UFC welterweight Colby Covington’s ultra-conservative heel persona has ruffled a few feathers over the years. In an interview with MSCS Media, Covington blasted his old Iowa Central Community College roommate, UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, and the notion that Jones might be the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.
Covington’s main issue with Jones is the heavyweight’s activities outside the Octagon, including brushes with the law and repeated use of performance enhancing drugs.
Colby Covington Casts Doubt on Jon Jones UFC GOAT Status
“That’s whoever’s opinion that was writing that from ESPN that day. That’s cool, that’s your opinion but there’s probably 20, 30, 40 million people in America that don’t think the opposite. People in the Republican party respect people that are blue-collar, that have a clean slate, that aren’t breaking the law, doing these violent acts.
Everybody knows the multiple steroid tests that he failed so how can you call yourself a clean-cut athlete and the greatest of all time when you cheated on multiple steroid tests and broke many laws? For me, the greatest fighter of all time has to be a good fighter in the cage and outside the cage.”
When asked who might meet Covington’s lofty criteria, the middleweight offered a somewhat baffling answer. Covington sang the praises of a fighter who, like Jones, tested positive for banned substances, and openly admitted to doing so. Covington’s choice also lost to Jon Jones at light heavyweight.
Perhaps Covington’s praise in contrast to his opinion of Jon Jones comes from their shared high-pressure wrestling style, or something else the pair have in common.
“A guy that stands out to me: Chael Sonnen. A guy from the same place that I came from. Oregon wrestling, those roots and became a larger-than-life figure and was able to transcend the sport and move the pay-per-view needle.
And he’s a great person outside. A family man, fights for the republic, loves Donald Trump, God-fearing American. We need more guys like that on our side.”
Jon Jones also has something neither Sonnen nor Covington has been able to capture: a UFC title. In fact, Jones recently captured his second UFC title, moving up to the heavyweight division to secure the belt at 265 pounds after ruling the 205-pound division for years.
Covington is still looking to cement a UFC title, after two losses to previous champ Kamaru Usman, and is currently gunning for a shot at reigning welterweight champ Leon Edwards.
Is Colby Covington right about Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen? Let us know in the comments.
