Daniel Cormier was disappointed by Gable Steveson’s decision to leave the Octagon before Sean Sharaf’s victory celebration following their fight at UFC 331 on Saturday night.
Steveson (4-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC)), a former Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, suffered a shocking knockout loss to Sharaf (5-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in just 12 seconds, marking the biggest upset of the evening.
While Sharaf’s hand was being raised after the victory, Steveson had already exited the cage, a decision that drew criticism from Cormier during the post-show wrap-up on the broadcast.
The former UFC champion questioned Steveson’s approach to the fight and his conduct following the loss, emphasizing the importance of wrestling fundamentals and showing respect to an opponent after a defeat.
“Gable made some mistakes in there. You know, you're a 4-0 fighter. Wrestle. You have to. And also, you stand there and you take your lick whenever you lose. You let that man get his hand raised and you stand there no matter how you feel,” Cormier said.
Cormier then reflected on his own experiences competing in combat sports, acknowledging that standing in the cage after a devastating loss can be difficult.
“If you're concussed, cry! I did it! I mean, shit! There's the truth! Like, you take your lick whenever stuff don't...” he added.
Cormier concluded by criticizing what he viewed as a lack of sportsmanship in Steveson’s decision to leave before Sharaf’s victory was officially celebrated.
“You cannot be a great winner, but then an ungrateful loser. And I think that was bad by Steveson,” Cormier said.
