Jon Jones taunted at WrestleMania 41 as Colby Covington joins hands with ‘natty GOAT’

Colby Covington has built his name through chaos, embracing controversy and never backing down from high-profile confrontations in MMA. Known as a master of mind games, he uses his loudmouth persona to spark drama and stay constantly in the spotlight. Recently, his long-standing beef with Jon Jones took an unexpected twist, adding more fuel to their already fiery rivalry.

Last weekend, WWE held WrestleMania 41 at the Allegiant Stadium in Nevada. It had more than 100k wrestling fans in attendance and one of them was the former welterweight title contender, Colby Covington. Also present was Daniel Cormier, ex-UFC double champ, as both legends smiled and posed together for a memorable event photo.

The caption subtly targeted Jon Jones, who famously clashed with Cormier twice in one of UFC’s most intense rivalries. Despite Jones winning both matchups, his second victory was tainted after testing positive for PEDs, stirring massive controversy in MMA. That failed test led to his title being stripped, tarnishing what was once considered a nearly flawless and dominant career.

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Given their history, Covington took this opportunity to mock Jones, further intensifying their ongoing rivalry. Jones and Covington have a long-standing beef rooted in their college wrestling days and continued into their UFC careers. Once college roommates, their friendship soured due to clashing egos, competitive tension, and accusations that have fueled their public feud.

Both fighters have taken jabs at each other online, with Jones mocking Covington’s persona and the ‘Chaos’ questioning Jones’ dominance. While their back-and-forth has been entertaining for the fight fans, Jones’ next fight is still the biggest question. With Tom Aspinall as the UFC interim heavyweight champion, Jones has found himself on the receiving end of criticism. 

Jon Jones fighting Tom Aspinall next?

Jon Jones has been consistently criticized for not fighting Tom Aspinall because many believe he’s avoiding a dangerous and younger rising contender. Experts like Demetrious Johnson have argued that Aspinall’s speed and knockout power may present a legitimate threat that Jones may not want. There are narratives stating that Jones is protecting his legacy by only targeting older or less threatening fighters rather than accepting fresh challenges.

As the champion, Jones is mandated to face all top contenders, especially the interim heavyweight champion like Aspinall. However, the negotiation issues and constant delay have now started to affect Jones’ legacy. As fans get desperate to see the heavyweight clash, Aspinall in a recent interview, gave a sneaky hint about his next fight. 

Jones is reportedly pricing himself out of the Aspinall fight, demanding more money than the UFC wants to offer. This strategy may be linked to his potential retirement, as he aims to secure a final massive payday before leaving. Additionally, ‘Bones’ appears cautious about avoiding injury, which could jeopardize his acting career and derail his carefully planned post-UFC career. 

Will Jon Jones fight Tom Aspinall next?

Jon Jones has been avoiding Tom Aspinall for more than a year now. Last year, he was focused on fighting Stipe Miocic. After that, he talked about potentially fighting Alex Pereira, given the Brazilian’s super stardom. However, with Pereira’s recent loss at UFC 312, Jones is now left with no options but to fight the British interim champion. 

However, experts like Ilia Topuria and many have theorized that Jones doesn’t need to fight Aspinall. Leaving the sport now will not harm his legacy more than potentially losing to Aspinall. However, till now, there have been no updates from Jones as well as from the promotion. 

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