Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson will face Sean Sharaf in his second UFC appearance on September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Gable Steveson Books Sophomore Octagon Outing Against Sean Sharaf
Following a dominant promotional debut, Gable Steveson is getting right back into action for his second walk to the Octagon. The 2020 Olympic gold medalist will make his second appearance under the UFC banner when he collides with Sean Sharaf at UFC 331 on Sept. 19 from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Steveson enters the heavyweight pairing with an unblemished 4-0 professional MMA record. The wrestling standout is fresh off a first-round knockout of Elisha Ellison in his promotional debut at UFC 329, continuing a trend where all his MMA fights lasted less than four minutes.
Across the cage, Sharaf seeks his initial victory inside the promotion. The 33-year-old former Lights Out Xtreme Fighting champion stands at 0-2 in the UFC after taking home a Fight of the Night
bonus in a losing effort against Steven Asplund.
Robelis Despaigne Returns to Face Tai Tuivasa
Heavyweight action on the card also brings the promotional return of Robelis Despaigne, who squares off against fan favorite Tai Tuivasa. Despaigne makes his way back to the organization after leaving the promotion in 2024 following consecutive losses to Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Austen Lane.
The 2012 Olympic bronze medalist rebuilt momentum with a vicious knockout over Junior dos Santos on MVP’s first MMA show in May, alongside a strong run in Karate Combat. Meanwhile, Tuivasa has his back against the wall after dropping seven in a row in the UFC, most recently suffering a trio of decisions against Louie Sutherland, Tallison Teixeira, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
Brian Ortega and Renato Moicano Run Back 2017 Meeting
The highest-profile addition in terms of divisional significance features a lightweight rematch between Brian Ortega and Renato Moicano that is nearly 10 years in the making. The pair first met in 2017 at UFC 214, where Ortega secured a third-round guillotine choke to hand Moicano the first loss of his professional career.
Both fighters have since shifted trajectories in heavier weight classes. Moicano challenged Islam Makhachev for the lightweight belt on short notice at UFC 311 and holds a #7 ranking, while Ortega has moved up to lightweight after struggling to make featherweight in his previous outing against Aljamain Sterling.
Middleweight Bout and Unresolved Main Event Status
Rounding out the newly revealed four-fight slate, Ryan Gandra meets Ozzy Diaz in a middleweight showdown. Gandra brings a 10-1 record into the matchup following early knockout victories over Jose Medina and Zach Reese, while Diaz aims to bounce back from a loss against Ateba Gautier.
As the promotion continues building out the Los Angeles card for September 19 at Crypto.com Arena, officials have yet to confirm a headlining attraction, though reports indicate the organization is targeting a lightweight rematch between Arman Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira.
