Colby Covington has been removed from the UFC rankings due to lack of activity in the octagon. His last fight was against Ian Machado Garry in 2024, where he suffered a stoppage loss. Despite being removed from official rankings, Covington remains active outside the cage through his lawsuit with Jorge Masvidal and appearances in other promotions. The removal reflects UFC's policy of removing inactive fighters from official rankings to maintain relevance.
Colby Covington has been dropped from the UFC's official welterweight rankings after an extended period of inactivity, the promotion confirmed.
Covington, 38, carries a professional record of 17-5-0 and built his reputation as one of the division's most relentless wrestlers, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. The American fighter out of MMA Masters last stepped into the octagon in 2024, suffering a stoppage loss to Ian Machado Garry. That defeat proved to be his final appearance under the UFC banner for the time being, and the prolonged absence has now cost him his ranked position.
Garry, the 28-year-old Irishman who handed Covington that loss, currently sits at number one in the welterweight division with a record of 17-1-0. Standing six-foot-three with a 74-inch reach, Garry lands 4.78 significant strikes per minute at a 54 percent accuracy rate, making him one of the most precise strikers in the weight class.
While Covington is no longer listed among the UFC's ranked welterweights, he has remained visible outside the cage. He is currently involved in an ongoing lawsuit with former training partner and fellow welterweight Jorge Masvidal, and has made appearances in other promotional settings. Masvidal, 41, holds a career record of 35-17-0 and spent years competing at the top of the welterweight division before his own UFC departure.
Why it matters
- Covington's removal opens a rankings slot and creates movement among the welterweight contenders below him
- The UFC's inactivity policy reinforces that ranked status requires consistent octagon appearances
- Any return by Covington would likely require a performance to re-enter the top fifteen
