Gable Steveson UFC 331 Statement Addresses Loss and Past Allegations

Gable Steveson has broken his silence following his stunning UFC 331 knockout loss, using his first public statement since the fight to address both the defeat and sexual assault allegations from his college years.

The Olympic gold medalist was stopped by Sean Sharaf just 12 seconds into their heavyweight bout on Sept. 19 in Los Angeles. The defeat was the first professional MMA loss of Steveson’s career and came after a turbulent fight week in which his opponent repeatedly brought up a 2019 sexual assault investigation involving Steveson while he was competing at the University of Minnesota.

Three days after the UFC 331 fight, Steveson published a lengthy statement addressing the controversy.

He said he had not committed the conduct alleged against him and emphasized that he was never criminally charged or convicted. He also said the matter had been thoroughly reviewed and that there was no pending legal issue involving him.

The legal record confirms that prosecutors did not file criminal charges against Steveson or his University of Minnesota teammate Dylan Martinez following the investigation. However, the circumstances surrounding that decision remain important to understanding the controversy.

Gable Steveson UFC 331 Statement Comes After 12-Second Knockout

Before the allegations resurfaced, Steveson entered UFC 331 as one of the promotion’s most closely watched heavyweight prospects.

His wrestling credentials were exceptional. Steveson won Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and had built an undefeated 4-0 professional MMA record before facing Sharaf. His first four professional victories all came by first-round knockout.

That momentum disappeared almost instantly at UFC 331.

Sharaf landed a counter left hand during the opening exchange, dropping Steveson and ending the fight after only 12 seconds. MMA Fighting reported that Steveson had been heavily favored entering the bout, making the result one of the most dramatic upsets of his young MMA career.

The aftermath generated additional attention because Steveson left the Octagon before the official result was announced.

That decision drew criticism from several figures in the MMA community. However, Jon Jones, who has worked with Steveson, later said he was responsible for taking the fighter backstage immediately after the knockout because he wanted to make sure Steveson received attention following the stoppage.

Steveson addressed the defeat directly in his new statement.

He congratulated Sharaf and acknowledged that he had made a mistake during the fight. He also compared the setback to losses he experienced during his wrestling career, saying he intended to use the defeat as motivation.

Why Sean Sharaf Brought Up the 2019 Allegations

The controversy surrounding Steveson did not begin with the knockout.

During UFC 331 fight week, Sharaf repeatedly referenced the 2019 allegations involving Steveson. At a press conference, Sharaf used highly inflammatory language when discussing the case and called Steveson a “rapist.” He also referred to him as “loophole,” a reference to questions surrounding Minnesota law and intoxication at the time of the investigation.

Steveson rejected Sharaf’s comments and characterized his opponent’s decision to discuss the allegations as an attempt to get inside his head.

The subject then followed Steveson into the Octagon.

Rather than allowing the issue to remain part of the pre-fight buildup, Steveson’s statement after UFC 331 focused heavily on explaining his position.

He said the incident from his college years had already been addressed and that he believed Sharaf’s decision to raise it reopened an issue from his past.

What Happened in the 2019 Investigation?

The documented legal history is more nuanced than the accusations made during UFC 331 fight week.

In June 2019, Steveson and Minnesota wrestling teammate Dylan Martinez were arrested in connection with a criminal sexual conduct investigation. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office initially announced that no charges could be brought at that time while the investigation remained active.

Six months later, prosecutors announced that neither wrestler would be criminally charged.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said prosecutors had conducted an extensive review of the case. According to the county attorney’s office, investigators considered police reports, interviews and other evidence before making the decision.

The office concluded that there was “inadequate evidence” to fairly charge and prosecute the case.

That distinction matters.

Steveson was arrested during the investigation, but an arrest is not a criminal conviction. No criminal charges were ultimately filed against him in connection with the investigation, and therefore there was no criminal trial or conviction.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office also explained that Minnesota’s laws concerning intoxication and a person’s ability to consent presented significant legal constraints for prosecutors at the time.

Importantly, prosecutors did not announce that a change in the law would necessarily have resulted in charges against Steveson.

Minnesota’s legal framework has since changed, but that later change does not establish what the outcome of the 2019 case would have been under a different statute.

Steveson Says He Cooperated With the Investigation

In his UFC 331 statement, Steveson said he cooperated with law enforcement and referenced what he described as a separate Title IX review.

