Colby Covington has been removed from the UFC rankings due to lack of fights. His last bout was against Buckley in 2024, which he lost via stoppage. Since then, Covington has been inactive in the UFC while pursuing legal action against Jorge Masvidal and competing in RAF. The removal from rankings is standard UFC procedure for fighters who remain inactive for extended periods. The post does not specify when Covington might return to active competition or whether he has any upcoming fights scheduled.
Colby Covington has been dropped from the UFC's official welterweight rankings following an extended stretch of inactivity, the promotion confirmed as part of its standard policy for fighters who go without competition for a prolonged period.
Covington, 38, carries a professional record of 17-5 and built his reputation as one of the division's most relentless pressure fighters, averaging 3.81 significant strikes per minute and an elite 3.64 takedown attempts per 15 minutes. Known as "Chaos," the American has been away from the octagon since a 2024 stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley. In the time since that defeat, Covington has remained out of UFC competition, instead pursuing legal action against former training partner Jorge Masvidal and taking bouts under the Rivals Athletic Fighting banner.
The UFC's inactivity policy periodically strips rankings from fighters who are not competing, and Covington's removal reflects how long he has been on the sidelines. No return date or scheduled bout has been announced.
Masvidal, meanwhile, holds a 35-17 record at 41 years of age and has long since parted ways with Covington off the back of their public falling-out. The legal dispute between the two former American Top Team allies has kept Covington's name in the news despite his absence from sanctioned UFC competition.
Why it matters
- Covington's removal signals the UFC views him as effectively inactive rather than simply between fights
- The welterweight division loses one of its historically high-volume wrestlers from the official rankings picture
- No confirmed path back to the rankings exists until Covington schedules and competes in a UFC bout
