Colby Covington set for combat sports return against former UFC champ at Real American Freestyle 5

Polarizing UFC star Colby Covington will headline Real American Freestyle 5 to kick off his 2026 fighting slate.

Former UFC welterweight title challenger Colby Covington will make his fighting return for the first time since a loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa last year.

Covington has lost three of his last four UFC fights, including title losses to Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards. The 37-year-old is out of the welterweight title mix amidst a swarm of rising contenders, including recent victors Ian Machado Garry and Michael Morales.

While it’s uncertain when Covington will return to the UFC Octagon in hopes of snapping his recent losing skid, he recently signed on to his fighting comeback to kick off 2026.

Colby Covington vs. Luke Rockhold headlines RAF 5

Covington will face former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold in the Real American Freestyle 5 main event on January 10th in Florida. RAF announced the news in a recent press release.

RAF 5 will stream live on Fox Nation and takes place at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. Rockhold fought former UFC star Darren Till in a Misfits Boxing matchup earlier this year, losing by knockout.

Covington vs. Rockhold will mark the promotional debuts for both combat sports legends. RAF 5 continues the promotion’s strong momentum, including an upcoming clash between Bo Nickal and Yoel Romero on the mats.

This marks Rockhold’s latest venture post-UFC, after recent stops in Karate Combat and Misfits Boxing. Rockhold’s final UFC fight took place at UFC 278, losing to Paulo Costa by unanimous decision.

As of this writing, it’s uncertain if Covington and Rockhold are signed to RAF on multi-fight deals or if their upcoming matchup will be a one-off. Several former and current UFC stars have featured on the promotional lineup.

The full RAF 5 lineup is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Covington vs. Rockhold is set for a cruiserweight bout.