Colby Covington has been removed from the UFC welterweight rankings for the first time since 2017, with the latest edition of the promotion's 170-pound rankings dropping him from the top 15 as Mike Malott and Yaroslav Amosov entered the picture.
The removal ends a prolonged debate about Covington's continued presence in the rankings despite sustained inactivity. UFC CEO Dana White had acknowledged in January that it was odd to have Covington ranked given that he had fought only once per year between 2020 and 2024. His most recent result was a TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley in December 2024, and his last victory came against now-retired Jorge Masvidal in March 2022.
Covington dismissed the criticism when it first surfaced. "It really doesn't matter what Dana White thinks of me. I'm a world champion. I'm Donald Trump's favorite fighter. I'm America's champion. I'm the king of Miami. You can never take those titles away from me. Take me out of those rankings, but whatever, I'm still the biggest draw at welterweight. It makes no difference what number is next to my name. I know what I'm capable of, and I know I'm still the best fighter and wrestler on planet Earth," he told reporters in January.
Despite his stated connection to the President, Covington did not land a spot on the UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House on June 14, something he was reportedly disappointed about. No imminent plans for his return to the Octagon have been announced.
Covington has remained active outside the UFC, competing in Real American Freestyle earlier this year and defeating Dillon Danis by technical fall. He is expected to headline RAF 09 on May 30 in Dallas.
