Usman Nurmagomedov taunts Jon Jones after Gable Steveson's 12-second KO at UFC 331

Usman Nurmagomedov took aim at Jon Jones on social media after Jones’ protege Gable Steveson was knocked out in 12 seconds at UFC 331, reigniting the long-running feud between Jones and Team Khabib. Nurmagomedov posted a pointed message directed at Jones — “You know what a boomerang is, Jon? Shit happens. Good luck to your boyfriend in the future!” — referencing Jones’ earlier celebration when Usman’s brother Umar Nurmagomedov was knocked out by Song Yadong at UFC Shanghai.

The friction between Jones and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s camp has been building for years, rooted largely in the debate over who deserves the MMA GOAT label. Jones has a long-standing rivalry with Khabib’s friend and teammate Daniel Cormier, clashed with lightweight champion Islam Makhachev over a similar dispute, and drew widespread attention when he publicly celebrated Umar’s loss in Shanghai.

Despite the sharp words aimed at Jones, Nurmagomedov was notably measured when it came to Steveson himself. Speaking to Red Corner MMA, he framed the 12-second stoppage as a natural consequence of inexperience rather than a lack of talent.

“He’s an Olympic champion, but not in MMA, isn’t he?” Nurmagomedov said. “He’s got no amateur experience. But as we all know, you have to have amateur experience as a fighter. One hundred fights at least. You have to feel it out, that stage, the MMA stage. And again, the very first punch landed, he didn’t feel the distance.”

Nurmagomedov acknowledged Steveson’s elite wrestling credentials while underlining what he sees as the gap between sporting pedigree and MMA readiness. “Yes, he’s a good wrestler, an Olympic-level wrestler, but he’s not a fighter nor a striker. But that is mixed martial arts. That includes everything.”

He closed with a message of goodwill toward the former NCAA and Olympic gold medalist. “I wish him well; speedy recovery and future success. This is MMA. This kind of thing happens here.”

Steveson’s UFC 331 debut has drawn scrutiny from multiple directions. Matt Brown, while not writing off the 24-year-old’s long-term prospects, questioned whether Jones is the right mentor for his development. Daniel Cormier, meanwhile, faced criticism of his own after comments about Steveson’s post-fight conduct were seen as hypocritical by some observers.