Colby Covington claps back at Jon Jones for mocking UFC Tampa loss

Former college roommates Colby Covington and Jon Jones still have no love lost for each other.

[autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] and [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] still have no love lost for each other.

Covington never fails to take the opportunity to go after UFC heavyweight champion Jones, such as he did during media day for his UFC on ESPN 63 headliner this month. Covington wound up suffering a third-round doctor stoppage TKO to Joaquin Buckley, and Jones jumped at the opportunity to revel in the defeat.

Covington (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) fired back. by going off on his college roommate Jones when asked about his comments.

“Of course he’s talking about me. He wishes he looked like me,” Covington said during a recent stream on his Twitch channel (h/t Happy Punch). “He wishes he had this kind of looks and was this beautiful and had this much respect. He has no respect. He lost all his respect when he started doing drugs and hitting pregnant ladies.

“There’s nothing to respect about Jon. He’s cheated his whole career, he’s cheated on his wife, he’s cheated on his taxes, so he’s a terrible person. Of course he talked about a saint and someone who’s a law-abiding citizen like myself, someone who stands for law and order, someone who stands for the military, the troops, the Trumps. So f*ck Jon Jones. He’s nothing.”

Covington now finds himself in unfamiliar waters after losing two-straight fights for the first time in his career. Despite his recent results, Covington remains positive about his future.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.

Did American Top Team breakup ruin Colby Covington’s UFC career? Analyst believes so.

Josh Thomson believes Colby Covington has never been the same fighter since parting ways with American Top Team.

[autotag]Josh Thomson[/autotag] believes [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] has never been the same fighter since parting ways with American Top Team.

Covington split with his longtime gym in 2020 after multiple rifts with then-teammates Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Poirier. Covington (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) has since been training at MMA Masters, but his coaches, Daniel Valverde and Cesar Carneiro, were not in his corner this past Saturday as he suffered a third-round doctor stoppage TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley in the UFC on ESPN 63 headliner at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.

Thomson believes Covington is no longer getting high-level training and that his recent performances have reflected that.

“I’m not going to take anything away from Joaquin Buckley,” Thomson said on his “Weighing-In” podcast, “but when you train at a prestigious gym like American Top Team, and you’ve found your way out of it, and now you’re running your own camp and doing your own thing in a smaller facility without a whole lot of people to train with that are at the top level, when you just left the gym that had a plethora of world-class fighters there – you saw it (at UFC on ESPN 63). I don’t know if it’s the age as much. I know he’s older, but let’s be honest: Within two fights, he doesn’t look like the same person.

“Since he’s left American Top Team, he doesn’t look like the same person. After half of the first round, he was taking deep breaths. I don’t want to say he was winded. He was having a hard time catching his second wind or breaking that first wind. That can be common if he didn’t warm up well enough in the back. … But not having the talent that he needs to kind of help him push his pace in training is what I feel like I’m seeing right now. I’m seeing a fighter who is having a hard time setting a pace that he’s not able to do inside the cage against world-class fighters because he doesn’t have world-class fighters to train with anymore.”

Covington, 36, now has lost three of his past four outings and is on a two-fight losing streak for the first time in his career.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Dec. 17: Joaquin Buckley, Manel Kape soar

Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings following UFC on ESPN 63 including movement from Joaquin Buckley and Manel Kape.

UFC on ESPN 63 took place Saturday in Tampa, Fla. and resulted in all sorts of movement in the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.

Most notably, main event victor [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) traded places in the welterweight rankings with the man he stopped on a cut, multitime UFC title challenger Colby Covington (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC). Buckley slides to Nov. 5 while Covington falls to No. 10.

Additionally, a big win for [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] (20-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) results in him bumping up into the No. 6 position in the flyweight rankings. That’s for a TKO win over Bruno Silva (14-6-2 MMA, 4-3 UFC).

