Kamaru Usman has weighed in on the recent news that Colby Covington has been listed as retired on the UFC’s official athlete database. Multiple media outlets have reported on this development, and Usman, a former rival of Covington, offered his thoughts on what might have prompted “Chaos” to step away from the promotion.
Covington’s last appearance in the UFC was a loss to Joaquin Buckley in 2024, which ended by TKO due to a doctor’s stoppage. Following this defeat, Covington was reportedly targeting a spot on the UFC Freedom 250 event in 2026. There were also whispers of a potential move to middleweight to face Bo Nickal, but this bout never materialized. Nickal himself suggested that Covington was hesitant to take the fight.
Another rumored matchup for Covington was against the winner of the Mike Malott vs. Gilbert Burns fight, with Malott eventually securing a knockout victory. However, the UFC did not announce a fight between Malott and Covington in the weeks following UFC Winnipeg.
Outside of the UFC, Covington has been active in grappling competitions, securing wins against notable fighters like Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis. He is also scheduled to face Chris Weidman later this month.
Covington had also expressed interest in competing against Arman Tsarukyan under the Real-time Fight (RAF) banner. However, he claimed that the UFC was not supportive of this idea and had not been offering him any fights. In recent months, Covington has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the UFC’s lack of fight offers, which Usman suggests could be the primary driver behind his retirement decision.
Kamaru Usman Believes There’s a “Disconnect” Between Covington and the UFC
Speaking on the podcast Pound 4 Pound, Kamaru Usman theorized that Colby Covington’s decision to part ways with the UFC stems from his inability to secure fights as frequently as he desired.
“Covington has not been getting that frequency of activity; it’s not that he can’t compete, because we know he can compete. Because he’s competing at RAF and he’s doing pretty well. There is some type of disconnect between Covington and the UFC, and why they can’t get him in there, or why he isn’t getting fights he wants.”
Usman also commended Covington, noting that regardless of his popularity, fans consistently tune in to watch his fights. “The Nigerian Nightmare” maintains that Colby Covington is still capable of competing at a high level.