Colby Covington Admits 12-Year UFC Run Nearing End After No Longer Being Valuable

Colby Covington reflects on his UFC run nearing it's end as he admits to losing his berth within the UFC with them valuing him less than before.

Colby Covington Admits 12-Year UFC Run Nearing End After No Longer Being Valuable

Colby Covington [via Meta MMA]

In Short
  • Colby Covington acknowledges his UFC career may be nearing its end due to decreased value in the organization.
  • He has not fought since December 2024, following a disappointing loss to Joaquin Buckley.
  • Covington expresses interest in competing in other promotions, highlighting the importance of competition in MMA.

Colby Covington has remained a loyal employee to the UFC during his tenure in the company. He has stepped up when the company has needed him, competing for interim titles and short-notice fights whenever called upon.

That loyalty has also been rewarded by the UFC, through his title shot against Leon Edwards, coming off a year of inactivity. Fast-forward two more years, Covington says he and the UFC may be nearing the end of the line now.

The former welterweight interim champion has not fought in the UFC since his loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa in December, 2024. It was quite a poor showing for the welterweight as his younger opponent completely shut him out. ‘Chaos’ looked like a shade of his past self that night.

The American star has taken quite a long break from fighting since that lackluster performance despite competing in other combat sports. Covington got frank about this apparent winding down of his career on the third episode of Swing Rounds with Mike Heck.

They don’t really put a lot of value on me anymore, and they’ve kind of written me off, and that’s okay. That’s their business and their judgment, but I know I still have a lot of great years of prime to give away… I know where I stand with the UFC. I’m still thankful for the UFC and everything I have…That chapter’s closing very soon.

Colby Covington told Mike Heck of MMA Fighting

Covington’s relationship with the UFC brass, particularly Hunter Campbell, had soured in recent times. Coupled with the UFC Freedom 250 snub, Covington realized that his time with the company was nearing its end. Even so, the former interim champ said he hoped to compete in the UFC at least one more time.

Nonetheless, this is not the end of Colby Covington’s career. He wants his final prime years to focus on giving his “everything” to the RAF. With even UFC champions calling out Covington for a bout in RAF, it may just work out for ‘Chaos’. But as he enters the twilight of his UFC career, Covington is keeping a tab on all sorts of other opportunities, including the upcoming MVP card.

Colby Covington praises upcoming MVP card amid UFC drama

The upcoming Most Valuable Promotions card is perhaps the biggest MMA event in the last ten years, not hosted by the UFC. Featuring former UFC champions Ronda Rousey and Francis Ngannou, the card has the star power to back up the incredible reach of a Netflix broadcast.

Colby Covington
Colby Covington gives his thoughts on the upcoming MVP card [via Netflix and MMA Fighting]

Covington talked about this upcoming fight card in the same Swing Rounds interview, calling it “great”. He appreciated the opportunities this card’s success could generate for fighters outside the UFC. It seems Covington realizes the benefits of the UFC having competitors in the MMA space.

It’s great to get more opportunities… It’s like Joe Rogan said the other day. He’s like, ‘Hey, UFC needs competition. There needs to be another promotion that can compete and rival with the UFC,’ because otherwise, the UFC just dictates all of the terms and tells the fighters what to do, and it’s either you take it or leave it.

Colby Covington on the upcoming MVP card

Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are set to make their returns to the cage after extended absences in the main event of the MVP card. The co-main event will be Francis Ngannou taking on Philipe Lins, after the former’s exit from the PFL. In the past, fighters have not had an option to fight on cards of this magnitude without the UFC’s backing.

The more competitors the UFC has, the more options fighters get to choose from. It seems Colby Covington is realizing this as he enters the final stretch. Whether it leads to the 38-year-old someday competing in an MVP card remains dubious at best.

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