Olympic champ Steveson KO'd by Sharaf in just 12 seconds at UFC 331 - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — The hype behind Gable Steveson's budding MMA career came to a crashing halt Saturday night as Sean Sharaf knocked him unconscious with a left hook just 12 seconds into their fight at UFC 331, Steveson's second fight inside the Octagon.

Sharaf, who went into Saturday with a 0-2 record in the UFC, both losses coming by knockout, immediately went at Steveson (4-1) and knocked him out with the second punch he threw. After throwing a right hand, Sharaf (5-2) followed with a devastating left hook to Steveson's chin.

It was the first MMA defeat for the 2020 U.S. Olympic wrestling gold medalist and two-time NCAA Division I national champion, and is good for the third-fastest finish in UFC heavyweight history.

«I prayed so hard, worked so hard and believed in myself,» said Sharaf, a former U.S. Marine who went into the bout a substantial betting underdog.

Steveson arrived at Crypto.com Arena in a classic Mercedes convertible with his mentor and all-time great, Jon Jones. He has been considered one of the greatest prospects in MMA since transitioning to the sport in 2025.