In the world of combat sports, the competition often triggers strong antagonisms, transforming opponents into adversaries. A case in point is the relentless clash between Team Khabib and Team Conor, with both factions unceasingly exchanging fire. A similarly escalating situation is now noticeable between Jon Jones and Colby Covington. Subsequent to Covington attributing his loss to his involvement in Donald Trump’s campaign, Jones retaliated, taunting Covington and adding more fuel to their personally charged rivalry.
Covington has recently assigned his defeat to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa to his inadequate preparation, claiming that his concentration had been scattered by his involvement in Donald Trump’s campaign. Human nature demands focus, and it seems Covington’s attention was leaning more towards politics than the gym. Covington confessed to stepping into the octagon on short notice without a full training camp under his belt, a decision supposedly made out of loyalty to the company and the fans.
Jon Jones, in return, took a barbed dig at Covington, his words steeped in sarcasm about Covington’s decision to prioritize political campaigning over training. While making light of his opponent’s claims, Jones stated that everyone acknowledges the ‘sacrifice’ Covington made. Further, he cheekily added that this series of events allowed Covington the privilege of witnessing Jones’s victory.
The irony of Covington’s defeat at UFC Tampa, where Joaquin Buckley had the upper hand over ‘Chaos’ till the match was called off by the doctor in the third round, was not lost on Jones. Unable to resist the spectacle, he found great amusement in watching Covington’s plight unfold. This marked Covington’s second consecutive loss, coming right after a year-long break that followed his previous defeat by Leon Edwards at UFC 296.
The history of animosity between Covington and Jones dates back to their shared past as college roommates. This adds an element of personal vendetta to their professional feud. Prior to the fight in Tampa, Covington added fuel to the fire by launching a verbal attack on Jones, who currently holds the title of UFC Heavyweight Champion.
Since old grudges die hard, their rivalry found its way from the college dorms to the professional arena, only growing more contentious over time. In an unfiltered expression of his feelings towards his opponent’s downfall, Jones revealed that he derived considerable amusement from watching Covington fail. His statement did not hide his satisfaction in seeing his adversary’s defeat.
As an infamous conduit for trash talk, Covington is expected to retaliate with vigor to Jones’s comments. The word exchange between the two will likely escalate the tension, given Jones’s penchant for throwing digs. The mental game of combat sports is just as significant, if not more, as the physical battle – and it all boils down to which fighter can unnerve the other more.