Colby Covington has revealed the true reason behind his retirement from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). While it was recently reported that Covington had decided to hang up his gloves following his last UFC fight in 2024 against Joaquin Buckley, where he lost by TKO due to a doctor’s stoppage, the former title challenger’s decision stems from a desire to fully commit to professional wrestling.
Covington had previously expressed interest in participating in a White House card in 2026 and even considered a move up to the middleweight division. However, his inability to secure a spot on the highly anticipated card, and the non-materialization of a potential fight against Mike Malott, led many to believe his relationship with the UFC management was strained, forcing his retirement.
Contrary to these assumptions, Covington clarified his motivations during a recent interview with Ariel Helwani. He confessed that his retirement from the UFC was a strategic move to enable him to pursue wrestling full-time under the Real American Freestyle (RAF) banner. Covington has already secured victories in RAF against Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis and is scheduled to compete against Chris Weidman this weekend.
Covington’s primary objective is to face fellow UFC fighters like Arman Tsarukyan in RAF. Since active UFC fighters are typically prohibited from competing against each other outside the promotion, Covington’s retirement was a necessary step to unlock these significant matchups. He stated that by retiring, there are now no limitations on who he can wrestle, expressing his desire to compete against notable names like Arman Tsarukyan, Khamzat Chimaev, and Kamaru Usman, citing “unfinished business.”
During the same interview, Covington also indicated that should he decide to return to mixed martial arts, it would undoubtedly be under the UFC’s banner, emphasizing his enduring connection to the organization and his belief that he still has a lot to offer in MMA.
Covington expressed gratitude towards UFC figures Dana White and Hunter Campbell for their support and stated that he did not require a formal retirement tribute, as he is simply moving on to pursue new opportunities. He described his retirement as a mere formality, with Hunter Campbell having given him his blessing.