Wins from [autotag]Daniel Marcos[/autotag], [autotag]Miranda Maverick[/autotag], and Invicta FC’s [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag] also had impact in the rankings.

Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.

Kamaru Usman responds to Joaquin Buckley’s callout after UFC Tampa

When healthy, Kamaru Usman is ready to step up to anyone’s callout – including Joaquin Buckley’s.

When healthy, [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] is ready to respond to anyone’s callout – including [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag].

Usman’s (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) name has been mentioned by various top UFC welterweight contenders, and the former champion has grown tired of it. Most recently, UFC on ESPN 63 winner Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC), who stopped Colby Covington this past Saturday, resorted to the fans to help him pick who’s next. Out of Leon Edwards, UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, and Usman, “The Nigerian Nightmare” got the loudest pop from the crowd at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.

Usman reiterates that he’s willing to fight anyone but not until he’s 100 percent ready.

“I feel like the hot chick at the bar,” Usman said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast. “Everybody wants a piece, but hey, it’s almost like no one’s listening to what I’m saying. No one’s getting what I’m saying. I don’t care who it is.

“Shavkat (Rakhmonov), Belal, Ian (Machado Garry), Buckley, JDM (Della Maddalena), I don’t care who it is. One thing that I won’t do, because I’ve done for so long and too much, which is partially why I’m having to take this layoff, is compete when I’m not ready. When I am healthy, I don’t care who it is.”

After watching Buckley fight Covington, Usman likes his chances against him.

“I remember watching and I’m going, ‘Oh, I like that fight,’ I really like that matchup,” Usman said. “Covington took him down a couple of times. Obviously me and Covington, we utilize the wrestling differently in how we approach fights. Most people know when I take you down, you’re not getting up unless I want you to get up.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.

Belal Muhammad: ‘It felt so good’ to watch Colby Covington ‘bleed and suffer’

Belal Muhammad reveled in the beating Colby Covington took from Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa.

Welterweight champion [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] reveled in watching [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] take a beating at UFC on ESPN 63.

Covington (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) suffered a third-round doctor stoppage TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in this past Saturday’s main event at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The doctor called off the fight with seconds remaining in Round 3 after a laceration on Covington’s right eyelid bled profusely.

Given their history of trash talk, it should come as no surprise that Muhammad enjoyed watching Covington take so much damage.

”It felt so good just to watch him bleed and suffer,” Muhammad told MMA on SiriusXM. “I was just hoping that the doctor would let it go a little bit more because now you open the door for Colby to make excuses. He’s already coming out with excuses. Bro, you’re literally getting pieced up in every way you can get pieced up. You were losing the grappling, you were losing the striking, you were losing the kickboxing, you even lost the walkout because you ripped your shirt before you even got out there, so you looked stupid doing that.

“Once people realize he’s not what people thought he was – they put him on this pedestal of, ‘Oh, man, he’s the cardio king. He’s this, he’s that.’ These new guys now, where we’re studying, we’re seeing stuff. He’s not throwing anything at you to make you worry. He can throw his pity patty freaking punches, and then he takes his stupid shot and pushes to the fence and tries to take you down. But there are better athletes now, there are better guys, smarter guys now that are seeing all this stuff.”

Muhammad thinks Covington’s time at the top of the welterweight ladder is done.

“I think now that one person realizes, wait, this kid really does suck, he doesn’t belong in the top five in the UFC,” Muhammad said. “I don’t think he’ll beat anybody in the top 10 in the UFC. Now he’s realized the game has passed him by, and he needs to figure out what’s next. Maybe he’ll have one big fight against somebody, maybe, but there’s not a lot left for him.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.

Navajo Stirling: Tokkos won by merely staying alive at UFC Tampa

His promotional debut might not have been the big splash he was looking for, but Navajo Stirling will find the silver lining.

TAMPA, Fla. – His promotional debut might not have been the big splash he was looking for, but [autotag]Navajo Stirling[/autotag] will find the silver lining.

