Gable Steveson vs Sean Sharaf 19 September 2026 Prediction

  Prediction by   Gevorg Danielyan     September 19, 2026 

The heavyweight bout between 26-year-old Olympic freestyle wrestling champion Gable Steveson and 33-year-old veteran Sean Sharaf will take place on the UFC 331 preliminary card in Los Angeles. This will be Steveson’s second UFC appearance following his successful debut in July.

Gable Steveson

Gable Steveson is one of the most decorated athletes to transition to MMA in recent years. He won an Olympic gold medal in super heavyweight freestyle wrestling at Tokyo 2020 and is a two-time NCAA champion. Steveson combines elite wrestling technique with exceptional explosiveness and athleticism. Since moving into MMA, he has trained alongside Jon Jones at Jackson Wink MMA Academy. Steveson made his UFC debut at UFC 329 in July, knocking out Elisha Ellison in the first round. He closes the distance quickly, lands explosive takedowns, and does heavy damage with ground-and-pound.

Sean Sharaf

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Sean Sharaf entered MMA after completing his military service and now trains at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Sharaf is an aggressive power puncher. All four of his professional wins have come by first-round knockout. He has a two-inch height advantage and a four-inch reach advantage over Steveson. Sharaf relies on wide hooks and constant forward pressure, but his limited wrestling background and takedown defense are major concerns against an elite wrestler.

Steveson vs Sharaf Prediction: Steveson by First-Round KO

Sharaf is likely to press forward from the opening bell and look for an early knockout. Steveson should have the timing and movement to avoid those attacks, change levels, and secure a quick takedown. Once the fight reaches the mat, his positional control and ground-and-pound should produce an early finish. Our prediction is Steveson to win by first-round knockout. We estimate the probability of this outcome at 75%.