Colby Covington Retires From MMA After 13 Years of "Chaos"

Colby Covington (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) had a career spanning 22 fights in MMA, 17 of which took place in its top promotion, the UFC, including a stint as interim welterweight champion.  In recent years, Covington had spent more time out of the fabled Octagon than in it, taking to YouTube to air his opinions on the fight game, including a fiery take on Jake Paul's Dec. 19, 2025 boxing match against Anthony Joshua.

Paul sustained a broken jaw during the contest, which was halted during the sixth round of an advertised eight inside Kaseya Center, the home venue of the NBA's Miami Heat. In true Covington style, "Chaos" unleashed scathing remarks on "The Problem Child."

"People tuned into see if Jake was dumb enough to get mangled by a heavyweight boxer," Colby Covington said in December, "and just like Johnny Knoxville, Jake delivered in embarrassing Jackass fashion."

Colby Covington Ends MMA Career After 18-Month Hiatus from Fights

The last time Colby Covington fought under MMA rules was in December of 2024, during the main event of an ESPN+ UFC Fight Night in Tampa, FL. Covington's opponent that fall weekend was Joaquin Buckley. 

This headlining fight progressed through to the third round of a scheduled five inside the Octagon before it was halted by the physician. Colby Covington suffered a cut above his eye, giving Buckley the TKO victory.

That contest proved to be the last for Covington under MMA rules. Earlier Monday, some 18 months after that bout, those closest to the situation revealed that "Chaos" would retire from the sport. Covington now leaves MMA with a 12-5 record in the UFC and was on a two-fight losing streak at the time of his retirement.

Covington Had Hoped for UFC Freedom 250 Spot Before Retiring 

One of the most anticipated events still to come on the UFC's 2026 calendar is UFC Freedom 250, a rare Sunday night card from the promotion on June 14. The show from The White House grounds in Washington, DC is one of several tentpole happenings as part of Freedom 250 celebrations inside the United States of America.

Prior to his retirement as an MMA fighter, Covington was one of the competitors who was hopeful to have his name included on the Freedom 250 card. When the event's slate was announced on March 7, Covington's name was excluded from the evening's activities.

During an April appearance on MMA Fighting's Swing Rounds, Covington questioned his snub from the marquee event. 

"I thought I was a shoe-in, the American guy," he said in the video.  "How are we not putting a guy who loves his country so much on the 250th anniversary celebration of America?"

Colby Covington Sets Sights on RAF in Wake of MMA Retirement

With Monday's reveal that Covington would end his tenure in MMA, his life in combat sports still goes on. Earller on in 2026, he made his debut in Real American Freestyle, an unscripted wrestling promotion whose cards stream on the FOX Nation platform.

Since joining the RAF active roster this past January, "Chaos" has had two matches, both of which ended in victory by way of technical fall. Almost two months ago, he bested Dillon Danis in RAF 07 by a final count of 14-4. 

A week from Saturday, he makes the walk for his third RAF match in the co-headlining contest of RAF 09 from Arlington, TX. Fellow UFC alumnus Chris Weidman will serve as Colby Covington's adversary.