Colby Covington has defined to followers why he determined to retire from the UFC. Most not too long ago, information surfaced that Covington has determined to hold up his gloves. His final UFC battle was in 2024 towards Joaquin Buckley, which “Chaos” misplaced by TKO on account of a physician’s stoppage.
In 2026, Covington needed to be part of the White Home card and had even teased a transfer as much as middleweight. Nonetheless, he didn’t discover a spot on the once-in-a-lifetime card. There was additionally speak that he would face Mike Malott, however the battle by no means materialized, even after Malott knocked out Gilbert Burns at UFC Winnipeg.
Many consider Covington has a strained relationship with the UFC brass, and the 38-year-old not getting fights as usually as he needed pressured him to retire.
Nonetheless, that was not the case. At the least that’s what Colby Covington says.
Colby Covington explains why he determined to retire from the UFC
Throughout a current interview with Ariel Helwani, Colby Covington confessed he retired from the UFC in order that he may be part of wrestling full-time. This yr, underneath the Actual American Freestyle banner, Covington has already scored wins over Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis, and this weekend, he will return to the RAF mats towards Chris Weidman.
Colby Covington has needed to wrestle Arman Tsarukyan and a number of other different UFC fighters who’re additionally a part of RAF. Nonetheless, lively UFC fighters are typically not allowed to compete towards each other outdoors the promotion, which is why “Chaos” determined to retire to pursue larger matchups in RAF.
He informed Helwani:
“That is the subsequent step in my fight sports activities profession: to affix wrestling full-time. This was simply the proverbial crimson tape that wanted to be dealt with to clear up the largest and finest matches in RAF. Now there aren’t any limitations on who I can wrestle. I wish to wrestle Arman, I wish to wrestle [Khamzat], I wish to wrestle Marty Usman — we’ve got unfinished enterprise.”
Throughout the identical interview, “Chaos” added that if he ever returns to MMA, it might for positive be underneath the UFC’s banner.
“I’ll at all times be a UFC fighter. If I come again to battle once more, it will likely be within the UFC… I do know I’ve rather a lot left within the tank. I do know there’s loads of good miles nonetheless left on the tread.”
Covington is grateful for what Dana White and Hunter Campbell have executed for him and wishes no retirement tribute video to really feel particular. He added:
“It was only a formality, and Hunter gave me his blessing. It’s all good. It’s all love… I didn’t want considered one of these loopy retirement packages, ‘Take a look at me and take a look at what I did.’ I didn’t want that… I’m simply transferring on to greater and higher issues.”
Take a look at Colby Covington’s feedback under:
