Jim Jones Responds To Shannon Sharpe’s Gym Challenge On Social Media

What began as a heated debate over music quickly spiraled into a full-blown challenge of physical prowess between Harlem rapper Jim Jones and NFL Hall-of-Famer Shannon Sharpe.

During Jones’ recent appearance on Nightcap, the podcast Sharpe co-hosts with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, Sharpe questioned Jones’ bold claim that he’s a bigger artist and a better lyricist than Nas in 2025. But in the heat of the exchange, Sharpe shifted the battleground—calling on Jones to settle the score in the gym instead.

Refusing to back down, Jones took the challenge public. In an Instagram video showing him performing calisthenics, the Dipset rapper doubled down on his willingness to go pound for pound with Sharpe.

“Ayo Shannon, did you workout today?” Jones asked. “Talking all that sh*t… weak a**, I do warrior sets. These pullups with resistance bands, bro. Can you even lift your own body weight? We can all lift a bunch of weight, but can you lift your own bodyweight, big fella?

“The world wants to know. When you gonna meet us in the gym? That’s what the world wants to know, when are you gonna meet us in the gym? Please tell me that. ‘Cause you really do this.”

In the caption, Jones upped the ante even more, calling on Ochocinco to referee a private workout session—since Sharpe had hinted he prefers training away from the public eye.

“Somebody tell @shannonsharpe84 don’t start ducking this challenge now. U gone talk like a pod caster or u gone walk Wht u talk cause my sneakers tied. U already challenged me in front th world might as well finsh th job champ.

“@ochocinco he said he don’t wanna do it in public tell let’s do it in private I know his rep as a athlete is on th line lol ? as long as your th witness. We don’t duck no challenges size don’t matter where im from run it. Young David to all Goliaths.”

While some commenters scoffed at Jones’ challenging an athletic legend and NFL Hall-of-Famer, many overlooked the fact that Sharpe initially called Jones out, with Jones simply expressing his willingness to take the three-time Super Bowl champion up on his offer.

“Since you like to talk that is, come see me in the gym! However you want to do it. Since you got money, put your money where your mouth is?” Sharpe said during the back-and-forth. Jones wasn’t fazed: “If you’re talking bout working out, I’ll burn you,” he responded.

Sharpe fired back: “You too small, you not even in my league.” “I weigh 195 [pounds],” Jones shot back, with Sharpe dismissing the Dipset member as a “lightweight.”

The 56-year-old countered Jones’ offer to compete against Sharpe publicly, accusing him of being fixated on spectacles instead of the bottom line. “You about show, I’m about dough,” Sharpe told Jones, with the younger, 48-year-old, countering that there’s “no dough” without a show, teasingly accusing Sharpe of being “scared.”

Despite Sharpe’s confidence—”you ain’t on this level” and “ain’t no rapper beating me on nothing except the microphone”—Jones is standing firm, both lyrically and physically.

See Jim Jones’ Instagram post below.