Ex-interim champ Covington tells UFC he's retiring

Colby Covington, one of the most polarizing welterweights of the past decade, has announced his retirement from the UFC. The promotion confirmed to ESPN on Monday that the 38-year-old fighter informed officials of his decision to step away from competition. Covington has not yet publicly addressed his retirement or responded to requests for comment.

Covington's UFC career was marked by significant achievements alongside considerable notoriety. Fighting out of South Florida, he won the UFC's interim welterweight championship in June 2018, though he was eventually stripped of the title due to inactivity. His rise to prominence was catalyzed by an October 2017 incident in which he insulted Brazilians following a victory over Demian Maia in São Paulo—a moment that helped establish his persona as one of the sport's biggest heels. Over the following years, Covington cultivated intense rivalries with fighters including Kamaru Usman, Tyron Woodley, and Jorge Masvidal, using provocative rhetoric and divisive behavior to capture attention.

A former Division I All-American wrestler from Oregon State, Covington built a wrestling-heavy fighting style that made him a consistent threat in the welterweight division. His retirement marks the end of a controversial chapter in UFC history—one defined as much by his larger-than-life personality and polarizing antics as by his fighting credentials. The timing and details surrounding his departure have not been disclosed.