Why Gable Steveson's UFC 331 Opponent is Dissappointing

Gable Steveson is arguably the best prospect we've seen in MMA in a number of years. There hasn't been a heavyweight prospect like him since the early days of Tom Aspinall and even then, it was only those in the know who knew how good the Brit could be.

At 26 years old and with an Olympic gold medal around his neck, Steveson is a dangerous phenom at heavyweight. He's quick, coached by some of the best minds in the game and importantly, humble. He knows he's good, but he isn't rushing things.

With that being said, after blowing his opponent away in his UFC debut in just 2:31, he needed a step up in competition.

At UFC 331, he will face Sean Sharaf, a man who is 0-2 in the UFC.

Gable Steveson - The Next Big Thing

UFC Debut

Gable Steveson made his much anticiapted UFC debut at just 3-0 on the Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway undercard at UFC 329. 

He debuted with a record of 3-0 having honed his craft on the regional circut and was matched with Elisha Ellison.

Although Steveson didn't have it all his own way and was caught by some big shots, Ellison was a lamb to the slaughter and wasn't expected to do much. He lived up to that expectation and ultimately played the role of Steveson's first UFC win.

Second UFC Outing Scheduled

The good thing is that Gable Steveson is staying active. He's already scheduled for his second UFC outing just two months after his debut. With that being said, the opponent he's been matched with isn't a good one.

He will take on Sean Sharaf, a man who, on paper, is a weaker opponent than Ellison. 'The Smoke' is 4-2 in professional MMA, with all four of his wins coming outside of the UFC and only one of those wins coming against an opponent with a winning record.

He's on a two fight losing streak, having lost to Junior Tafa and Steven Asplund both via second round TKO. He was scheduled to face Tai Tuivasa in June, however, had to withdraw due to a fractured nose.

With his ability, background and ceiling, there's little point in Steveson simply getting another name on his record and another win in the W column. He needs a step up in competition and Sharaf, a man without a win since September 2024 isn't that.

At a time in which the heavyweight division is quickly becoming stagnant and fighters such as Josh Hokit are  storming the top 10 with just a handful of wins, Steveson should be getting an unprecedented push. No longer should a fighter with his ability and potential be forced to have four or five fights before fighting for a ranking spot.

Derrick Lewis is no longer ranked with the META rankings and provides a name an a clear path to victory for Steveson. The latter would likely be the favourite in that one. 

Tallison Teixeira is unranked but has headlined a UFC event previously and provides more of a threat and a more interesting match-up than Sharaf.

Despite his record, we have to stop treating the Olympic gold medalist, Steveson like an amateur and start treating him like the legitmate threat that he is.