Credit: Jeff Bottari/Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya knows what Gable Steveson might be going through after his UFC 331 defeat.

Polarizing UFC heavyweight Gable Steveson suffered one of the most surprising defeats in Mixed Martial Arts history at UFC 331. Despite entering Saturday’s event as a significant favorite over Sean Sharaf, Steveson suffered a brutal knockout just seconds into the first round.

It was a shocking defeat for Steveson, an Olympic gold medalist who entered the UFC with massive expectations earlier this year. His UFC debut ended in a brutal first-round finish on a card headlined by Conor McGregor’s comeback in July.

After ruffling many feathers for how Steveson conducted himself before and after the fight, Steveson’s relationship with fight fans remains rocky. Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, who has suffered multiple shocking losses during his current skid, advised Steveson to go dark for a bit after UFC 331.

Israel Adesanya advises Gable Steveson on how to handle his colossal loss at UFC 331

In a recent episode of the Precision podcast with Demetrious Johnson, Adesanya shared some blunt advice for Steveson after UFC 331.

“You already know what it’s going to be. Right now, he is already a villain in this fight. By the crowd’s response and also by his allegations…now after this, he’s just going to have to weather the storm,” Adesanya said of Steveson.

“Just f—– log off; people are going to do other stuff, and don’t let that affect you. And when you log off, just be in the gym and around your people. Stay with them – because again, we don’t know what happens in certain circles. And on the internet, it’s a free-for-all. All is fair in love and war.

“So just log off, stay with your circle, keep training, and don’t let these kinds of things derail you.”

As of this writing, Steveson hasn’t shared any public remarks since UFC 331.

Do you still believe in Gable Steveson’s potential after UFC 331? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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