Colby Covington Retires from UFC at 38 After 3 Failed Undisputed Title Shots

12 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · May 18

Covington informed UFC on Monday that he was retiring, and the promotion updated his official fighter page to reflect the decision.
The 38-year-old exits after back-to-back losses, most recently a third-round doctor-stoppage TKO by Joaquin Buckley in December 2024 after a unanimous-decision defeat to Leon Edwards.
Those setbacks capped a UFC run that ended 17-5 overall and included three unsuccessful bids for the undisputed welterweight title, plus notable wins over Rafael dos Anjos, Tyron Woodley and Jorge Masvidal.
Covington had recently criticized UFC while seeking "meaningful fights" and is already competing in Real American Freestyle, where he faces Chris Weidman at RAF 9 on May 30.
His retirement closes a polarizing UFC chapter defined by an interim welterweight belt, a brash persona and a marquee rivalry with Kamaru Usman.

After campaigning for a June fight, what truly prompted Colby Covington’s abrupt UFC retirement?

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