Jon Jones Clears the Air About Gable Stevenson's UFC 331 Octagon Exit Before Official Decision

Gable Steveson's act of returning to his dressing room before the official result announcement of his UFC 331 encounter didn't sit well with fans. While many bashed Steveson for the action, his former UFC champion teammate, Jon Jones, shielded his stablemate by revealing that he wasn't guilty.

Jon Jones Takes the Blame for Gable Steveson's Early Octagon Exit at UFC 331

Watching a fighter get knocked out inside the octagon is a terrible sight for their cornermen. At UFC Shanghai, fans saw Usman Nurmagomedov jump into the cage without a second thought after watching his teammate and brother, Umar Nurmagomedov, get his lights shut off by Song Yadong.

The footage from Steveson's corner displayed Jones getting similarly shocked by the rising heavyweight prospect's devastating KO defeat in just 12 seconds. However, 'Bones' didn't lose his mind like Usman after watching Steveson get knocked out. He chose a different way to comfort his stablemate following the debacle.

With the UFC community bashing Steveson after watching him exit the octagon early, Jones stepped into the line of fire to defend his teammate. The former UFC heavyweight champion took to X on September 21 and clarified that it was his decision to take Steveson backstage before Bruce Buffer officially announced the result of his fight.

'Bones' penned, "I’ve seen some reports online, and I really wanted to clear the air. It was my decision to take Gable straight to the back after the fight. Honestly, it was the first time in this situation for me, and my instant reaction was to get my friend to the back to make sure he was ok."

Jones also implied that Steveson would make a strong comeback due to his "will to win." He said, "Gable’s work ethic and will to win is there, and I stand by him and believe he will go on to be one of the best heavyweights in the UFC. He will be back; I’m sure of it."

I’ve seen some reports on line and I really wanted to clear the air. It was my decision to take Gable straight to the back after the fight. Honestly it was the first time in this situation for me and my instant reaction was to get my friend to the back to make sure he was ok.…

— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) September 21, 2026

Despite being one of the strongest UFC GOAT contenders, Jones isn't particularly experienced as a cornerman. The sight of his stablemate getting knocked out worsened the situation, making him take the route he did. 

Nevertheless, Jones' words are expected to add even more eyeballs to Steveson's next UFC encounter. While many will be eager to check whether Steveson can actually forge a strong return, several others might be interested in watching how Jones deals with the situation if his teammate's next encounter goes south like the UFC 331 fight against Sean Sharaf.