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Daniel Cormier believes it is far too early to dismiss Gable Steveson following his stunning knockout loss at UFC 331.
Steveson entered his heavyweight bout against Sean Sharaf as a huge favorite but was stopped in just 12 seconds in Los Angeles. The result, widely viewed as one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, dropped the Olympic gold medalist’s professional record to 4-1 and his UFC record to 1-1.
Despite the damaging defeat, Cormier insists Steveson still has the potential to achieve great things in mixed martial arts.
Cormier Dismisses Claims He Dislikes Steveson
Cormier also rejected suggestions that Steveson’s close relationship with longtime rival Jon Jones had influenced his opinion of the young heavyweight.
“I saw a lot of, ‘Anything doing with Jon, Daniel hates, even Gable.’ I love Gable,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel.
“I actually spoke to Gable on Sunday morning, after it happened. I don’t hate Gable Steveson. I think the world of Gable. He’s an Olympic champion in the sport that I love. I watched him accomplish great things.”
Steveson won Olympic wrestling gold before turning his attention to MMA, but his loss to Sharaf represented the first major setback of his young fighting career.
Steveson Must Reset After Shocking Defeat
Cormier believes the defeat should serve as a valuable lesson rather than define Steveson’s future.
“To think that that result determines what his career looks like going forward, to me, that just seems so unfair and such a rush to judgment,” Cormier said.
“Right now is the time for Gable to try to have that reset. He’s got to reset. He’s got to reset his mind. He’s got to reset his approach because here’s the thing that’s going to be hard for Gable Steveson. He was at the very top of wrestling. There is nowhere you can go higher than Olympic champion.”
Cormier compared Steveson’s development with that of fellow wrestler Josh Hokit, who began pursuing MMA at around the same time but accumulated more competitive experience.
“Josh Hokit was a wrestler, also. They started doing this around the same time, and Josh Hokit is fighting for the heavyweight championship,” Cormier said.
“But Josh Hokit did not make the mistakes that Gable Steveson did in his earlier fights. Honestly, Josh Hokit ran to the fights. He’s fought more, but he ran toward the fight. I think this was a massive learning lesson for Gable.
“I believe Gable Steveson is going to be OK. I really do. I really do. He’s an amateur, he’s young, but his time will come.”
Jon Jones Takes Responsibility for Octagon Exit
Cormier initially criticized Steveson for leaving the Octagon with Jones before the official result was announced.
His comments prompted accusations of hypocrisy because Cormier also struggled to handle his defeat after being knocked out by Jones at UFC 214.
Jones later claimed that it was his decision to escort Steveson out of the Octagon early. Cormier, however, believes his former rival was attempting to protect his protégé by accepting the blame.
While Steveson’s UFC 331 defeat exposed weaknesses in his developing MMA game, Cormier remains convinced that the 26-year-old has the wrestling pedigree and athletic ability required to recover and eventually become a major force in the heavyweight division.
