Sean Sharaf took inspiration from Jon Jones and Conor McGregor! After one of the biggest upsets in UFC history knocking Gable Steveson out cold Sean used a lot of mental warefare in the build up particularly at the UFC 331 press conference Sharaf stated he learned a lot form Jon Jones and Conor McGregor using the Jose Aldo fight as a prime example Who
Sean Sharaf pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in UFC history at UFC 331, stopping Gable Steveson by knockout and then revealing the mental blueprint that carried him to victory.
Sharaf, who fights out of Xtreme Couture, improved to 5-2 with the finish. The 33-year-old American stands six-foot-three with a 77-inch reach and has built a reputation as a high-volume striker, landing 7.5 significant strikes per minute at 44 percent accuracy. He pressed that output throughout the build-up to the fight and carried the same aggressive energy into the press conference, where he engaged in pointed mental warfare with his opponent.
After the fight, Sharaf credited Jon Jones and Conor McGregor as the inspirations behind his psychological approach, pointing specifically to McGregor's pre-fight campaign against Jose Aldo as a model he studied and replicated. He said the mind games were as deliberate as any physical preparation.
Steveson, now 4-1, came in as a formidable presence. The 26-year-old American stood five-foot-eleven with a 74-inch reach and had posted an eye-catching 71 percent striking accuracy in his UFC appearances, landing 15.46 significant strikes per minute. That offensive output made him a dangerous matchup on paper, which is part of what makes Sharaf's knockout finish carry the weight it does.
Why it matters
- Sharaf's win is being discussed as one of the biggest upsets in the promotion's history, instantly raising his profile in the division.
- The mental warfare strategy, modeled on McGregor's infamous Aldo campaign, adds a tactical layer to how the fight unfolded inside the octagon.
- Steveson's first career loss snaps what had been a striking-heavy, accurate run in the UFC and resets the trajectory for both fighters.
