Jones takes responsibility for Steveson leaving octagon early - ESPN

Gable Steveson, considered one of MMA's biggest prospects, faced criticism for immediately leaving the Octagon after suffering his first professional loss on Saturday in Los Angeles.
UFC legend and Steveson's mentor Jon Jones took responsibility on Monday, writing on X that it was his decision to bring Steveson straight to the back, driven by an instinct to ensure his friend was okay.
Jones defended Steveson's work ethic and will to win, saying he stands by him and believes he will become one of the UFC's best heavyweights.
UFC commentator Daniel Cormier was among the critics, saying Steveson "cannot be a great winner but then an ungrateful loser," calling the exit bad.
Sean Sharaf, who scored the upset, said he wasn't greatly bothered by the early exit and expects the UFC to eventually book a rematch given the history made, though he believes Steveson needs to reflect and regroup.
An Olympic wrestling gold medalist and two-time NCAA Division I champion, Steveson (4-1) was knocked out by a left hook just 12 seconds into their UFC 331 main card bout at Crypto.com Arena — the third-fastest knockout in UFC heavyweight history — delivered by Sharaf (4-2), who had entered 0-2 in the organization.