Stirling (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) opened up the main card at UFC on ESPN 63 this past Saturday with a unanimous decision win over Tuco Tokkos (10-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC) at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The City Kickboxing product from Australia no doubt would have preferred a highlight-reel finish, but also got some key experience.

“It was good to go 15 minutes for my development and cage time just to show people what I’ve got,” Stirling, who has trained with the likes of Israel Adesanya, Dan Hooker and Alexander Volkanovski. “I think we were just too eager to hunt for the finish, and I kind of felt like he was in there to survive. I didn’t feel like he was really trying to win. I think he was trying to hold on.

“He was just trying to stay alive in there, and I think he probably believed the hype a little bit. He’s probably going to be happy with his performance that he got out safe and alive. I didn’t get to finish in front of the fans like I wanted for the big debut on the main card, but it’s all good.”

Stirling got to the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series in September. He turned 27 in November, and now that his UFC debut is in the books with a win, he can start thinking about his first full year in the promotion.

He was a massive 9-1 favorite against Tokkos, but now wants to show some things that will put a little fear into the light heavyweight division.

“I would like to fight at least three (times), minimum, (in 2025),” Stirling said. “It’s all about just keeping the injuries off me, staying healthy. That’s my goal every year, is being in the gym as much as I can. The more time you have spent on the mats, the better you become – you don’t lose that flow. … I want to fight through my prime and use my youthful years to get as many fights as possible and to make myself relevant that way rather than just talk. I think you can talk (by) beating everyone up.”

Check out Stirling’s full post-fight interview in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.

Jon Jones mocks Colby Covington with ‘big shoutout’ after UFC Tampa loss

Jon Jones thoroughly enjoyed watching Colby Covington get beat up by Joaquin Buckley and says “it’s just so much fun” watching him fail.

[autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] enjoyed watching [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] get beat up at UFC on ESPN 63.

Covington (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) suffered a third-round doctor stoppage TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in this past Saturday’s headliner at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla., after a laceration to his right eyelid wouldn’t stop leaking blood.

Earlier in the week, Covington went off on Jones, his former college roommate, during UFC on ESPN 63 media day. Covington questioned Jones’ sexuality, accused him of ducking Tom Aspinall, and took aim at past allegations of domestic violence.

So, it should come as no surprise to see Jones jump at the opportunity to revel in Covington’s defeat.

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 🫡.”

“That’s what I find the most hilarious, listening to what he’s gonna come up with next after getting his ass whooped.”

“I know I shouldn’t but it’s just so much fun. It’s amusing watching someone you know hate you fail repeatedly.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDrfFqARzQr/?img_index=1

Covington appeared in good spirits after taking the short-notice opportunity against Buckley. He lost the first two rounds on the judges’ scorecards but was having a solid third round before the doctor intervened to stop the fight with seconds remaining.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.

Davey Grant wants ‘dream matchup’ against ex-champ Jose Aldo after UFC Tampa

After a third win in four fights, perhaps Davey Grant figured it was a good time to shoot his shot.

TAMPA, Fla. – After a third win in four fights, perhaps [autotag]Davey Grant[/autotag] figured it was a good time to shoot his shot.

Grant (14-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC) on Saturday outworked Ramon Taveras (10-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) for a unanimous decision on the prelims at UFC on ESPN 63. And while the victory moved him merely just past the .500 mark in his UFC career, the Brit thinks it’s time for a big one.

Grant said he’s hoping for a fight against former featherweight champion and UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo, who recently retired – and recently unretired, too.

But Grant also had to pull out of a matchup against Cody Gibson earlier this year and said he’s also amenable to a rebooking, potentially in England in the first quarter of 2025.

“Cody Gibson said, ‘Look, hopefully you can get the win and then maybe we can fight again in London.’ So if I can go and fight him in London, (I’ll do it),” Grant said at his post-fight news conference at Amalie arena in Tampa, Fla.

