Colby Covington has been removed from the UFC rankings due to an extended period without fighting. His last bout was against Joaquin Buckley in 2024, which he lost via stoppage. Despite being absent from UFC competition, Covington has been involved in a lawsuit with Jorge Masvidal and has competed in the RAF (Russian MMA promotion). The removal from rankings typically occurs when fighters go extended periods without booking or competing in fights. Covington, a former interim welterweight champion and multiple-time title challenger, had been a fixture in the top rankings of the welterweight division for years before this removal.
Colby Covington has been dropped from the UFC welterweight rankings after an extended stretch of inactivity, the promotion confirmed ahead of its April 21, 2026 rankings update.
Covington, 38, carries a professional record of 17-5 and built his reputation as one of the most durable and prolific wrestlers in the welterweight division. Fighting out of MMA Masters, the Orthodox striker averaged 3.81 significant strikes per minute and an impressive 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes across his UFC career — numbers that made him a perennial title-picture presence. He is a former interim welterweight champion and challenged for the undisputed belt on multiple occasions. His most recent UFC appearance ended in a stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley in 2024, a result that effectively stalled his momentum at 170 pounds. Since then, he has been absent from the UFC roster, with outside commitments including a lawsuit involving Jorge Masvidal and a reported stint competing in the Russian promotion RAF.
Buckley, the man who handed Covington that final defeat, currently sits ranked eleventh in the welterweight division at 32 years old. The southpaw out of Murcielago MMA owns a 21-8 record and a 76-inch reach — two inches longer than Covington's — and averages 3.88 significant strikes per minute.
Masvidal, 41, holds a 35-17 record and is not currently ranked in the welterweight division. The American Top Team veteran, who is entangled in the aforementioned legal dispute with Covington, averages 4.05 significant strikes per minute with a 47 percent striking accuracy.
Why it matters
- Covington's removal opens a rankings slot in a welterweight division already in flux
- His 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes made him a unique stylistic threat; his absence reshapes how contenders plan around wrestling-heavy opponents
- The ongoing Masvidal lawsuit adds a legal dimension that could further complicate any UFC return
