It looks like the MMA career of former interim UFC Welterweight Champion Colby Covington might have come to an end.
38-year-old Covington’s UFC.com profile was moved to the “Retired” section recently, taking him off the active roster. Shortly after this move, ESPN’s Brett Okamoto confirmed that he had informed the company of his retirement.
Have confirmed with UFC officials that Colby Covington has informed them of his decision to retire.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) May 19, 2026
Covington was a stand-out collegiate wrestler prior to his MMA years, scoring back-to-back Pac-10 Championships in the early 2010s. Just months after wrapping up his career on the mat, he joined prolific MMA gym American Top Team and made his MMA debut by February 2012.
It didn’t take long for Covington to join the UFC roster, getting signed after picking up a record of five wins from the regional scene. An early encounter in his career was notably against future Bellator champ Jason Jackson, beating him via decision.
After gaining some steam in the UFC, attaining five wins in his first six appearances, it started to be Covington’s persona which gave him attention more than his fights. Covington started to get eyeballs on him for his brash, insensitive personality, turning heads when he called Brazil a “dump” shortly after defeating Demian Maia in Sao Paulo.
Covington captured an interim welterweight title in 2018 after beating Rafael dos Anjos, a win which he dedicated to U.S. President Donald Trump. His support for the president, through the end of his first term and to re-election in 2024, became a central part of Covington’s image as a fighter.
The later years of Covington’s career will be remembered as a time when he frequently fought some of the division’s best, but struggled in the most important spots. He came up short in two unified title shots against Kamaru Usman, getting stopped in their late 2019 meeting. He later also lost a title challenge to Leon Edwards in a five-round result.
Covington’s last appearance was in late 2024, when a third-round doctor stoppage due to a cut caused him to lose against Joaquin Buckley.
“Chaos” Covington has returned to his roots as of late, getting back on the wrestling mat and competing at Real American Freestyle events. He has overcome Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis in past appearances at the collegiate wrestling shows, and is scheduled to take on Chris Weidman later this month.
