DC was not happy! Former two weight world champion Daniel Cormier was not impressed with how Gable Steveson walked out of the cage before Shaun Sharif got his hand raised after brutally flat lining him in the first round easily Cormier mentioned when he was finished by Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic he stayed in the cage and paid his respect to his opponents regardless of how he felt Fair play or foul?
Daniel Cormier has publicly called out Gable Steveson for his conduct following a first-round finish of Shaun Sharif, taking issue with Steveson leaving the cage before Sharif's hand was raised in defeat.
Cormier, widely known as "DC," expressed his displeasure over what he viewed as a lack of sportsmanship from the young heavyweight prospect. The former two-division world champion pointed to his own career as a standard for how a fighter should handle defeat, noting that even after brutal losses to Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic, he remained in the cage and showed respect to his opponents regardless of how he felt in the moment.
Cormier carried a professional record of 22-3-0 across a decorated career, landing significant strikes at a rate of 4.25 per minute with 52 percent accuracy and averaging 1.83 takedowns per 15 minutes. Now 47, he remains an influential voice in the sport through commentary and analysis.
Steveson, the 26-year-old American wrestling standout, improved to 4-1-0 with the win over Sharif, finishing the fight convincingly in the opening round. His numbers inside the cage reflect an aggressive, pressure-based style, with a striking accuracy of 71 percent — among the highest recorded for fighters in the database.
Why it matters
- Cormier's criticism carries weight given his Hall of Fame-caliber career and reputation for professionalism
- The incident raises broader questions about fighter conduct and octagon etiquette at the professional level
- Steveson is still early in his MMA career, and how he responds to public criticism from veterans like Cormier could shape his image going forward
- The moment puts a cloud over what was otherwise an impressive, dominant performance from the young heavyweight
