“Skipping training to get Trump ready” – Jon Jones clowns Colby Covington’s wild excuse for UFC Tampa loss

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones mocks Colby Covington for blaming Donald Trump's election campaign for his latest loss.


“Skipping training to get Trump ready” – Jon Jones clowns Colby Covington’s wild excuse for UFC Tampa loss

Jon Jones makes fun of Colby Covington on social media (via X/Imago)

Colby Covington’s UFC Tampa return ended in disappointment with a loss to Joaquin Buckley. The loss disappointed fans and tarnished Covington’s much-anticipated return. Known for his brash persona, Covington faced heavy criticism after the fight. Among his critics was UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who didn’t hold back.

After the loss, Covington revealed that he didn’t train much as he was busy with Donald Trump‘s election campaign. He took the risk of a short-notice fight in order to entertain his fans. Jones, however, has no plans to buy these excuses and made sure to rub it in Covington’s face in a sarcastic tweet.

Big shoutout to Colby Covington for skipping training to get President Trump ‘ready’—we all appreciate the sacrifice…At least he got to see me win

Jon Jones via X 

Covington was definitely busy with the elections due to his admiration for Trump. He has always been a true supporter of the newly elected President and has promoted his policies. Nevertheless, the rivalry between Jones and Covington goes way back and is well-known among the MMA community. 

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Jones has publicly slammed the ‘Chaos’ and called him a bad individual. Similarly, Covington has mocked the fighter’s legacy and questioned his sexuality in some recent comments. Moreover, Covington has called out Jones for ducking Tom Aspinall and taking the easy fight against an old and out-of-touch Stipe Miocic

Former UFC champion shares weird connection with Jon Jones and Colby Covington 

Jon Jones and Colby Covington met each other at Iowa Central Community College, where they shared a room. During this period, they got to know each other personally, and Covington later used this to mock Jones. From Jones’s fighting style to his choices in women, the ‘Chaos’ didn’t miss anything to poke fun at.

Kamaru Usman talks about Jon Jons and Colby Covington
Kamaru Usman talks about Jon Jones and Colby Covington (via Imago)

Former UFC champion Kamaru Usman, a close friend of Jon Jones, attended high school with the heavyweight champion. In a recent interview, Usman discussed how his connection with Jones intersects with his rivalry with Covington. He reflected on how unusual and ironic the situation felt given their shared history. 

How crazy is that, Me and Jon Jones were friends coming out of high school. When Jon Jones goes to college, I got to visit Jon Jones and I stayed in the room that Colby Covington stayed the following year when he was roommates with Jon Jones.

Kamaru Usman via Pound 4 Pound Podcast 

Covington vs. Usman’s rivalry is regarded as one of the nastiest in modern UFC history. They fought two times, during which Covington lost twice and broke his jaw. Currently, both Covington and Usman are in a similar boat, and fans are skeptical about their future.