Colby Covington Shocks MMA World with Unexpected Retirement Announcement!

In a surprising turn of events, Colby Covington has officially announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, marking the end of an era for the former UFC interim welterweight champion. According to multiple sources, the news was confirmed to MMA Fighting on Monday, with the UFC’s athlete database now reflecting his retirement status. Covington, who boasts a professional record of 17 wins and 5 losses, last stepped into the octagon in December 2024, where he faced a tough defeat against Joaquin Buckley via TKO in the third round. This loss came just a year after his unsuccessful bid for the undisputed welterweight title against Leon Edwards, adding to the weight of his decision to step away from active competition. Throughout his career, Covington has faced some of the biggest names in the sport, achieving notable victories over fighters like Jorge Masvidal, Tyron Woodley, Rafael dos Anjos, and Robbie Lawler. His retirement is particularly unexpected, especially since he had been vocal about wanting to compete on the upcoming White House card scheduled for June 14. At 38 years old, Covington has remained active outside of the UFC, recently showcasing his wrestling skills with victories over Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis. He is set to return to the wrestling scene on May 30 for a match against Chris Weidman in Texas. In addition to Covington’s retirement, MMA Fighting has learned that Mayra Bueno Silva and Brad Riddell have also been removed from the UFC roster. Bueno Silva exits the promotion after a challenging stretch, going winless in her last six fights, including a title bout against Raquel Pennington. Her final appearance ended in a decision loss to Michelle Montague in April. Riddell, on the other hand, faced a tough run with three consecutive stoppage losses between 2021 and 2022. Although he was scheduled to make a comeback against Thiago Moises in March 2024, he withdrew from the event, leaving fans wondering about his future in the sport. As the MMA community processes these significant changes, one question lingers: what’s next for Colby Covington and the fighters who have recently stepped away from the octagon? Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/489314/colby-covington-notifies-ufc-of-retirement

by

DL2004

18.05.2026

1 minute

Read Time

In a surprising turn of events, Colby Covington has officially announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, marking the end of an era for the former UFC interim welterweight champion. According to multiple sources, the news was confirmed to MMA Fighting on Monday, with the UFC’s athlete database now reflecting his retirement status.

Covington, who boasts a professional record of 17 wins and 5 losses, last stepped into the octagon in December 2024, where he faced a tough defeat against Joaquin Buckley via TKO in the third round. This loss came just a year after his unsuccessful bid for the undisputed welterweight title against Leon Edwards, adding to the weight of his decision to step away from active competition.

Throughout his career, Covington has faced some of the biggest names in the sport, achieving notable victories over fighters like Jorge Masvidal, Tyron Woodley, Rafael dos Anjos, and Robbie Lawler. His retirement is particularly unexpected, especially since he had been vocal about wanting to compete on the upcoming White House card scheduled for June 14.

At 38 years old, Covington has remained active outside of the UFC, recently showcasing his wrestling skills with victories over Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis. He is set to return to the wrestling scene on May 30 for a match against Chris Weidman in Texas.

In addition to Covington’s retirement, MMA Fighting has learned that Mayra Bueno Silva and Brad Riddell have also been removed from the UFC roster. Bueno Silva exits the promotion after a challenging stretch, going winless in her last six fights, including a title bout against Raquel Pennington. Her final appearance ended in a decision loss to Michelle Montague in April.

Riddell, on the other hand, faced a tough run with three consecutive stoppage losses between 2021 and 2022. Although he was scheduled to make a comeback against Thiago Moises in March 2024, he withdrew from the event, leaving fans wondering about his future in the sport.

As the MMA community processes these significant changes, one question lingers: what’s next for Colby Covington and the fighters who have recently stepped away from the octagon?

Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/489314/colby-covington-notifies-ufc-of-retirement