Sean Sharaf
"The Smoke"Career Averages
Loss Methods (2)
Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Sharaf | 0 | 66 of 153 | 43% | 66 of 154 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Steven Asplund | 0 | 170 of 292 | 58% | 172 of 294 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sean Sharaf | 0 | 43 of 89 | 48% | 43 of 90 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Steven Asplund | 0 | 71 of 137 | 51% | 72 of 138 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 | |
| 2 | Sean Sharaf | 0 | 23 of 64 | 35% | 23 of 64 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Steven Asplund | 0 | 99 of 155 | 63% | 100 of 156 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Sharaf | 66 of 153 | 43% | 50 of 134 | 15 of 18 | 1 of 1 | 66 of 149 | 0 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Steven Asplund | 170 of 292 | 58% | 154 of 276 | 6 of 6 | 10 of 10 | 166 of 285 | 4 of 7 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sean Sharaf | 43 of 89 | 48% | 32 of 76 | 10 of 12 | 1 of 1 | 43 of 89 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Steven Asplund | 71 of 137 | 51% | 61 of 127 | 3 of 3 | 7 of 7 | 70 of 136 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Sean Sharaf | 23 of 64 | 35% | 18 of 58 | 5 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 23 of 60 | 0 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Steven Asplund | 99 of 155 | 63% | 93 of 149 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 3 | 96 of 149 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Asplund (-220); Sharaf (+180)
Round 1
Just like that, we’re back to a pair of heavyweights that many believe are a bit green for a UFC pickup, but nonetheless are about to throw down. Much like the previous heavyweight encounter tonight, these two come into this battle with all but one of their combined stoppages via strikes—and a doctor stoppage. “The Smoke” Sharaf (4-1, 0-1 UFC) got smoked by Junior Tafa over a year ago for his first career defeat, while LFA veteran Asplund (6-1, 0-0 UFC) graduated from its confines and punched out Anthony Guarascio in 16 seconds in September. There is no truth to the rumor that the cage was reinforced due to the combined 512 pounds of fighter in there now, not counting referee Mark Smith along for the wild ride. There is a glove touch that precedes the action.
Sharaf comes out immediately swinging big, but he throws himself off-balance and Asplund tees off on him. Asplund bounces away from looping right hands to hurt Sharaf with a pair of elbows, so Sharaf retaliates with a pair of vicious looping hooks. Sharaf rips a left hand over and around the guard, and Asplund has to reset from the blow and lands a low kick on his way out. Both fighters flash jabs at one another, and Sharaf loads up and drills Asplund with an elbow. Asplund dances out of the way when Sharaf lets more fists fly, and he pecks at the Xtreme Couture product with jabs that set up rights. Sharaf is loading up with everything he has with every swing, and Asplund is not avoiding them all. Sharaf plants a one-two on the chin, and Asplund replies with a string of punches that largely bang into the guard. Asplund sinks a heavy calf kick home, and Smith asks for the fighters to close their fists. Sharaf goes to the body in the midst of an exchange, and Asplund pays him back with a thudding right.
Asplund splits the guard with a front kick, and he is forced to retreat when Sharaf chains a few punches together. The two take turns bashing one another’s brains in, and Asplund snaps out a jab that splits the skin between Sharaf's eyebrows wide open. Blood flows down his face, allowing Asplund to target it and further bust it up. Asplund sways to evade a pair of hooks, but Sharaf rips a left to the liver that gets his attention. Asplund leans back to barely avoid a big right, and he cracks the bloody man with a crushing uppercut. Sharaf is tough as a two-dollar steak, and he has a veritable axe wound on his face, but he takes upright when Asplund rocks him and tries to punch him out. Sharaf backs away to get away from the bludgeoning, and Asplund chases him down and tosses a head kick at him. Asplund falls over when he misses the kick, and he springs back up. The two heavyweights brawl it out to the bell, and it’s anyone’s guess as to whether Sharaf will be allowed to continue the fight when the doctor checks out his massive forehead gash.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Asplund
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Asplund
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-8 Asplund
Round 2
Sharaf is cleared to keep fighting after all, although the cutman is unable to close the wound. Knowing he might be on borrowed time, Sharaf comes out firing, backing Asplund to the wall when he hurls bombs. Asplund bounces off the cage to throw back, and he walks into a standing elbow. Asplund loops a pair of rights over the guard, tagging “Head Wound Harry” and forcing Smith to ask Sharaf to fight back. Sharaf obliges him, swinging with all his might, but his lobs are labored and only a few land because of how telegraphed they are. Asplund takes them on the chin and keeps marching Sharaf down, putting fists to his face. Asplund brings up a low kick that pounds into the cup, the sound echoing through the Apex, and Smith calls time and immediately brings in the doctor—to check on the cut, and not because of the groin shot. Once more, Sharaf can go on because the cut is positioned between his eyes and not above them, thus not seriously obscuring his vision. After 70 seconds, Sharaf signals he is good to go, and they resume. Asplund goes right after him, planting jab after jab on the cut to open up follow-up right hands. Asplund prefers to touch rather than load up, while Sharaf is swinging for the bleachers. One such huge blow knocks Asplund back a few steps, but he gathers a full head of steam and continues to peck and probe at Sharaf’s face with straight strikes.
