Jon Jones tries to 'clear the air' on Gable Steveson's early cage exit
Jon Jones has taken responsibility for Gable Steveson's immediate exit from the cage following a 12-second knockout loss at UFC 331. Jones stated he made the decision to escort Steveson to the locker room to ensure his well-being.
Why it matters
It addresses fan backlash regarding sportsmanship and athlete conduct following a high-profile upset in professional MMA.
Gable Steveson has come under fire since the moment fans saw him leaving the cage early at UFC 331, but according to Jon Jones, it was all his doing.
Steveson suffered a shocking knockout loss this past Saturday after Sean Sharaf caught him flush on the chin with a left hook to finish the fight just 12 seconds in to the first round . It was no doubt an embarrassing moment for Steveson, who entered UFC 331 as a massive 25-to-1 betting favorite.
When the time came for Bruce Buffer to announce Sharaf as the winner, Steveson, accompanied by Jones in his corner, was already leaving the cage, much to the chagrin of the Los Angeles crowd that mercilessly booed him as he walked back to the locker room at Crypto.com Arena.
Almost 48 hours later, Jones attempted "to clear the air" by taking responsibility for the situation.
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