss.