Colby Covington has been removed from the UFC rankings due to his prolonged absence from competition. Covington last fought in 2024 when he suffered a stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley. Since that defeat, Covington has not competed in the UFC and has instead been involved in legal proceedings with Jorge Masvidal and has been making appearances at RAF events. The UFC's decision to remove inactive fighters from the rankings reflects their policy of keeping the rankings current with active competitors.
Colby "Chaos" Covington has been dropped from the UFC welterweight rankings after an extended period away from competition, the promotion applying its standard inactivity policy to remove him from the updated divisional standings.
Covington, 38, carries a professional record of 17-5 and was long considered one of the welterweight division's most dangerous contenders. Fighting out of MMA Masters and standing five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach, he built his reputation on relentless output and an elite wrestling game, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career. His last octagon appearance came in 2024, when he suffered a stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley — a defeat that proved to be his most recent bout. In the time since, Covington has been occupied with legal proceedings involving fellow welterweight Jorge Masvidal and has made appearances at RAF events rather than returning to competition.
Buckley, the man responsible for Covington's exit, sits at number 11 in the welterweight rankings 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, making him one of the division's more dangerous finishers.
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, numbers that reflect his enduring technical striking credentials even deep into his career.
Why it matters
- Covington's removal opens a rankings slot and could reshuffle positioning for active welterweights chasing a title shot
- His absence since the Buckley stoppage signals an increasingly uncertain future in the division at 38 years old
- Any return would likely require a high-profile booking to reclaim meaningful ranking standing
