Colby Covington has been removed from the UFC rankings due to his extended absence from competition. His last fight was against Joaquin Buckley in 2024, which he lost via stoppage. Since then, Covington has not competed inside the octagon. The former welterweight title challenger is currently involved in legal proceedings with Jorge Masvidal and has been participating in the Russian promotion RAF. The UFC's decision to remove inactive fighters from rankings is standard procedure for those who haven't competed recently.
Colby Covington has been dropped from the UFC welterweight rankings after an extended period without a fight, the organization confirming the move as part of its standard policy for inactive competitors.
Covington, 38, carries a professional record of 17-5 and built his reputation as one of the division's most relentless wrestlers, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. The Orthodox fighter out of MMA Masters stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach. His last octagon appearance came in 2024 against Joaquin Buckley, a contest he lost by stoppage. Since that defeat, "Chaos" has not returned to compete in the UFC, and he has been participating in the Russian promotion RAF while also engaged in ongoing legal proceedings involving Jorge Masvidal.
Buckley, the man who handed Covington that most recent loss, is currently ranked 11th in the welterweight division with a record of 21-8. The 32-year-old southpaw from Murcielago MMA stands five-foot-ten with a 76-inch reach and averages 3.88 significant strikes per minute.
Masvidal, 41, holds a record of 35-17 and trains out of American Top Team. The "Gamebred" veteran lands 4.05 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy, making him one of the more precise offensive fighters of his generation at welterweight.
Why it matters
- Covington's removal clears space in a welterweight rankings picture that remains competitive beneath the champion.
- His ties to both Buckley and Masvidal — one a recent in-cage opponent, the other a legal adversary — keep him in the news despite the absence of a scheduled fight.
- A return to UFC competition would likely require Covington to re-enter the rankings from outside, depending on the opponent and result.
