Gable Steveson’s MMA Climb Hits Next Test at UFC 331

UFC 331 hits the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California on Saturday night, with two stylish flyweights squaring off in the Octagon. Current champion Joshua Van has plowed through most of the competition in that division, en route to a 17 -2 career record, but he will be tested by a seasoned Brazilian Jiu Jitsu specialist in Alexandre “The Cannibal” Pantoja. The two are meeting in a rematch for the UFC flyweight championship.

This title bout is indeed the main event, but everyone in the arena and tuning in via pay per view is aware, and anxious, to see the rise of the newest potential superstar in the UFC heavyweight division.

Gable On The Rise

Gable Steveson, famously named after Dan Gable, the legendary University of Iowa coach and Olympic wrestling icon, is no stranger to the hype surrounding stadium setting combat sports.

He is absolutely one of, if not, the most accomplished wrestler in University of Minnesota history, finishing his college career with an incredible 85-2 record, and two NCAA heavyweight championships. He is also an Olympic Gold Medalist, a former WWE superstar, and for a short period of time, a defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2024.

Now, at just 26 years old, Steveson has started to put the UFC heavyweight division on notice. He is 4 and 0, with all four victories coming by knockout, and all four coming in the first round. His UFC debut came in July, when he stopped Elisha Ellison, and he now gets his second opportunity inside the UFC Octagon.

Steveson has been remarkably open, and typically confident about the learning curve that comes with making the transition from elite wrestling to mixed martial arts.

“I’m always gonna soak up everything like a sponge and try to be the best athlete that I possibly can,” Steveson said ahead of Saturday’s fight.

The Smoke

At UFC 331, he’ll face California native Sean "The Smoke" Sharaf, a respectable opponent who, at 4-2, should not be taken lightly. Sharaf has four knockout victories of his own, including four first round finishes, and brings legitimate power into the heavyweight matchup.

The odds, according to the UFC, have Steveson as a massive favorite at minus 1600, with Sharaf listed at plus 900. Those numbers reflect the enormous expectations surrounding the former Olympic champion, but heavyweight MMA has never been particularly kind to those who get careless.

We believe that Gable will continue to move up the heavyweight and pound for pound rankings by defeating Sharaf, but as Anthony Cassar proved when he defeated the higher ranked Steveson in the 2019 Big Ten final, sometimes Steveson can get too cocky and let his guard down. Cassar’s victory was particularly significant because it ended Steveson’s unbeaten streak in college wrestling.

So far in the UFC, that has yet to happen.

If Steveson continues to combine his extraordinary wrestling pedigree with the striking skills he is developing under the guidance of Jon Jones, the heavyweight division may have a very serious problem on its hands.