Gable Steveson's night at UFC 331 in Los Angeles could not have gone worse. A heavy favorite heading in, the former Olympic wrestler was knocked out by Sean Sharaf in just 12 seconds, and our own results archive confirms the finish came via punch in the opening round. What made headlines afterward wasn't just the shocking speed of the loss, it was Steveson leaving the octagon almost immediately instead of sticking around to acknowledge Sharaf's win.

That exit set off a wave of criticism, and Jon Jones, who has been mentoring Steveson, has stepped in to take the heat himself. According to MMA Fighting and Yahoo Sports, Jones issued a statement accepting responsibility for how the aftermath played out and defended Steveson's choice to walk away rather than face the moment in front of the crowd.

Not everyone is buying the defense. Colby Covington told Steveson he needs to cut ties with Jones following the loss, arguing changes are overdue. A commentator was even more pointed, saying Steveson simply doesn't know how to lose.

The timing matters beyond just one bad night. We're hearing that Steveson heard boos from the Los Angeles crowd after his fight, and a first professional MMA defeat this lopsided, especially with the walk off attached to it, is the kind of thing that follows a young heavyweight into his next camp.

It's clear Jones is still very much in the middle of the Steveson storyline, for better or worse.