Looking Back At Colby Covington’s UFC Career

A Villain Is Born

While Covington now found himself on a four-win streak, UFC executives were not exactly fond of him, as he would recall on Candace Owens’ eponymous show in 2019. His methodical wrestling-heavy style was a turn-off to many fans, and he did not exactly stand out in terms of personality. If he was going to remain in the promotion, he would have to change everything about himself.

That change came in a co-main against former title challenger Demian Maia, which was also the last fight of Covington’s then-current contract. This time, Covington stood and struck more confidently, even creating a gash on his opponent’s head, en route to another decision win.

The real highlight, however, would be the post-fight interview. Covington proceeded to insult Brazil and its people, calling the country “a dump” populated by “filthy animals”. With just a few words, he went from a bland prospect on the verge of being cut to the most hated man in MMA.

It would be a while before Covington parlayed that win into something tangible, but when he returned to the Octagon, it was in a big fight. Another Brazilian in Rafael dos Anjos, interim welterweight title on the line – the perfect opportunity to vindicate his “heel turn”. He would back it up, claiming the belt via unanimous decision.

The UFC now had a new trash-talking star – a notion that was only strengthened when Covington began ingratiating himself with then-President Donald Trump, culminating in a visit to the White House. A unification bout with Tyron Woodley seemed to be the logical next step, only for him to undergo nasal surgery. He was stripped of his title and replaced by Darren Till – a decision that Woodley proved ill-judged by utterly dominating Till en route to a second-round submission.

Instead of an immediate title shot, Covington would have to settle for Robbie Lawler in his return to action. He did not disappoint, setting multiple divisional records for strikes attempted and landed in a single fight. Thus, a title shot was undeniably next.

By then, Kamaru Usman was the new champion, having utterly dominated Woodley to claim the title. Covington, as he was one to do, did plenty of trash talk. He particularly insulted Usman’s late head coach, Glenn Robinson. There was clearly much anger between the two men, which spilled over into the cage.

The fight, despite featuring a pair of wrestlers, surprisingly played out almost entirely on the feet. Ultimately, Covington was unsuccessful, losing by fifth-round TKO. He did, however, receive a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus – the first of his career.

The Faltering Clown

After his first loss in four years, Covington would have to earn a rematch against Usman. He did so with a dominant fifth-round stoppage against Woodley, who was by that point a complete shell of his old self.

The rematch took place over a year later. This time, Covington managed to last until the final bell, but the result was the same: defeat. Welterweight’s biggest villain was now looking more like an ineffectual clown, talking trash aplenty yet failing to deliver on his boasts.

If Covington wanted to mend his image, he would need another big win. That came against former teammate and training partner Jorge Masvidal. He took a convincing unanimous decision win, also earning another $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus in the process.

After that came over 21 months of silence, as Covington made himself clear: he would not fight again unless it was for a title. He did so against Leon Edwards, but a foot injury early in the first round limited him severely, and he dropped a lopsided decision.

With that, the Trump-loving heel gimmick that Covington had cultivated was as good as dead. That had been his third try at the full title, and he had even disgustingly alluded to the murder of Edwards’ father, yet he failed again.

After that, Covington went silent again for nearly a year before the aforementioned loss to Buckley. He did not fight in 2025, then was left off the UFC’s White House card, leading to his retirement.

End Of My Colby Covington Rant

Covington’s case is yet another example of the pitfalls of being a heel in MMA. When he was winning, he was good at provocation, daring opponents to smack him down and shut him up. When he was losing, however, he was more like a class clown desperate for attention.

Nevertheless, Covington deserved to fight one last time at the White House. Seeing his idol Trump in attendance would have motivated him to put up one last vintage performance before he called it a career. On the other hand, a defeat would have marked the ultimate low point of his career.

Either way, the point is still clear: the UFC will miss the “Chaos” that Covington created.