Jon Jones Hits Back at Colby Covington Over “Deep Hatred”
Jon Jones and Colby Covington are at it again, reigniting their long-standing feud. This time, the former UFC champions are trading shots after Covington took aim at Jones for his supposed influence on Gable Steveson.
Covington recently pointed a finger at Jones for Steveson's shocking 12-second knockout loss to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331, claiming that his "negative energy" had hurt the Olympic gold medalist. He went so far as to suggest that Steveson distance himself from Jones and seek out a new training camp.
In response, Jones fired back with several jabs of his own, but one particular remark stook out for its reference to Covington's ongoing rivalry with Kamaru Usman.
Jones Brings Up Covington’s Usman Rivalry
In a recent post, Jones shared an image of Covington's shattered jaw from his first encounter with Usman, questioning why the former interim welterweight champion continues to target him.
Colby, I think your deep hatred is directed at the wrong Black guy. It was Usman who broke your face, not me. https://t.co/DmS9E9tx8W
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) October 7, 2026
“Colby, I think your deep hatred is directed at the wrong Black guy,” Jones wrote. “It was Usman who broke your face, not me.”
The reference alludes to their UFC 245 clash in December 2019, where Usman defeated Covington by fifth-round TKO to retain the welterweight title. They faced off again at UFC 268, with Usman securing a closely contested unanimous decision.
Despite this, Covington continues to bring up Usman. After his recent RAF wrestling match against Belal Muhammed in September, he even named Usman as one of the opponents he is eager to take on next.
Jones Accuses Covington of Obsession
Jones did not hold back when addressing Covington's criticism of his relationship with Steveson, defending his role in the heavyweight fighter's development.
“It’s funny that you blame Gable’s loss on my ‘negative energy,’” Jones wrote. “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.”
The two fighters go way back, having known each other since their college days as roommates. But their relationship deteriorated as both carved out their paths in the MMA world. Covington certainly hasn't held back, repeatedly taking jabs at Jones in public, while Jones has fired back on several occasions.
This recent back-and-forth highlights that even though their careers are moving in very different trajectories, the rivalry between the former roommates remains very much alive.
