Covington On Steveson's Ties With Jones

Colby Covington says Gable Steveson should sever his training relationship with Jon Jones following Steveson's 12-second knockout loss to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331.

Steveson, an Olympic gold medalist who competed under Jones' Dirty Boxing Championship promotion before signing with the UFC, had Jones in his corner for both his successful debut against Elisha Ellison in July and Saturday's disastrous finish against Sharaf. Steveson exited the cage before Bruce Buffer could announce the official result.

Covington Calls Jones "Bad Energy" After UFC 331

Speaking to Submission Radio, as reported by MMA Junkie and BJPenn.com, Covington argued that Steveson's alignment with Jones has hurt his development. The former welterweight title challenger cited Jones' history of legal troubles when making his case for why Steveson needs a fresh start.

"Jon Jones is bad energy," Covington said, per BJPenn.com. "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."

Covington and Jones were once roommates at Iowa Central Community College but had a falling out years ago. Covington has since repeatedly criticized Jones publicly, referencing past legal incidents. He urged Steveson to find a camp with better influences and return to the wrestling base that earned him Olympic gold.

Steveson's manager reportedly remains optimistic despite the brutal loss, though the 12-second knockout raises questions about his heavyweight future and coaching setup heading into any potential next fight.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Gable Steveson should cut ties with Jon Jones, says Colby Covington: “He’s just a horrible person”