In July, the Gable Steveson record looked like a heavyweight highlight reel: four pro fights, four first-round knockouts, and a UFC debut stoppage of Elisha Ellison at UFC 329. Two months later it reads 4-1, after Sean Sharaf knocked him out just 12 seconds into their bout at UFC 331 on September 19, 2026, in Los Angeles.
That single result changed how the division sees him. Steveson arrived with a wrestling resume few UFC signees can match, yet both of his Octagon appearances were decided on the feet, and the second one ended before he could settle in. Fresh comments from Bo Nickal this week have pushed the question back into view: what kind of fighter is Steveson right now, and what comes next?
Where the Gable Steveson record stands after UFC 331
Steveson turned pro in September 2025 and debuted in the UFC on July 11, 2026. His official UFC athlete profile lists him at 4-1-0, with all four wins by knockout and all four inside the first round. His two UFC fights make up the most recent part of the Gable Steveson record:
| Event | Date | Opponent | Result | Method and time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UFC 331 | Sep 19, 2026 | Sean Sharaf | Loss | KO, Round 1, 0:12 |
| UFC 329 | Jul 11, 2026 | Elisha Ellison | Win | TKO (knees and punches), Round 1, 2:31 |
The UFC numbers behind the Gable Steveson record are striking in both directions. He averages 15.46 significant strikes landed per minute and has connected on 42 of 59 attempts, a 71% clip. He also absorbs 5.89 per minute and defends only 59% of what comes back at him. His average fight lasts 1:22.
The detail that stands out most is the wrestling column. Across two UFC fights, Steveson has tried one takedown and landed none. Small sample or not, an elite wrestler has so far chosen to fight like a puncher, and Sharaf made him pay for it.
The college wrestling resume behind the hype
Part of the reason the loss landed so loudly is the pedigree. Steveson’s amateur career, per the UFC, includes:
- Two NCAA Division I titles at the University of Minnesota, in 2021 and 2022
- Two Dan Hodge Trophies, the award for the top college wrestler
- Five All-American finishes and four Big Ten championships
- Four Minnesota high school state titles
In his UFC profile he lists his special accomplishments as being an Olympic champion and a national champion wrestler. His path to the cage also ran through a 2021 WWE contract and a 2024 tryout with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. None of that amateur hardware counts toward the Gable Steveson record in the cage, but it explains why expectations were so high. He trains at Jackson Wink MMA Academy in New Mexico alongside former UFC champion Jon Jones, and he is named after wrestling great Dan Gable.
Wrestlers moving into the cage is a familiar story for Expert Fighter readers, from Steveson’s own Real American Freestyle debut against Alexandr Romanov to Zabit Magomedsharipov’s return on the wrestling side. Steveson is the rare case running in the opposite direction inside the Octagon: a grappler whose results so far come entirely from his hands.
What Bo Nickal says he warned Steveson about
Nickal and Steveson crossed paths at a Real American Freestyle card before UFC 331, and the exchange got heated. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Nickal recalled arguing with Steveson about how a wrestling match between them might go, with Steveson telling him, “I’ll knock you out.”
Nickal admitted a pure wrestling contest with Steveson could go either way. Under MMA rules, his prediction was blunter: he expected to “destroy” the Olympian. He added that he had pointed out holes in Steveson’s defense that would take time to close. Weeks later, the Sharaf knockout came.
Big setbacks can lead to big comebacks.
Bo Nickal on Gable Steveson
Nickal is a middleweight, so this is not a callout for a fight. It reads more like a peer’s scouting note, and the UFC’s own defensive numbers on Steveson back up the general point. A 59% strike defense across 2 minutes and 44 seconds of total cage time is thin evidence, but it is the only evidence the Gable Steveson record offers so far.
Gable Steveson next fight: what is known and what is not
The UFC has not announced Steveson’s next opponent or a date, and his athlete page lists no upcoming bout. He remains listed as an active heavyweight. At 26, standing 71 inches with a 74-inch reach, he is on the shorter side for heavyweight, which makes his wrestling even more relevant as a tool against bigger men.
Our view: the smartest rebuild is a matchup that rewards him for shooting. Anyone studying the Gable Steveson record can see the knockout power is real. What nobody has seen yet is whether he can chain a takedown to ground control in the Octagon, and that skill is the one most likely to protect him from another early exchange going wrong.
Frequently asked questions about Steveson
Who knocked out Gable Steveson in the UFC?
Sean Sharaf did, 12 seconds into the first round at UFC 331 on September 19, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
How many UFC fights has Gable Steveson had?
Two. He stopped Elisha Ellison with strikes at UFC 329 in July 2026 and lost to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331 in September 2026.
Is Gable Steveson still in the UFC?
Yes. His UFC profile lists him as an active heavyweight, though no next bout has been announced.
What Steveson needs from his next UFC booking
The Gable Steveson record still shows four wins in five fights, and every one of them came early. The next step is proving the wrestling travels to the Octagon, not just the right hand. Twelve seconds defined his last fight; the next 15 minutes he gets should show what the first 12 seconds could not.