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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley, should be focusing on his path back to the 170-pound title, starting with his recently-postponed showdown against top division contender, Leon Edwards.
Instead, “The Chosen One” is on social media making all sorts of demands and even calling out middleweights, like reigning 185-pound kingpin, Israel Adesanya, who believes Woodley is “broke” and in desperate need of a “cash grab” to finance his comeback.
“Tyron is reaching because he’s broke, or he’s about to be broke,” Adesanya told The Score (transcribed by Natasha Hooper). “He’s like, ‘I need anyone that’s not Leon Edwards. Anyone that can be a big cash grab.’ Tyron would take an ass whooping just to fight me as long as he gets paid good, put it that way. You should not be talking to me. You’re not a champion, so shut the fuck up. The last Nigerian you faced, you faced him at 30 percent and he whooped your ass. And three, we’re black, I thought we’re cool. I’ve met him before, we’ve had good banter, so why is this guy calling me out suddenly? I dissected it, and he’s reaching because he needs money. I just can’t see any other reason why he would do that.”
Woodley (19-4-1), who turned 38 earlier this month, has not competed since coughing up his crown to current welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 roughly one year back, a 25-minute drubbing that made “The Chosen One” look old and slow.
As for Adesanya, 30, he’s been perfect through 19 professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fights. “The Last Stylebender,” who cruised to a tepid decision win over Yoel Romero at UFC 248, is expected to make his return against Paulo Costa at some point later this summer.
A fight against Woodley is unlikely to take place in the immediate future … or ever.