Gable Steveson Breaks Silence On UFC 331 Loss

Gable Steveson he broke the silence.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) super prospect and Olympic gold medalist suffered his first professional loss last weekend (Saturday, September 19, 2026) by knockout Old Sharaf in just 12 seconds UFC 331 main card Inside the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California (watch the highlights).

Three days after a historical upheavalSteveson dealt with the loss — along with a sexual assault allegation from his college years Sharaf referred to this repeatedly during fight week – via social media.

“This statement is for my family, friends, fans and people who really know me and know the kind of man I am,” Steveson wrote. “I know there are people who will never support me, no matter what I say or do. That’s their choice. But I talk to people who know me not only as an athlete, but also as a husband and father of a young daughter.

“Before and during fight week, my opponent brought up an incident from my college years,” Steveson continued. “I believe it was brought up to get me in the head, but it also reopened something that had been dealt with years ago.

“I want to be clear: I did not do anything alleged,” he added. “I was never charged with a crime and was ultimately dropped by the District Attorney. The charges were not ignored or dismissed. They were thoroughly and thoroughly reviewed as I fully cooperated with law enforcement, including a separate Title IX review.

“There were no criminal charges, no convictions, no accountability against me,” Steveson continued. “The case was closed and there is no pending legal issue with me. My own attorney did his own investigation and stated on the record that even if the law was changed, I would have the same result, which now speaks for itself.

“I understand how serious these allegations are and I understand that people may have questions when they only hear part of the story,” he added. “Moving forward, I will continue to focus on my wife, my daughter, my family and the work ahead of me. Thank you to the people who support me. I know who I am. My family knows who I am. The people who have walked with me through life know who I am. That’s what matters to me and that’s where I focus.”

For context, Steveson and a University of Minnesota wrestling teammate Dylan Martinezwas arrested in June 2019 on suspicion of criminal sexual conduct after a woman reported being sexually assaulted.

Neither man was formally charged.

Six months later, the Hennepin County District Attorney Mike Freemanstated that there was insufficient evidence in the case for a fair prosecution and trial. Freeman explained that prosecutors must be able to prove criminal charges beyond a reasonable doubt, acknowledging that Minnesota law at the time limited his office to cases involving intoxication and consent.

Under the law, which has since been updated, a voluntarily intoxicated person did not fall under the state’s definition of “mentally incapacitated.” Minnesota lawmakers later amended the statute to allow prosecution of claimants incapacitated by voluntary alcohol consumption, creating what critics often call the “intoxication loophole.”

However, Freeman never said that legal restraint was the only reason Steveson and/or Martinez were not charged. Or that changing the law would have resulted in prosecutions. Steveson’s attorney, Christa Groshekmaintained his innocence, arguing that a different law would not have changed the outcome of the case.

And because no charges were filed, the charge was never decided at trial.

Steveson then turned a catastrophic loss which brought his tumultuous fight week to an abrupt end.

“As for my opponent, congratulations, you caught me,” Steveson wrote. “I was fouled. It was your night. Just like my wrestling days after the loss, I came back with an undeniable will to win and a focus that took me to the top of my sport. I believe Saturday night’s result will make me do the same. I’m great and that’s not going to stop me.”

Steveson was also criticized for promptly leaving the Octagon without congratulating Sharaf or staying for the official result. His trainer, a former UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Joneslater took responsibility for the controversial departureclaiming it was his decision to escort his wounded prospect backstage.

The 26-year-old now has a 4-1 professional record and remains one of the most decorated fighters to ever make the transition to mixed martial arts (MMA). He physical tools and wrestling resume hasn’t disappeared overnight, but after the biggest betting scandal in UFC history, the road to Steveson’s promised greatness suddenly seems a lot longer.