Colby Covington has carved a unique path in the UFC, combining elite wrestling skills with an outspoken persona that divides fans. Outside the cage, the Clovis native’s polarizing trash talk and political stances have made him a lightning rod for attention. Love him or hate him, the former interim 170lbs champ remains one of the UFC’s most compelling figures.

However, at 37, ‘Chaos’ is struggling to get back to his old rhythm and has lost his last two fights. But what exactly is going wrong for him? A former UFC fighter has the answer for you.

UFC veteran weighs in on Colby Covington’s current form

A year ago, Colby Covington was riding high after his victory over former friend-turned-rival Jorge Masvidal, a win that earned him a title shot against Leon Edwards at UFC 296. The title bout quickly became one of the most highly intense matchups in UFC history with Covington fully embracing his “heel” persona to stoke the rivalry. However, the fight did not go as planned and Covington once again failed to clinch the undisputed gold.

In his last fight, the Clovis native got battered by up-and-coming contender Joaquin Buckley. The bout was mercifully ended in the third round via doctor stoppage after Covington suffered a massive gash over his eye. Before the fight, ‘Chaos’ seemed confident of winning the fight. But why did he struggle? According to former UFC 155fer Josh Thomson, Covington is way past his prime at the moment.

Thomson recently appeared on the JAXXON podcast and shared his honest opinion on Covington’s woes. He said, “You know what’s funny is since we’re talking about the Tony [Tony Ferguson] thing. But also too is what just happened last week with Colby Covington. Everyone’s like oh he was never that good. That’s a bunch of bullsh-t. Like realistically like people you know this Quinton is that your moment of opportunity of being at the top of your career is literally like two years.” 

With this latest loss, Covington is currently 2-4 in his last six outings. Despite such a dismal record, ‘Chaos’ is not at all worried about it. Such is his confidence that he still feels he could have won his last fight against Joaquin Buckley. According to him, he was just getting started before the doctors stopped the fight.

Colby Covington gives no credit to Joaquin Buckley for his impressive win

Colby Covington’s 2024 campaign was marked by misfortune. After spending a year on the sidelines following his defeat at UFC 296 in 2023, the former interim welterweight champion finally made his highly anticipated return at UFC Tampa earlier this month. Unfortunately, his comeback didn’t go as planned, as Joaquin Buckley dominated him in a one-sided bout, halting Covington’s hopes of a successful return. After the loss, fight analysts and experts shared their thoughts on what may have led to the Clovis native’s defeat.

However, Colby Covington remained silent for nearly two weeks before finally addressing the situation on his YouTube channel. During the video, he said, “Everybody knows I’m a fourth and fifth-round fighter. I was just getting started in those championship rounds. I know I could have finished him. He was breathing heavily, didn’t have much left, and wasn’t going to keep up his volume in the later rounds. I felt I was going to take control of that fight. It was close and competitive. He didn’t outclass me, didn’t drop me, and didn’t hurt me.”

Covington’s defeat to Buckley could mark a significant turning point in his career. It’s becoming clear that ‘Chaos’ may be past his prime. The former interim champion has appeared increasingly outmatched in his recent bouts, leading many to question whether he can still compete at the highest level.

Well, currently the 37-year-old is looking for his next opponent. But the big question is will he get the chance to fight once again in the UFC? Is he really past the prime of his career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.