Dana White Defends Gable Steveson After Quick Exit from Octagon Following KO Loss

Gable Steveson faced intense scrutiny even before his UFC 331 bout against Sean Sharaf. However, Dana White isn't criticizing Steveson for his handling of a surprising 12-second knockout defeat.

Steveson entered the UFC with a decorated freestyle wrestling background, including an Olympic gold medal. While his achievements weren't in question, past allegations of sexual assault have followed him. Sharaf brought up these accusations during fight week, and many criticized Steveson's reaction to his opponent's comments.

Ultimately, Sharaf secured a significant upset, knocking Steveson out in just 12 seconds.

Instead of remaining in the Octagon after the official announcement, Steveson and his team left quickly. This drew criticism from figures like UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, who was commentating the fight. Speaking to reporters after UFC 331, White offered a more measured perspective.

"He obviously had huge expectations for himself," White said. "These things happen. Forrest Griffin ran out of the octagon when he won the fight. These things happen."

Regarding the upset itself, the UFC president sees it as another reminder that no fighter can be underestimated inside the Octagon.

"Anything is possible," White stated. "Anything is possible when two guys get in there and start fighting. You never know how fights will go. That's why when people always ask me, 'Oh, what do you think? Is this guy going to fight this guy after Saturday?' Let's see what happens on Saturday. I don't know. I don't know what the fight will look like. It's like when people say, 'Oh, this card sucks.' The card hasn't happened yet. What do you mean it sucks? If it sucks, I'll be the first to say it sucks."

How Steveson recovers from this shocking defeat in his next appearance will be a storyline to follow, while Sharaf is currently enjoying his moment in the spotlight.