Colby Covington has been removed from the UFC rankings due to lack of fights. His last bout was against Joaquin Buckley in 2024, which he lost by stoppage. Despite being removed from the UFC rankings, Covington has been involved in a lawsuit with Jorge Masvidal and has competed in RAF (Real Action Fight). The removal reflects the UFC's policy of eliminating inactive fighters from official rankings. Covington's absence from competition since his 2024 loss appears to be the primary reason for this decision.
Colby Covington has been dropped from the official UFC welterweight rankings, with the promotion cutting the 38-year-old from its listings due to prolonged inactivity following his 2024 stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley.
Covington, nicknamed "Chaos," carries a professional record of 17-5 and competes out of MMA Masters. The orthodox striker stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach and has long been one of the division's most recognizable names, averaging 3.81 significant strikes per minute and an impressive 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career. His absence from UFC competition since the Buckley defeat appears to be the determining factor behind the organization's decision to remove him under its standard inactivity policy.
Buckley, the fighter who handed Covington that most recent loss, currently sits ranked eleventh 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 landed per minute. His stoppage victory over Covington proved to be one of the more consequential results in the division over the past year.
While Covington has remained out of the UFC octagon, he has not been entirely idle. He has taken part in bouts under the RAF — Real Action Fight — banner and has also been engaged in a legal dispute with former training partner Jorge Masvidal, the 41-year-old "Gamebred" who holds a career record of 35-17.
Why it matters
- Covington's removal opens a ranking slot in a welterweight division already in flux
- His departure from the rankings effectively sidelines one of the division's longest-tenured contenders without an official retirement
- The UFC's inactivity policy is again enforced visibly, signaling consistent application regardless of a fighter's former profile
- Any return to the octagon would require Covington to rebuild his ranked standing from outside the top fifteen
