Colby Covington urged Gable Steveson to split with Jon Jones following a 12-second knockout loss at UFC 331, prompting a sharp counter-attack from Jones accusing Covington of obsession.
Sean Sharaf Knocks Out Gable Steveson in 12 Seconds at UFC 331
Referee Frank Trigg stepped in to halt the bout at 0:12 of the first frame, recording the third-fastest knockout in UFC heavyweight history. The heavyweight clash at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles ended almost before it began on September 19, 2026, when Sean Sharaf caught Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson with a decisive left hook in the opening exchange of the round.
Steveson opted to leave the Octagon before the official announcement of the winner could take place. Sharaf celebrated his victory in the cage.
Colby Covington Blames Jon Jones for Steveson’s Stumble
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Colby Covington argued that Steveson had abandoned the elite wrestling background that made him a standout prospect in favor of striking exchanges.
“It was pitiful. It was embarrassing. Dude, you’ve always been a winner, and you’ve won your whole life; take your loss like a man. Why are you running out of the cage crying, running away from your reality? Your reality is you got knocked out. You put your hands down; you weren’t ready for the moment.”
Colby Covington, via Yahoo
Covington pointed a finger directly at Jon Jones, with whom Covington shares history as a former college roommate at Iowa Central Community College. Covington advised Steveson to find a new training camp and distance himself from what he termed negative energy.
“Jon Jones is bad energy. That guy is a demon, man. We’ve seen the long laundry list of bad things he’s done to women, to people, to cops, to drug testers. He’s just a horrible person, bro. When you align yourself with, and you’re surrounded by that bad energy all the time, it’s going to rub off on you.”
Colby Covington, via Heavy
Jon Jones Fires Back at Covington Over Obsession Claims
Taking to social media on October 7, 2026, Jon Jones dismissed Covington’s remarks and pointed out that his deep hatred appeared misdirected.
Jones posted an image showing an X-ray of Covington’s broken jaw stemming from his past loss to Kamaru Usman at UFC 245, writing that Usman was responsible for breaking his face rather than himself.
“It’s funny that you blame Gable’s loss on my ‘negative energy.’ Meanwhile, I’m an undefeated fighter living the absolute American dream. Before he was caught, our guy had finished every opponent in the first round. Your logic doesn’t make any sense.”
Jon Jones, via MMA Junkie
Covington issued a counter-response later that evening, continuing a public feud between the two fighters that dates back to their shared college dorm rooms.
Jones later asserted that leaving the cage immediately was his own suggestion. While Covington acknowledged Steveson’s status as a high-level athlete and Olympic champion, he maintained that staying with the Jackson-Wink camp and continuing under Jones would hinder the young heavyweight’s long-term progression in mixed martial arts.