Asplund appears to finally hurt Sharaf with a long series of punches, and he backs Sharaf to the wall. Sharaf tries to fight back by hurling uppercuts at him, and Asplund dodges them and keeps working Sharaf over.
Smith implores Sharaf to fight back, and he does but is constantly under fire and barely still on his feet. Asplund strings a lengthy series of punches together, knocking Sharaf’s head around like a speed bag. Sharaf’s toughness is off the charts, but as Asplund continues to beat him relentlessly, Smith saves Sharaf from himself and waves the fight off.
The victorious Asplund celebrates by tweaking his nipples—Rashad Evans is pointing at the screen from the analyst booth like Leonardo DiCaprio in the infamous meme—and telling the camera that fat people can make a change and transform themselves like he did. His subsequent post-fight interview is one that those watching will remember for quite some time, so if you missed it, be sure to stick around after the bloodbath concludes to hear his inspiring message, his beautiful words for his family and his unadulterated joy and pride in doing what he loves.
The Official Result
Steven Asplund def. Sean Sharaf R2 3:49 via TKO (Punches)
Expert Picks (5)
Cody picks Asplund, citing his mobility, reach, and cardio. He expects Sharaf to fade after the first round, allowing Asplund to take over and get a TKO. He suggests a round two prop.
Connor agrees with Asplund, but is equally hesitant. He describes Asplund as a fighter who fights like he's on fire for two minutes then gasses, but keeps trying. Sharaf, on the other hand, quits when hit clean. He calls it a crime against humanity and says neither fighter should engender confidence.
Lucrative James picks Steven Asplund confidently, citing his size advantage as a true heavyweight. He believes Sean Sharaf is a light heavyweight who will struggle with Asplund's size and power, and predicts Asplund will win via TKO from top position. He projects Asplund as a -250 favorite.
Paul is hesitant but leans Asplund, noting his mobility and youth. He worries about Asplund's takedown defense but thinks he can survive early and take over later. He prefers live betting or a round two prop.
Zane picks Asplund hesitantly, noting that Asplund gets tired quickly but keeps fighting aggressively, while Sharaf quits when not winning. He points out that Asplund has wins outside the first round, whereas Sharaf has only one fight outside the first round and lost it. He calls it a terrible fight that could go either way.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Tafa | 0 | 71 of 128 | 55% | 71 of 128 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:02 |
| Sean Sharaf | 0 | 53 of 118 | 44% | 54 of 122 | 1 of 8 | 12% | 0 | 0 | 0:46 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Junior Tafa | 0 | 36 of 75 | 48% | 36 of 75 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Sean Sharaf | 0 | 46 of 102 | 45% | 47 of 106 | 1 of 5 | 20% | 0 | 0 | 0:46 | |
| 2 | Junior Tafa | 0 | 35 of 53 | 66% | 35 of 53 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:02 |
| Sean Sharaf | 0 | 7 of 16 | 43% | 7 of 16 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Tafa | 71 of 128 | 55% | 61 of 117 | 10 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 71 of 128 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Sean Sharaf | 53 of 118 | 44% | 39 of 101 | 7 of 10 | 7 of 7 | 44 of 93 | 1 of 3 | 8 of 22 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Junior Tafa | 36 of 75 | 48% | 28 of 66 | 8 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 36 of 75 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Sean Sharaf | 46 of 102 | 45% | 34 of 87 | 6 of 9 | 6 of 6 | 37 of 78 | 1 of 2 | 8 of 22 | |
| 2 | Junior Tafa | 35 of 53 | 66% | 33 of 51 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 35 of 53 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Sean Sharaf | 7 of 16 | 43% | 5 of 14 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 7 of 15 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: ODDS: Tafa (-400), Sharaf (+250)
Round 1
The UFC nearly went two months without staging a heavyweight fight, with the last one between Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Tai Tuivasa in the middle of August. Tafa (5-3, 1-3 UFC), one of the other hefty participants that night, will try to get back in the win column at the expense of relative neophyte Sharaf (4-0, 0-0 UFC). Referee Mark Smith will be keeping his head on a swivel, as these two sluggers combine for nine knockouts across their nine wins. Gloves are briefly touched, and Sharaf does not waste time and winds up a low kick and look for a big right hand. Sharaf backs Tafa against the fence and swings for the bleachers, forcing Tafa to bounce off the wall. Tafa jabs to the body, and Sharaf comes up top with a one-two. Tafa splits the guard with long punches, and Sharaf thumps the front leg with a kick. Tafa winds up with a counter right hand to nail the newcomer on the side of the head, and Sharaf dives after him for a takedown. Tafa grabs the fence to keep himself on his feet, and Smith is not happy about that and calls time to warn him of his foul. When they resume, it does not take more than a few seconds for Sharaf to charge his foe and get the takedown he was seeking. Tafa does not stay on his back for long before getting back to his feet, and they stand in the center of the cage and trade single strikes. The ferocity between the two is