“And if we talk on dream matchups, Jose Aldo – I’ve been watching him for years. If I was going to choose anyone, absolutely – that’s no disrespect to him at all. He’s an absolute legend of the sport. So if we were talking dream matchups, that’s who it would be. If Cody Gibson wants to go, hopefully London in March, then let’s do it.”

Grant’s win over Tavares was his first since a bonus-winning submission of Raphael Assuncao in March 2023 and came on the heels of a split decision loss to Daniel Marcos. Grant has five post-fight bonuses in his most recent eight fights.

Check out Grant’s full post-fight interview in the video above.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.

Video: Is Colby Covington done? What’s next for Joaquin Buckley after UFC Tampa?

Colby Covington’s days as an elite welterweight could be over, while Joaquin Buckley is just getting started? We discuss the fallout from the UFC Tampa headliner.

UFC on ESPN 63 might’ve been the birth of title contention for one fighter and the end of it for another.

This past Saturday in Tampa, Fla., [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] defeated and stopped former UFC interim champion [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] in the main event. The result pushed Buckley’s (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) impressive winning streak at welterweight to six, while also putting Covington (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) on a two-fight losing streak and 1-3 in his past four trips to the octagon.

So, is it safe to say that Buckley is now championship material? Are Covington’s days as en elite welterweight over?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn, Danny Segura and host “Gorgeous” George discuss what’s next for the two headliners.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/QvKtS8RXBbs

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Daniel Marcos calls out Jose Aldo, sends message to bantamweight division after UFC Tampa

Throw Daniel Marcos’ hat into the ring for a chance to fight former champion Jose Aldo.

TAMPA, Fla. – Throw [autotag]Daniel Marcos[/autotag]’ hat into the ring for a chance to fight former champion Jose Aldo.

Marcos (17-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) stayed unbeaten Saturday when he eked past Adrian Yanez (17-6 MMA, 6-3 UFC) with a split decision in their bantamweight fight on the main card at UFC on ESPN 63 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.

Afterward, Marcos, a 31-year-old Peruvian 135-pounder, said he wants a fight against ex-featherweight champ Aldo (32-9 MMA, 14-8 UFC), who recently came out of an announced retirement that lasted a whopping five months and lost to Mario Bautista.

“A win is a win. A win is learning who I am – somebody that I know is going to be a tough fight. That’s what I bring to the division. I’m a guy that’s always going to be a dog out there, always pushing. I’m always going forward. I am a new face of this division as far as the up-and-comers right now.

“I beat somebody that was in the top 15. I beat somebody that has been to the top 15 before. I think I deserve to be in the top 15 again.”

And on his way to moving past the up-and-comer label, Marcos said a fight against a former titleholder and UFC Hall of Famer like Aldo will show he’s the future of the weight class.

“I want to fight the best. I’m here to fight the best. I want to fight to be a champion. I want to learn more, so that’s what I’ll do for the next fight. I want somebody who’s had his time. I believe it is my time (now). Jose Aldo – I think he’s had his time. I think it’s my time. I think I need to tell people right now the Peruvian has arrived. A dog has arrived – someone who’s going to be the new face of the division, a new generation has arrived.”

Marcos joined fellow UFC on ESPN 63 winner Davey Grant in his callout of Aldo, but Marcos has one thing going for him if it’s a two-person race. In July 2023, Marcos outworked Grant for a split decision.

If he can’t get Aldo, though, Marcos said he wants to keep climbing.

“Hopefully in 2025, I think it’s going to be step by step – doing the work that needs to be done whenever the time comes,” Marcos said. “I know that I’m working and I deserve it. That’s my dream. But the ultimate dream is actually for the UFC to come to Peru. I want Peru to be able to enjoy this spectacle that is this event.

“I haven’t really thought about (anyone else but Aldo). I’m a dog and I know that I’m ready to fight against anybody. Against any world-class fighter, I’m ready to go.”

Check out Marcos’ full post-fight interview in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.