Colby Covington has been removed from the official UFC welterweight rankings due to an extended period without competing. His last fight was against Joaquin Buckley in 2024, which ended in a stoppage loss for Covington. Since that defeat, Covington has remained inactive inside the octagon for over a year. Meanwhile, he has been involved in legal proceedings with Jorge Masvidal and has participated in events for the Russian promotion RAF. The UFC typically removes fighters from rankings after prolonged inactivity.
Colby Covington has been dropped from the official UFC welterweight rankings after more than a year away from competition, the promotion confirmed in its latest rankings update on April 21, 2026.
Covington, 38, carried a 17-5 record and had long been one of the division's most prominent figures before his removal. The American wrestler out of MMA Masters was known for an elite grappling-heavy style, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. His last octagon appearance came in 2024 against Joaquin Buckley, where he suffered a stoppage loss. That defeat has proven to be his final competitive outing in the UFC to date, with no return bout materializing in the months that followed. Away from fighting, Covington has been involved in legal proceedings with fellow welterweight Jorge Masvidal and has appeared at events for the Russian promotion RAF.
Buckley, the man who handed Covington that most recent loss, sits at number 11 in the welterweight division with a record of 21-8. The 32-year-old southpaw out of Murcielago MMA owns a 76-inch reach and lands 3.88 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the more dangerous strikers in the weight class.
Masvidal, 41, holds a 35-17 record and competes out of American Top Team. The veteran lands 4.05 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy, numbers that reflect a lengthy and high-volume career at the top of the sport.
Why it matters
- Covington's removal opens a rankings slot in an already competitive 170-pound division
- His absence following the Buckley stoppage loss now stretches beyond a year, triggering the UFC's standard inactivity policy
- Legal activity involving Masvidal adds an off-cage dimension to Covington's prolonged time away from the rankings
