Colby Covington says door is 'never closed' on MMA return, names McGregor and Diaz

Colby Covington says he could still return to MMA for a big fight, and gave Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz as examples. He said so to MMA Junkie in an interview reported on Friday, Oct. 30. "The door is never closed," the 38-year-old said, according to Heavy. No fight is booked, and we found no response from McGregor, Diaz or the UFC as of Saturday.

He didn't call out either man. "They're probably not gonna give me a guy like Conor," he said, while adding that the fight would be great. He said only "Diaz", which Heavy and MMA Sucka both take to mean Nate rather than Nick.

He ruled out a return for an ordinary matchup. "If I'm getting paid the big money, fighting the big fights, then I'm coming back," he said, as quoted by Heavy. Fighting just anybody, he said, "does nothing for me." MMA Sucka reports he also said he's financially secure and cares more about his legacy.

How he got here

Covington hasn't fought in MMA since a doctor stopped his fight with Joaquin Buckley in December 2024. He retired in May, and the UFC took him off its roster. He told Ariel Helwani he wanted to wrestle full-time for Real American Freestyle (RAF), where he had competed since January.

Heavy says he was released, but he told Helwani, "I wasn't let go." He also said, "I'm still under contract with the UFC." We found no UFC statement on his contract.

The comeback talk isn't new. In May he told Helwani that any return "will be in the UFC". In September he said, "I wouldn't say I'm fully retired." What's new is naming McGregor and Diaz since he left the UFC.

He is 17-5 as a pro and 12-5 in the UFC, with no MMA win since Jorge Masvidal in March 2022. At closing prices he's 1-3 in UFC fights since 2021, down 2.70 units at one unit a fight. He was the underdog in all three of those losses: +235 (28%) against Kamaru Usman, +135 (41%) against Leon Edwards and +178 (34%) against Buckley.

Why neither fight looks close

We think neither fight is likely. McGregor is out injured, and Diaz has left the UFC, the only place Covington says he'd fight.

McGregor lost to Max Holloway by first-round TKO at UFC 329 on July 11, when his right knee gave way. He said on X that he tore his ACL and meniscus. His coach, John Kavanagh, told Helwani he expects McGregor to return to MMA-type training next year, EssentiallySports reported on Oct. 28. Kavanagh said one fight remains on his UFC contract.

MMA Sucka describes Diaz as a free agent. He says he turned down a McGregor fight this year, telling Helwani, "I'm not trying to be a comeback story for Conor." Mike Perry then stopped him in the second round on May 16. In September he said "100%" he'd fight for Scott Coker's new Ki MMA promotion, though no signing has been reported.

Even so, McGregor and Diaz are aiming at each other. McGregor wrote on X after the Perry fight, "here's to when I get my hands on you." Diaz said in September, "hundred percent we're gonna have a trilogy."

Covington has fought neither man, though he has raised both before. In 2023 he called McGregor "such a blockbuster fight", and last November he said "(Nate) Diaz is always fun." Asked about Covington in 2019, Diaz replied, "Who's it? What weight?"

What comes next

Covington has two matches in 11 days, and neither is MMA. On Tuesday, Nov. 3, he faces Dillon Danis in a submission-only grappling match for Hype Fighting at the PalaPellicone in Rome's Ostia district. He beat Danis in RAF in March and is 5-0 in the promotion.

On Nov. 14 he defends the RAF Cruiserweight Crossover title against Khamzat Chimaev, headlining RAF Abu Dhabi at Etihad Arena.