Sean Sharaf says Gable Steveson KO was "karma and divine intervention"

Sharaf told The JRE MMA Show he was paid "30 to show, 30 to win" plus a $100,000 bonus, and had a message for Jon Jones.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Thu 1 Oct, 18:37 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Sean Sharaf kneels in the Octagon after knocking out Gable Steveson at UFC 331 — Photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images

Sean Sharaf says his 12-second knockout of Gable Steveson felt like "karma and divine intervention", and that he was paid "30 to show, 30 to win" plus a $100,000 bonus.

Sharaf, a massive underdog, knocked out the Olympic gold medallist with a left hook at UFC 331 in Los Angeles on 19 September. "Step in, boom, 12 seconds. Crazy, man, crazy," Joe Rogan said on The JRE MMA Show.

"It really felt like it was just karma and divine intervention. Because the way he was disrespecting me, too, man, he called me a coward, saying, like, he's the reason that I'm there and f***ing my hotel room is paid because of Gable Steveson. What's up with him talking in third person?" Sharaf said.

He also had a message for Jon Jones, who was filmed cornering Steveson in the warm-up. "Right now I'm on my victory lap and I'm going to talk some s**t because the m***********r disrespected... His whole team disrespected. Like, Jones driving around with him in the Mercedes, like, tonight we collect a head... Come on, Jones. You of all people know not to underestimate someone."

On his pay, Sharaf said: "It was 30 to show, 30 to win, and I got the 100K bonus... Well, 50, and then Dana matched it with the 50."

He said money alone would not keep him fighting. "If it's just the money... I could find a way to make money without getting my brain smashed."

More on the fight is in our story on Steveson's 12-second loss.