Colby Covington set to face former UFC champion in first bout in 13 months

Jan 8, 2026 - 16:00

Colby Covington makes his combat sports return against Luke Rockhold this Saturday.

‘Chaos’ faces former UFC middleweight champion Rockhold under the Real American Freestyle (RAF) banner in Sunrise, Florida.

TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 14: (R-L) Colby Covington punches Joaquin Buckley in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Amalie Arena on December 14, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) — Covington, an NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, returns to his roots at RAF05

He faces Rockhold, who has tried his hand in professional grappling, bare-knuckle boxing, Karate and boxing since leaving the UFC in 2022

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RAF is the first unscripted professional wrestling league of its kind and, having signed a plethora of current and former UFC stars, returns with a stacked RAF05 card this weekend

Michael Chandler made his first appearance for the organisation in November, while middleweight Bo Nickal competed at the promotion’s inaugural event in August.

Nickal returns for RAF05 as he takes on 48-year-old Yoel Romero in a light heavyweight championship bout.

Covington vs Luke Rockhold will take place at cruiserweight, with fan-favourite Kyle Dake fighting Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov for the cruiserweight strap.

Also on the card, UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan faces Lance Palmer.

Colby Covington’s first bout since December 2024

The polarising Covington, known for his support of US President Donald Trump, hasn’t fought in the UFC since losing to Joaquin Buckley in December 2024.

He was beaten up badly over the course of the five-round fight at UFC Tampa, suffering a nasty cut to his eye early doors.

Covington was dropped with a vicious right hand in the first round, and the bout was waved off in the third when a UFC doctor ruled that the American may lose his eye if he continued to fight.

It was the 37-year-old’s fourth defeat in his last six UFC fights, having lost three welterweight title bouts to Kamaru Usman twice and Leon Edwards.

Covington has previously teased a switch to the WWE, but has Rockhold to think about first.

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Luke Rockhold reacts to his victory over Chris Weidman in their UFC middleweight championship bout during the UFC 194 event inside MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 12, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada — Rockhold knocked out Chris Weidman at UFC 194 to win the promotion’s middleweight title, before dropping it to Michael Bisping

Darren Till punches Luke Rockhold during the Light Heavyweight fight between Darren Till and Luke Rockhold during the Misfits 22 - Ring of Thrones fight night at AO Arena on August 30, 2025 in Manchester, England — The 41-year-old was viciously stopped by Darren Till in his last combat sports outing

As for Rockhold, the former UFC champion has competed across various promotions and sports since leaving Dana White‘s promotion in January 2023.

He has tried his hand in professional grappling, bare-knuckle boxing, Karate, and, most recently, strapped on the leather gloves for his professional boxing debut.

Rockhold faced Darren Till in the main event of Misfits 22 on August 30, but was brutally knocked out in the third round.

When Luke Rockhold spoke with talkSPORT.com

Speaking to talkSPORT.com ahead of his pro debut, Rockhold suggested that his fight with Till was just the beginning of his stint in the squared circle.

“I have plans to better myself and to get better at boxing,” the Californian said.

“Boxing is like, it’s my last art of fighting that I haven’t really perfected yet.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - AUGUST 20: Luke Rockhold reacts after his fight against Paulo Costa during the UFC 278 at the Vivint Arena on August 20, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States.
(Photo by Alejandro Salazar/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) — Rockhold was defeated by Paulo Costa in his last UFC fight four years ago

TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 14: Colby Covington prepares to face Joaquin Buckley in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Amalie Arena on December 14, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Covington is eyeing a fight at UFC White House to mark his return in Dana White’s promotion[/caption]

“I’m enjoying the process of perfecting art as I always have in life. I like to perfect things.

“I think with boxing, there’s been some holes in my game, and I’m looking forward to cleaning those up and being a little more dangerous.”

Both Covington and Rockhold have wrestling backgrounds, with the former an NCAA Division I All-American, having shared a room with Jon Jones during his time as a freshman at college, when he went 34-0.

Rockhold is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and won the UFC middleweight title by stopping Chris Weidman in the co-main event of Conor McGregor‘s featherweight title triumph over Jose Aldo in 2015.

Covington wants to make his UFC return at the White House in June.