Sean Sharaf anticipated adversity when he stepped in the Octagon, nearly in his hometown, to face Gable Steveson at UFC 331 as one of the biggest underdogs in UFC history.
He expected the Olympic gold medalist to show off his wrestling credentials to get Sharaf to the canvas. He expected Steveson to hit him with oblique kicks à la Steveson’s mentor Jon Jones. Essentially, Sharaf expected to work his way back from the worst positions possible, over and over again, for 15 minutes.
“Ten seconds later, it was definitely a little bit different,” Sharaf recounted to UFC’s McKenzie Pavacich less than 10 days after the fact.
“A little bit different” is the undersell of the year. With one left hook, Sharaf sent Steveson clattering to the canvas unconscious, and scored not only the third-fastest knockout in heavyweight division history, but one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.
Sharaf described the aftermath to be “a little overwhelming” as he found himself the talk of the mixed martial arts world.
It was quite the turnaround from fight week, where Sharaf found himself going through the paces with nary a media request as he prepared for his third trip to the Octagon. His previous two hadn’t gone to plan, and he felt like his back was against the wall as he went into the fight in search of his first UFC win.
Meanwhile, Steveson, one of the more hyped prospects in some time, went through his interviews with the confidence of an athlete accustomed to the spotlight. Sharaf made the most of his short time on the mic before the fight during the pre-fight press conference, but otherwise, all the focus was on his opponent, whose focus didn’t necessarily seem wholly on Sharaf in return.
“I was just like, man, ‘I want to make this guy eat his words so bad,’” Sharaf said. “When I got done with the fight, it was just a sense of relief. I felt like I had a bit of a spiritual awakening as well because I was like, ‘God, if you're real, like, can you please show me something here? I really need you right now,’ and, to get the win like that, I was like, ‘Man, maybe he is real.’ I don't know, I'm still figuring it out.”
A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Sharaf describes himself as “a very deep guy” and also an introvert, so the whirlwind of post-fight celebration and adulation is quite the change of pace. One thing he has enjoyed is representing the Marines and interacting with his fellow servicemen, many of whom reach out to Sharaf on social media.
In the wake of the victory, Sharaf has also enjoyed seeing people recount stories about him during bootcamp and former sergeants being interviewed about him on the news. So, while the attention has certainly been a lot, he is doing what he can to embrace it all.
With things starting to calm down a bit, Sharaf is hoping to finally put some of his attention back on his personal life after spending the last eight years chasing his UFC dream.
When he was leaving the Marines after six years of service, Sharaf recounted a story of saying he was going to pursue a career as a personal trainer because they wouldn’t accept “UFC fighter” as a realistic plan for civilian life. And the road hasn’t been easy. Sharaf said he “put everything on hold” as he worked his way through the mixed martial arts scene and hasn’t celebrated his own birthday in years.
A specific person he hopes to help is his mother, who he calls a “very religious” person who prays multiple times a day but generally refuses any assistance from others, even after both Sharaf’s father and stepfather passed away.
For his performance in Los Angeles, Sharaf scored the special “Mobland” bonus celebrating the new season of the Paramount+ program, earning $50,000. UFC CEO Dana White decided to match the bonus himself, meaning Sharaf racked up six figures in bonus money, which should contribute to helping his mother eventually retire.
As far as what’s next, Sharaf is talking less about his next fight and more about wanting to get away and take some time for himself in the mountains with his dog. It’s a well-earned respite whenever it comes, but if Sharaf has shown the world anything, it’s to expect anything and stay ready to adapt and overcome, too.
Crypto.com UFC 331: Van vs Pantoja 2 took place live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California on September 19, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
