Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) interim Welterweight champion Colby Covington is set to return to competition this weekend — just not inside the Octagon. Covington will face former UFC Middleweight champion Luke Rockhold on the wrestling mat at Real American Freestyle (RAF) 05, which goes down Sat., Jan. 10, 2026, inside Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
The matchup is a fascinating stylistic clash, largely because of the significant size advantage Rockhold holds over Covington. Rockhold is not only taller, but noticeably bigger and stronger, having competed as high as Light Heavyweight during his UFC career.
Still, despite conceding the physical disadvantage, Covington believes his wrestling pedigree will be the difference.
“I’m still one of the best wrestlers alive, but I’m going up against a bigger guy in Luke Rockhold,” Covington said during a pre-match interview. “He’s definitely bigger and stronger, but that doesn’t mean he’s a better wrestler. In his UFC career, he was able to take down Chris Weidman — an NCAA Division I All-American — and he did it pretty easily. He’s got a great wrestling foundation and a strong base.”
Covington also emphasized the appeal of returning to pure freestyle wrestling after years of MMA competition.
“Usually in MMA, we’re pulling guard or chasing submissions,” Covington explained. “Now it’s getting back to my first true love: freestyle wrestling. Being able to toss guys. I’m going to dump Luke Rockhold on his neck. I want to suplex him and make him land on his neck for a five-point move and make the whole crowd go ‘wooo.’ I’m cocky, but I back it up.”
Covington hasn’t competed since suffering a doctor-stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa in Dec. 2024, marking the first two-fight losing streak of his MMA career. Rockhold, meanwhile, last competed in Aug. 2024, when he was brutally knocked out by Darren Till (watch highlights).
RAF 05 will air live this Saturday on FOX Nation, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
