UFC announces Gable Steveson’s next fight after dominant debut; Sean Sharaf awaits at UFC 331

Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson will fight Sean Sharaf on September 19 at UFC 331 in Los Angeles.

Published on: Aug 5, 2026, 19:16:14 IST

By Prakriti Deb

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Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson will make his second walk to the Octagon sooner than expected after the UFC officially announced that he will face Sean Sharaf in a heavyweight bout at UFC 331 on September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Gable Steveson of the United States celebrates a technical knock out during the first round against Elisha Ellison of the United States in their heavyweight bout during UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Getty Images via AFP)

The matchup was among four fights confirmed by the promotion on Wednesday, just weeks after Steveson made a successful UFC debut with a first-round TKO victory over Elisha Ellison at UFC 329.

Steveson entered his promotional debut as one of the biggest betting favorites in UFC history, and the former Olympic wrestling champion lived up to expectations by securing an emphatic stoppage win. While some observers noted there are still areas of his MMA game that need refinement, the UFC has wasted little time in booking his second appearance.

Gable Steveson to face Sean Sharaf at UFC 331

His next opponent, Sean Sharaf, will be searching for his first UFC victory. The Anaheim native signed with the promotion after compiling an undefeated 4-0 professional record but has since suffered back-to-back knockout defeats to Junior Tafa and Steven Asplund.

Sharaf had also been scheduled to face Tai Tuivasa earlier this year before withdrawing because of a fractured nose, according to Bloody Elbow.

Before returning to the UFC, Steveson is expected to compete against Tony Cassioppi at RAF 12 on August 22, marking another outing as he continues to build experience in mixed martial arts.

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Brian Ortega vs Renato Moicano rematch among UFC 331 additions

The UFC also announced three other bouts for UFC 331, including a long-awaited rematch between Brian Ortega and Renato Moicano.

The lightweight clash has been nearly a decade in the making. Ortega and Moicano first met at UFC 214 in July 2017, when Ortega submitted the Brazilian with a third-round guillotine choke in a featherweight contest. The pair had been scheduled to meet again at UFC 326 earlier this year before Ortega withdrew because of injury, the Orange County Register reported.

Since their first meeting, Ortega has twice challenged for the UFC featherweight championship, losing title fights against Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski. Moicano also earned a lightweight title shot on short notice against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 in January 2025 but was defeated in the opening round.

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The other newly confirmed fights for UFC 331 include heavyweight contenders Tai Tuivasa and Robelis Despaigne, while Ryan Gandra will take on Ozzy Diaz in a middleweight contest.

The UFC has yet to reveal the event's main and co-main events. Reports have linked UFC 331 to a potential five-round rematch between Arman Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira, although Brazilian journalist Leo Guimaraes has said the bout, if finalized, would not be contested for the BMF title.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Prakriti Deb
Prakriti Deb is a journalist at Hindustan Times Digital, where she is part of the US Desk. She works on stories related to American politics, crime, sports, entertainment and weather. She particularly enjoys covering political developments that have global ripples. Through her work, she aims to break down complex events in a way that feels simple and understandable. Before joining the Hindustan Times, she worked with The Indian Express Digital, where she covered world affairs. She holds a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication with a specialisation in Journalism, along with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. Outside the newsroom, Prakriti enjoys travelling and stepping out of her comfort zone. She finds her sense of being through storytelling in all its forms, including conversations, painting, theatre, dance and photography. She appreciates discussions that challenge her perspective and help her see the world a little differently.Read More

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