UFC fighter Sean Sharaf wears keffiyeh after knockout
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- Sean Sharaf wore a keffiyeh and performed sujūd after knocking out Gable Steveson seconds into their UFC 331 heavyweight bout in Los Angeles.
- Sharaf, who is of Palestinian descent, has previously said he wants to use his platform to raise awareness about Palestine.
UFC heavyweight Sean Sharaf marked his stunning victory over Gable Steveson with a display of solidarity with Palestine, wearing a keffiyeh and performing sujūd after the fight.
Sharaf stopped Steveson just seconds into their UFC 331 bout at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, securing his first UFC victory. UFC records list Sharaf as a 33-year-old heavyweight from Santa Ana, California.
Sharaf highlights Palestinian roots
Sharaf has previously spoken publicly about his Palestinian heritage. In an interview ahead of the fight, he said his father is from Jerusalem and had immigrated to the United States as a refugee.
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“My blood is Palestinian. My father’s from Jerusalem,” Sharaf said during UFC 331 media day, adding that he wanted to represent his people.
The UFC's official fighter profile also states that Sharaf wants to use his platform to “bring awareness” to the situation in Palestine. The profile identifies him as a Palestinian-American and a former US Marine who served for six years.
“Free Palestine”
After the knockout, Sharaf performed sujūd and recited Surah Al-Fatiha during his post-fight appearance.
In a later interview, he said: “Free Palestine, the people are hurting out there. We just want to see them free.”
Sharaf had also expressed support for Palestine before the fight, saying during media day, “We just say ‘Free Palestine.’ It’s not a crime,” while speaking about the humanitarian impact of the conflict.
The victory marked a significant turnaround for Sharaf, who entered the bout after losing his first two UFC appearances. His win over Steveson came in the heavyweight division and was his fourth professional victory by knockout, according to UFC records.
