Former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington has officially called time on his UFC career after informing the promotion of his decision to retire from active competition.
UFC officials confirmed the news on Monday, with the promotion’s athlete database already listing Covington as retired. The move closes the chapter on one of the most controversial and outspoken careers the welterweight division has ever seen.
Colby Covington last competed in December 2024, where he suffered a third-round stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley. That defeat came a year after Covington failed in his bid to capture the undisputed welterweight title from Leon Edwards.
Despite the rough ending to his UFC run, Covington leaves behind a résumé packed with notable wins. During his time in the Octagon, he earned victories over top names such as Jorge Masvidal, Tyron Woodley, Rafael dos Anjos, and Robbie Lawler.
Covington captured interim UFC gold in 2018 with a dominant win over dos Anjos and later challenged for the undisputed belt three separate times. He came up short in two heated battles against Kamaru Usman before suffering another title loss to Edwards.
“Chaos” appeared far from retirement in recent months, especially after campaigning publicly for a spot on the UFC’s planned White House event. However, the 38-year-old has shifted much of his focus toward grappling and wrestling competitions.
Earlier this year, Colby Covington competed under the RAF banner, where he defeated Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis. He is also scheduled to face Chris Weidman in an upcoming RAF matchup in Texas.
“Colby Covington has always been one of those fighters people either loved or hated, but they always watched,” one fan reaction online read after news of his retirement surfaced.
Reports also revealed that Mayra Bueno Silva and Brad Riddell have been removed from the UFC roster.
Bueno Silva exits the promotion after a difficult stretch that saw her go winless in her last six appearances, including a failed title challenge against Raquel Pennington. Meanwhile, Riddell departs after suffering three consecutive stoppage losses before an attempted comeback in 2024 fell through.
While Colby Covington may be done with the UFC, his name still carries weight in combat sports. With promotions like MVP MMA and RAF continuing to grow, the outspoken veteran could still remain active outside the Octagon.
