‘You’re a New Fan’: Chael Sonnen Warns Fans Not to Write Off Gable Steveson After Loss

Steveson was knocked out in 12 seconds by Sean Sharaf on the main card of UFC 331 in Los Angeles last Saturday. Sharaf, an ex-Marine, entered the fight with an 0-2 record and was a +1200 underdog. 

In the most shocking upset in UFC history, Sharaf landed a left hand that sent Steveson stiff to the canvas. The MMA world has already declared the Olympic gold medalist finished. However, Sonnen doesn’t come in the same bracket. 

Chael Sonnen Defends Gable Steveson after UFC 331 Loss

Sonnen addressed the loss differently on his YouTube channel, drawing a line between hardcore fans and those who are new to the sport. 

"History repeats itself. So if you've been a fan for a while, you don't really think a whole lot of what happened to Gable. But if you're new, oh boy, Gable may never fight again. Gable's done. He'll never come back," Sonnen said. 

Sonnen’s believes fans shouldn’t react to a single result in isolation. To back his statement, the former title challenger cited Islam Makhachev’s loss in 2015.

"Now, if you've been around a while, you don't have to look any further than Islam. Islam Makhachev got put down, came back, never lost again, took him to a world championship, another world championship, No.1 P4P ranking," Sonnen added. 

The Makhachev parallel is well chosen. Makhachev suffered his only pro-MMA defeat at the hands of Adriano Martins. It was a first-round TKO that put Makhachev in the same spot as Steveson today. 

Many questioned whether the Dagestani had the chin and composure to survive at the elite level. What followed for Makhachev was 17 straight wins and titles in two different divisions. The loss redirected Makhachev, and Sonnen believes Steveson might do the same.

Steveson’s Manager Releases Statement After Loss

Steveson faced criticism not only for the loss but also for leaving the arena early, even before the referee raised Sharaf's hand.

However, like Sonnen, Steveson’s manager came to his defense. Abe Kawa cited the early loss of several great fighters, including Makhachev, Daniel Cormier, and Georges St-Pierre.

Additionally, Abe Kawa stated that it was just not his day. He also promised that the 26-year-old will be back soon and have a great career. Now, with this anticipation, fans will be eager to see what lies next for Steveson.