He also stated that there had been no criminal charges, no conviction and no finding of responsibility against him.

Those statements are consistent with the publicly documented criminal case in the sense that prosecutors did not file criminal charges against him. However, the available public record should not be interpreted as a judicial finding that the underlying allegations were false.

There was no criminal trial adjudicating the allegations.

That is an important distinction when discussing the case years later.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said its decision was based on the evidence available to prosecutors and the legal standard required for criminal prosecution. The office specifically said that sexual assault cases can be difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt and that conflicting accounts were part of the case.

For readers trying to understand the legal terminology, the absence of criminal charges means the case never proceeded to the stage where a jury or judge would determine guilt or innocence.

The county attorney’s current explanation of the criminal process similarly notes that prosecutors decide whether sufficient evidence exists to file charges, while a criminal conviction requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Gable Steveson UFC 331 Future Remains Unclear

Steveson’s statement made clear that he does not intend to treat UFC 331 as the end of his MMA career.

He described the loss as a mistake and said he believed the setback would motivate him in the same way previous wrestling defeats had motivated him.

That confidence reflects the athlete’s extraordinary wrestling background.

Before transitioning to MMA, Steveson established himself as one of the most accomplished American heavyweight wrestlers of his generation. His Olympic success created enormous expectations when he entered professional MMA.

The UFC debut appeared to validate those expectations.

But the loss to Sharaf demonstrated how quickly heavyweight MMA can change.

A single punch ended the fight before Steveson could establish his wrestling, conditioning or offensive game. As a result, the most important questions about his MMA development remain unanswered.

Can he improve his striking defense?

Can he recover from the first knockout loss of his career?

And can he manage the enormous attention surrounding his past while continuing to compete at the highest level?

Those questions will likely shape the next phase of his UFC career.

Sean Sharaf Became Central to the UFC 331 Story

For Sharaf, UFC 331 represented a breakthrough moment.

He entered the fight facing one of the most decorated wrestlers in the heavyweight division’s prospect pool. Instead, he landed the decisive strike almost immediately and walked away with a victory that transformed his standing within the UFC.

Sharaf also received significant financial recognition for the performance. MMA Fighting reported that he earned a combined $100,000 in bonuses following the event.

His pre-fight comments about Steveson’s past, however, became inseparable from the fight itself.

The UFC 331 buildup demonstrated how personal history can become part of the promotional machinery surrounding combat sports. Fighters routinely use trash talk to create attention, but references to allegations of sexual misconduct introduce substantially more serious issues than ordinary competitive insults.

Steveson’s response suggests that he wants the public conversation to move toward the legal outcome of the 2019 investigation and away from the accusations themselves.

The Difference Between Allegations, Arrests and Convictions

The Steveson controversy also highlights the importance of precise language when discussing unresolved or unprosecuted allegations.

An allegation is a claim that conduct occurred. An arrest means authorities took a person into custody based on an investigation or suspicion. A criminal charge is a formal accusation filed by prosecutors. A conviction is a judicial determination of guilt following a plea or trial.

Those stages are not interchangeable.

In Steveson’s case, the publicly documented record shows an arrest in 2019, an investigation and ultimately a prosecutorial decision not to file criminal charges. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said there was insufficient evidence to fairly charge and prosecute the case.

Steveson maintains that he did not commit the conduct alleged.

At the same time, the absence of charges does not constitute a criminal trial verdict about the underlying allegation. The case never reached that stage.

That distinction is particularly important now that the allegations have returned to public discussion because of Steveson’s UFC career.

What Comes Next for Steveson?

For now, Steveson’s immediate challenge is returning to competition after the first loss of his professional MMA career.

His statement suggested that he intends to continue fighting and use the UFC 331 defeat as motivation.

“I will be great,” Steveson wrote, according to the statement published after the event.

Whether that ambition translates into another UFC run will depend on what happens inside the Octagon.

The 12-second defeat exposed a vulnerability that opponents can study, while Steveson’s elite wrestling credentials remain a significant part of his skill set. His future therefore depends not only on physical development but also on how he responds to his first major professional setback.

Outside competition, the renewed discussion of the 2019 investigation is likely to continue.

Steveson has now put his position on the public record. Prosecutors had already documented their decision not to file charges, while the underlying allegations were never adjudicated in a criminal trial.

For the moment, the next chapter of the story is likely to be written inside the UFC rather than in a courtroom.