Covington: Steveson Should Drop Jon Jones After 12-Second KO Loss
The short version
- Sean Sharaf knocked out Gable Steveson 12 seconds into UFC 331 on Sept. 19 in Los Angeles.
- The win was the first of Sharaf's UFC career; Steveson is an Olympic gold medalist wrestler.
- Jon Jones served as Steveson's coach and mentor for the bout.
- Colby Covington said Steveson abandoned his wrestling and should leave Jones' camp.
Colby Covington says Gable Steveson's stunning UFC 331 knockout loss to Sean Sharaf was predictable and blames the fighter's camp.
Sean Sharaf scored the first win of his UFC career at UFC 331 on September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, knocking out Gable Steveson in just 12 seconds. Sharaf landed a left hook in the opening exchange as Steveson moved backward, ending the heavyweight bout immediately.
Steveson, an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, was coached in his corner by Jon Jones, who was serving in a mentoring role. Following the loss, Steveson and Jones left the arena to boos from the crowd.
Former UFC welterweight title challenger Colby Covington told Submission Radio that he expected the upset. He argued that Steveson had drifted away from the wrestling that made him successful and relied too heavily on striking.
Covington was also critical of Jones' involvement in Steveson's camp. He described Jones as negative influence and said Steveson should part ways with him, find a new training camp, and return to his wrestling base.
It remains unclear whether Steveson will compete again or make changes to his team. The loss marked Jones' first high-profile move into coaching.
