Covington: Steveson Should Cut Jon Jones After UFC 331

Colby Covington says Gable Steveson needs to leave Jon Jones' camp after Steveson's shocking 12-second knockout loss to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331. Covington delivered the message on Submission Radio just days after Steveson, an unbeaten Olympic gold medalist, was starched in the opening seconds of his heavyweight bout at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Steveson walked into that fight 4-0 with four first-round finishes and had opened as a heavy favorite over Sharaf, a retired U.S. Marine who came in 0-2 in the UFC. It took Sharaf all of one exchange to end that run. A right hand set up a left hook, and Steveson was out before he hit the canvas. Referee Frank Trigg waved it off immediately, leaving Steveson at 4-1 and turning Sharaf, now 5-2, into an overnight $100,000 bonus earner.

Why Covington Is Calling Out Jon Jones

Covington's issue isn't just with Steveson's game plan, it's with who's been shaping it. Jones has worked closely with Steveson since he transitioned out of wrestling, training him alongside Greg Jackson and Brandon Gibson at Jackson Wink MMA Academy, and he was in Steveson's corner for the Sharaf fight. Covington argues that influence has pulled Steveson away from the wrestling that made him an Olympic champion and pushed him toward standing and trading with opponents far too early in his fights.

"I definitely saw this coming," Covington said. "He was over-hyping himself, overlooking other competitors and he just thought he was invincible. You don't see him try to wrestle in any fights; he's just going straight into striking." He put it more bluntly a moment later: "When you forget about what got you to the dance, that's always going to be a recipe for disaster."

From there, Covington's comments moved well past fight strategy. He and Jones have a strained relationship going back to their days as roommates at Iowa Central Community College, and Covington didn't hold back describing his former training partner. "Jon Jones is bad energy. That guy is a demon, man," Covington said, before rattling off past controversies and telling Steveson flatly to "cut Jon Jones and get to a new camp."

Jones, for his part, has already responded to a separate piece of criticism from fight night, defending his decision to pull Steveson backstage before Bruce Buffer read the official result, saying he simply wanted to check on his friend after the knockout.

What This Means for Steveson's Next Move

A 12-second loss this lopsided was always going to invite outside voices into Steveson's camp, and Covington's is just the loudest so far. The bigger question for bettors and matchmakers is whether Steveson actually leans back into wrestling or stays the striking-heavy course that got him quickly favored and quickly finished. Given how fast the betting markets shift perception after a defining knockout loss, expect Steveson's odds in any future matchup to reflect real skepticism until he shows he can grapple his way through adversity rather than stand and trade in the pocket.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Colby Covington say about Gable Steveson and Jon Jones?

Colby Covington said Gable Steveson should cut ties with Jon Jones and return to his wrestling roots after Steveson's 12-second knockout loss to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331.

Who beat Gable Steveson at UFC 331?

Sean Sharaf knocked out Gable Steveson in 12 seconds at UFC 331 in Los Angeles, handing the Olympic gold medalist his first career MMA loss and dropping his record to 4-1.

What is Jon Jones' role in Gable Steveson's career?

Jon Jones has trained Gable Steveson at Jackson Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque alongside coaches Greg Jackson and Brandon Gibson, and was in Steveson's corner for the loss to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331.