Colby Covington is the UFC’s most outspoken welterweight, now taking aim at former college roommate Jon Jones in 2026. The former interim welterweight champion carries a 17-5 professional record built on relentless pressure and elite wrestling control. The rivalry dates back to their days at Iowa Central Community College, and Covington has spent years attacking Jones over his past legal controversies. After Gable Steveson’s devastating 12-second knockout loss to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331 in September 2026, Covington called Jones “bad energy,” claiming he’s holding the Olympic gold medalist back and urging Steveson to switch camps and return to his dominant heavyweight wrestling. Known for ruthless trash talk, he continues to be mixed martial arts’ most polarizing voice. #ufc #mma #jonjones #viral #reels
Colby Covington has turned his attention to Jon Jones again, this time blaming the former heavyweight champion for the struggles of Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson. Covington called Jones "bad energy" and urged Steveson to leave his camp and return to the wrestling-heavy approach that made him dominant at heavyweight.
The comments followed Steveson's 12-second knockout loss to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331 in September 2026. Covington claims Jones is holding the wrestler back and argues that a change of camp is the way forward.
Covington, 38, carries a 17-5 professional record and is a former interim welterweight champion. Fighting out of MMA Masters, the American built his career on relentless pressure and elite wrestling control. He lands 3.81 significant strikes per minute at 38 percent accuracy, but his takedown average of 3.64 per 15 minutes is the real engine of his style. The animosity with Jones dates back to their time at Iowa Central Community College, and Covington has spent years attacking Jones over his past legal controversies.
Jones, 39, is 28-1 and stands six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach. He lands 4.38 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy and averages 1.89 takedowns per 15 minutes, a well-rounded profile that has defined his career.
Sharaf, a 33-year-old Xtreme Couture fighter from the United States, improved to 5-2 with the knockout at UFC 331. He stands six-foot-three with a 77-inch reach and lands 7.5 significant strikes per minute, the highest volume of the three fighters here.
Why it matters
- Covington's comments keep one of MMA's longest-running personal feuds in the headlines, with no fight attached.
- The loss to Sharaf raises questions about Steveson's training environment, and Covington is pushing for a change of camp.
- Steveson's wrestling pedigree remains the central point of the debate, with Covington arguing he should lean back on it.