not nearly as intense as before, but Tafa breaks this up by blasting Sharaf in the side of the head and shaking him up. Tafa showboats by pointing at Sharaf’s corner, and Sharaf surges into action with thunderous punches that back “The Juggernaut” to the wall again. Tafa strafes away in part due to a successful takedown defense, and he scores a few leg kicks and follows one with a left hook. Sharaf keeps a decent poker face but is stung from the blow, and Tafa winds up and nails him on the temple to further shake him up. Tafa marches him down, walking through wild counters while picking his shots that are landing cleaner and heavier. Tafa backs off to adjust his shorts, and he checks a calf kick and leans back as a left hook comes his way. Tafa slips two lefts around the guard and unloads haymakers, only for Sharaf to stand form and rock him with two hooks and drag him to the mat with a double. Tafa turns to his side as Sharaf claims full mount, and Sharaf beats on him with punches and elbows. Sharaf swarms his man with elbows until the horn saves an exhausted Tafa.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sharaf
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sharaf
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sharaf
Round 2
The big men are sucking wind after five minutes of brawling, and they get back to it and tap their large hands together. Tafa fights behind his jab, tripling up on it and following with a right hand. Sharaf tries a labored shot, and he gets caught with a right hand. Sharaf steps out with a left hand, and Tafa intercepts him with an uppercut while stopping a shot. Sharaf digs a left to the body and a right to the head, and Tafa surges into action. Tafa winds up a massive right hand, and Sharaf don’t like it. His casbah is rocked. Tafa throws hammers until he runs out of steam, and he has no choice but to disengage as Sharaf is still in the fight albeit bloodied from his left eye. Tafa unloads a right hand around the guard of his opponent, and he marches forward and rifles off three uppercuts. Sharaf is barely on his feet, taking a deep breath and leaning back to avoid a haymaker. Tafa laughs off a possible shot and walks Sharaf from one side of the cage to the other.
The spent Kiwi summons all his energy into one final punch, in the form of a booming right hand that clips Sharaf on the temple. Sharaf stumbles away, hanging on tightly to consciousness, and Smith sees he is not intelligently defending himself and waves the fight off.
Taking the fight earlier this week, Sharaf showed off several solid moments and about five minutes of cardio, and Tafa had just a little more in the tank to get his hand raised. The victorious “Juggernaut” retains his 100% knockout rate, and he drops to his seat in exhaustion.
The Official Result
Junior Tafa def. Sean Sharaf R2 2:15 via TKO (Punches)
Expert Picks (9)
Angelo picks Junior Tafa, citing his kickboxing skills and the fact that Chris Barnett hasn't fought in two years. He notes that Barnett's athleticism declines with age and that Tafa should be able to piece him up on the feet. Angelo mentions that Tafa's takedown defense is a hole, but Barnett is unlikely to exploit it. He believes Tafa will win via striking and that the layoff will show rust on Barnett.
Big Brady picks Junior Tafa to win by first-round knockout. He notes that Tafa is a sizable favorite and has the striking advantage, but acknowledges that if Sharaf wrestles, Tafa has no takedown defense or ground game. However, since Sharaf hasn't shown wrestling, Brady expects Tafa to knock him out early. He mentions the under is juiced and thinks someone gets finished in the first round.
Connor agrees with Zane, noting that Sharaf is a typical heavyweight signing with no tape, who will be aggressive but likely sucks if he doesn't knock Tafa out instantly. He points out that Tafa has at least shown some striking ability and is not as easily overwhelmed as Sharaf's previous opponents.
This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.
Daniel notes Tafa's significant size and age advantages over Barnett, who is 5'8", 38 years old, and obese. He believes Tafa's striking is excellent and that Barnett will stand and trade, leading to a knockout. The only concern is Tafa's poor grappling if taken down, but Daniel thinks Barnett won't attempt takedowns.
The host is not a fan of Junior Tafa, calling him overrated with only one UFC victory that he 'cheated' to get via a fence grab. Sharaf is a short-notice replacement but a longtime member of Extreme Couture, training with Francis Ngannou and others. Sharaf should engage in striking and possibly grappling, showcasing better MMA and pulling off the upset.
The MMA Guru picks Junior Tafa over Chris Barnett (note: transcript says Chris Barnett but fight card lists Sean Sharaf; likely a mistake in transcript). He trusts Tafa's boxing and power at heavyweight over Barnett's kicks and unorthodox striking. He notes Barnett's history of being knocked out and his poor boxing, while Tafa is young and hits hard with clean boxing.
Zane picks Tafa because he has more experience and can throw combinations, having done some kickboxing. He notes that Sharaf has almost no tape and is likely a one-dimensional knockout artist who will struggle if he doesn't finish early. Zane thinks Tafa's craftiness with punches gives him the edge.
This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.
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