Gable Steveson is not letting the sole and most brutal knockout loss of his career hold him back. Two months ago, Sean Sharaf flatlined the former Olympian in just 12 seconds at UFC 331 in front of a packed Crypto.com Arena. The magnitude of the defeat left Steveson’s mentor, UFC GOAT Jon Jones, with his mouth wide open as he watched the 26-year-old knocked out on the canvas. It seemed Steveson would take time away from the sport to deal with the aftermath. But reportedly, the 26-year-old’s comeback is already in motion.

According to Connected MMA, Gable Steveson is expected to make his comeback at the promotion’s first numbered event of 2027, UFC 336: Van vs Kape, scheduled for January 30 in Canada. The outlet also confirmed that Steveson has found his opponent in the name of Terrance Chatman. Later, MMA Mania also reported about the fight.

As of now, neither Gable Steveson nor the UFC has officially announced the bout, leaving the fight at the reported stage. But the 26-year-old heavyweight’s return, in all likelihood, will take place in Canada next year.

For Steveson, his next fight will determine his standing and relevance in the UFC.

Steveson entered his last fight against Sean Sharaf as a heavy favorite. Some betting lines made the former NCAA champion and Olympian a -2500 favorite to win the fight. However, Sharaf pulled off an impossible knockout in California, defying all the odds.

Gable Steveson’s stardom took a big hit after the loss. Jon Jones had positioned the Indiana native as his protege and expected he would carry his legacy. However, Steveson’s last loss raised a lot of questions, though his team, including Jones, remained positive about a comeback and a fruitful run in the heavyweight division.

The 4-1 heavyweight’s comeback also arrives relatively early. Sharaf knocked out Steveson in September this year, and his reported return is already set for January 2027. That is just four months after the loss. Naturally, there will be questions about whether the 26-year-old has properly recovered from the knockout before starting another training camp.

However, it is not unusual for a heavyweight to return in such a relatively short turnaround.

Mark Hunt lost to Alistair Overeem via third-round TKO at UFC 209 in March 2017. Following that devastating loss, Hunt bounced back in three months and beat Derrick Lewis in June 2017 via fourth-round TKO. Steveson is definitely not alone in making a quick comeback. 

But the real question is: can Gable Steveson prepare himself for the next challenge so soon? We might find the answer if we take a look at his next opponent. 

All you need to know about Gable Steveson’s reported opponent, Terrance Chatman 

After Gable Steveson’s last loss, it was almost certain the UFC wouldn’t throw him to the wolves. His reported next opponent, Terrance Chatman, fits the bill.

Following a decent amateur career, Chatman made his professional MMA debut last year against Erick Prieto at Fury FC 102 on February 21, 2025. He knocked out Prieto to make a loud statement. Chatman defeated three opponents back-to-back to build a name in the promotion.

The 29-year-old’s first defeat came against Myron Dennis via split decision at Fury FC 118.

Chatman then delivered a resilient comeback performance by beating Juan Torres in the first round via leg kicks at Fury FC 121, and those wins were enough for the UFC to place him on the heavyweight roster. At that point, Chatman’s overall pro record was 5-1. However, the Texas-based fighter soon met with a terrible loss.

Chatman faced rising prospect and former NFL player Anthony Wint in his UFC debut, and he quickly got a harsh reminder that UFC competition is steep. Wint scored an easy technical arm triangle choke in the first round to secure victory, spoiling Chatman’s debut. That loss dropped his record to 5-2.

Between Steveson and Chatman, the Olympian holds a slight edge over his reported adversary.

Steveson already has a win over Elisha Ellison at UFC 329, and that outweighs Chatman’s debut loss. Plus, their records are also fairly even, but looking at the overall pedigree, Steveson should emerge victorious.

However, a single shot could spoil the night for Steveson once again, considering Sean Sharaf was winless in UFC before he scored the upset at UFC 331. Still, it is expected that Gable Steveson will learn from his previous mistakes and deliver a strong comeback.

The promotion’s return to Canada next year already has two title fights lined up. At UFC 336, flyweight champion Joshua Van will defend his belt against Manel Kape in the main event. Plus, Carlos Prates and Michael Morales will collide for the interim welterweight title, with the winner getting a guaranteed shot at undisputed champion Islam Makhachev in the co-main event.

Gable Steveson’s inclusion on the card would spice up the lineup even more.