Colby Covington would entertain a UFC return – under one condition.

Covington (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) hasn't competed since a stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley in December 2024. The former UFC interim welterweight champion has since thrived under the Real American Freestyle banner, where he captured the cruiserweight crossover title.

The 38-year-old insists he's not retired from MMA competition, and could fight again if it's against a worthy opponent.

"Without a question, if it's a big name and it's a big fight that gets me up early in the morning, then I'm going to do it," Covington told MMA Junkie. "You have these contracts, and the big fights pay you a lot more money. If you fight regular fights or just up-and-coming fights, they're at this (low) paygrade. If I'm getting paid the big money, I'm fighting a big fight, then I'm coming back and getting excited. But just to come back and fight anybody, it does nothing for me. It's not about money for me anymore. I've made very good money in my career, I've made good investments, and I'm set for life. I don't need to do anything ever again. So it's not about the money, it's about the legacy.

"If there's a big fight that adds to my legacy and can get me excited to get up at 6 a.m. in the morning and do some hard training, then that's what I'll come back for. I don't have a name on the top of my mind, but big names. Obviously, they're probably not going to give me a guy like Conor (McGregor), but that would be great. (Nate) Diaz, some of these big names that are characters that have established themselves in the game for as long as I have. Big fights only. Who knows, we'll see what happens, but the door is never closed. You see what I'm doing at RAF. I destroyed Arman (Tsarukyan). Look at Arman, he's eight years my junior. He's in my prime, he's beating everybody, and look what I did. I smashed him. He had no chance against me. I know I could come do that in the UFC, too, but it's got to be the right name."

Covington defends his RAF cruiserweight crossover title against Khamzat Chimaev in the Nov. 14 main event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi (FOX Nation).