Two former UFC stars seem set to duke it out in the boxing ring next year.
Tyron Woodley seems to have given up all hope of a rematch with YouTuber turned 4-0 pro Jake Paul. The former UFC welterweight champion lost to Paul by split decision this summer. Since then he waffled on his tattoo bet with Paul, before eventually getting ‘I love Jake Paul’ inked on his middle finger.
Woodley had campaigned for a rematch, but Paul moved on and is now set to face Tommy Fury in December.
‘The Chosen One’ appears set on trying to even out his 0-1 boxing record, though. Ariel Helwani, via his Helwani Nose substack, has revealed that Woodley and ex-UFC welterweight title challenger and commentator Dan Hardy are ironing out the details on a fight that would take place next spring.
Woodley and Hardy have spent a good few months exchanging trash talk online. Hardy has mocked Woodley for his performance versus Paul. Whereas Woodley has sniped at Hardy’s MMA career and the fact he came up short in his attempt to win gold.
Hardy recently spoke to Submission Radio about Woodley, where he claimed to have signed a bout agreement. Hardy also claimed that Woodley was stalling on signing his contract to make the fight official.
“My contract is signed,” said Hardy. “And I know that he’s got a contract sitting in front of him, and the deadline is approaching, and he doesn’t want to sign it,” Hardy said. “And I don’t know why. I don’t know what the deal is because terms have been agreed, money’s been agreed, date’s been agreed, rules and conditions, weight class—everything’s been agreed. But he hasn’t yet signed the contract. So you tell me. Tyron Woodley, why have you not signed it, The Frozen One?”
Hardy was 25-10 (1) as a pro when a rare heart condition (Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome) put an end to his MMA career in 2012. Hardy claimed he was medically cleared to compete again in 2018. However, the UFC—which had hired Hardy as a commentator—seemed loathe to book ‘The Outlaw’ a fight.
The Englishman’s best run in MMA was between 2007 and 2009. During that spell he won four UFC bouts in a row to set up a title fight with Georges St-Pierre. Hardy lost to GSP by unanimous decisions in one of the more gusty performances seen in the Octagon.
Hardy was fired from the UFC earlier this year. If he’s free to box Woodley, he must have also been released from his fighter contract, too.