Gable Steveson Books Second UFC Bout Against Shawn Sharaf

Heavyweight phenom and Olympic wrestling hero Gable Steveson is officially making his quick return to the UFC octagon. Promotion officials confirmed that Steveson will take on Shawn Sharaf on the preliminary card of UFC 331 on September 19, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. This fight keeps the young wrestling star on a fast-track development plan just months after his successful debut.

Steveson is currently a perfect 4-0 in his mixed martial arts career. The 26-year-old made his massive UFC debut at UFC 329, where he easily smashed Elisha Ellison with a dominant first-round knockout. That victory kept an incredible streak alive—all four of Steveson's professional wins have come by knockout inside the very first round. Before making the jump to MMA, Steveson built a legendary sports resume, winning two NCAA national titles at Minnesota, capturing Olympic gold in Tokyo, and even trying out for the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

His opponent, Shawn "Smoke" Sharaf, is stepping into the cage with a 4-2 record and his back against the wall. The 33-year-old was a champion in regional promotions but has hit a rough patch since joining the UFC. Sharaf is currently on a two-fight losing skid after getting knocked out by Junior Tafa and Steven Asplund. This is a classic make-or-break fight for Sharaf, who is looking to save his roster spot by pulling off a massive upset against the sport's biggest heavyweight prospect.