Colby Covington’s return to the Octagon may come against a lower-ranked opponent after the former interim UFC welterweight champion was removed from the division’s top 15 following a lengthy layoff.
The American has not fought in 16 months, and his inactivity saw him dropped from the rankings this week, with Mike Malott and Yaroslav Amosov taking the available spots near the foot of the 170-pound ladder. The development raises questions about Covington’s next move as he looks to end his absence from competition and as he appears to focus on bouts under the Real American Freestyle wrestling banner.
One potential opponent has already stepped forward, with unranked welterweight Ramiz Brahimaj publicly calling for a fight. “@ColbyCovMMA we are both coming off losses and we both suck,” Brahimaj wrote on X, in an what can be viewed as an unusual approach to calling out a potential opponent.
Brahimaj continued his appeal with a further remark directed at Covington’s current standing. “We should fight each other and see who sucks more,” he added.
The 33-year-old New York native has won three of his last four bouts, though his momentum was halted by a loss to Punahele Soriano at UFC Houston in February. Prior to that, Brahimaj secured a stoppage victory over Austin Vanderford.
Covington, meanwhile, is coming off a defeat to Joaquin Buckley in December 2024, marking his fifth loss in seven outings. The former title challenger has also suffered defeats in two championship bouts against Kamaru Usman and another against Leon Edwards during that stretch.
