Is Colby Covington’s time in the Octagon nearing its end? Many UFC pundits and veteran fighters seem to think so, with recent performances casting doubt on the future of the former interim champion. The one-sided beatdown against Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa left Covington with a gruesome gash on his eyelid and blood pouring so profusely that the ringside doctor called a halt in the third round.

To make matters worse, Covington has had a forgettable year inside the Octagon. With two consecutive losses—first to Leon Edwards and now to Buckley—his pursuit of division gold now seems like a distant memory. Now, veteran referee Big John McCarthy weighed in on Covington’s apparent decline, highlighting his waning skills during a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast.

McCarthy initially praised Covington’s resilience, stating, “First off, Colby took an a* whooping. Buddy, he showed he’s a tough human being. He’s a tough man. He doesn’t whine during the fight—he’s going after it, he’s trying. But you know, he was cut in multiple spots: across the brow, and right inside the eyelid, which is what caused the concern for the stoppage.”

However, McCarthy didn’t sugarcoat the reality of Covington’s performance, noting that even without the doctor’s stoppage, a victory was out of reach, “He hasn’t gotten better. He’s gotten worse. I’m just going to be as honest as I can. He’s slowed down. He’s not as fast. His entries for takedowns aren’t as deep, and he doesn’t get where he used to get. All of those things are going to work against him, especially if he fights someone like Gilbert Burns.”

This brings us to Covington’s latest feud. After losing to Buckley, Covington turned his attention to Gilbert Burns, stemming from an incident where Burns leaked Chael Sonnen’s phone number on social media. Covington was incensed, calling out Burns and suggesting they settle the matter in the Octagon, “That’s messed up, Gilbert did that to Uncle Chael. I told Uncle Chael, ‘If you want me to handle that inside the Octagon, I’ll get justice for us. I’ll make sure Gilbert never shows his face in America again after I beat him so badly.”

It’s worth noting that Burns has also recently faced his share of setbacks, suffering three consecutive losses to Belal Muhammad, Jack Della Maddalena, and Sean Brady. Both fighters are currently on a downward trajectory, leaving fans to speculate about the outcome if they meet in the Octagon. Even Robert Whittaker couldn’t help but comment on Covington’s recent struggles, acknowledging that ‘Chaos’ was far from his peak performance in his last fight.

Robert Whittaker is concerned for Colby Covington

Former middleweight kingpin Robert Whittaker shared candid thoughts on Colby Covington’s recent struggles, stating that the welterweight veteran “looked like he didn’t want to be there” during his bout against Joaquin Buckley. Covington had taken the fight on short notice, leaving little time to prepare, as he was busy campaigning for Donald Trump in the lead-up to the match.

Despite the circumstances, Whittaker expressed concern over Covington’s apparent lack of hunger and desire in the Octagon. “I didn’t see any hunger in his eyes. The faces he was making when he was getting hit weren’t good. Nobody likes getting hit, but you’re in the top 10 of the best fighters in the world, dude!” Whittaker commented on his YouTube podcast.

The Australian phenom also noted that Covington is no longer the fighter who once clawed his way to the top of the rankings. He pointed out that opponents have started to neutralize Covington’s renowned cardio and wrestling-heavy style. The loss against ‘New Mansa’ now has dropped Covington to #9 in the welterweight rankings, and a severe cut sustained during the bout has sidelined him with a medical suspension for at least a month.

At 36 years old, Covington’s time to reestablish himself as a title contender is running out. Realistically, his immediate options in the division are matchups against Gilbert Burns or Geoff Neal. However, climbing back into the title picture would require at least three or four significant wins, which could push him close to 40 years old—a tough ask for any fighter.  Share your thoughts on what the future holds for ‘Chaos’ in the comments below!