It Was My Call, Says Jon Jones, After Gable Steveson Left the Octagon Early

Gable Steveson spent 12 seconds in the Octagon at UFC 331 and left almost immediately after, and that second part drew almost as much criticism as the loss. On Monday, Jon Jones said the exit was his doing.

Jones, Steveson's mentor, posted on X that he had never been in that situation before and his first instinct was to get his friend to the locker room to make sure he was all right. He said he stands by Steveson and believes he'll become one of the best heavyweights in the UFC.

He will be back I'm sure of it.

The loss itself was one of the biggest upsets the UFC has seen. Steveson came in 4-0, with an Olympic wrestling gold medal and two NCAA titles, as one of the most hyped prospects the sport has had. Sean Sharaf was 0-2 in the UFC. Sharaf landed a left hook and it was over, the third-fastest knockout in UFC heavyweight history.

Daniel Cormier was among those upset by the quick exit, saying you can't be a great winner and then an ungrateful loser. Sharaf, now 4-2, said it didn't bother him much. He told ESPN he expects the UFC to book a rematch, and suggested Steveson take some time to reflect, since nobody can be underestimated in a fight.