Former UFC welterweight champion, Tyron ‘The Chosen One’ Woodley returns to Octagon action this weekend in the main event of UFC Fight Night Vegas 11 – opposite arch-rival and one-time interim best, Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington in a matchup that’s been brewing for countless years.
Missouri native, Woodley, who once plyed his trade with Covington at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida – has been linked to a matchup ever since his welterweight title reign took motion, with Covington working his way through the ranks with a statement win over common foe, Demian Maia back in late 2017.
The blood in this one is bad, to say the least – with Covington firing barbs left, right, and centre on his route to the title last December, and has recently promised to send Roufusport trainee, Woodley into retirement.
With both hoping to return to the winner’s enclosure, Covington attempts to make a significant leap toward his second title challenge, following a fifth-round knockout defeat to current champion, Kamaru Usman at UFC 245 last December.
For Woodley, the 38-year-old power striker has dropped two straight – losing his 170-pound crown to the above mentioned, Usman at UFC 235 in March of last year, before a decision shutout loss to incoming title chaser, Gilbert Burns in May last.
Speaking with MMA Fighting ahead of the heated headliner this weekend at the UFC Apex – Woodley spoke of his intentions to score a quite devastating knockout win over Covington.
“I want to knock him (Covington) out to the point that when they’re raising my hand and they’re talking, they’re still gathering him,” Woodley told. “Hopefully, they’re still stretching him out and trying to get his legs to unstiffen, and still trying to get the mouthpiece out of his mouth. No, I’m not gonna shake his hand, I’m not gonna shake his coach’s hand most likely. This is real for me.” (H/T MMA Fighting)
Woodley, who has scored seven knockout stoppages from nineteen professional wins, scored the welterweight crown with a massive barrage against Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 – which comes as his lastest finish via strikes.
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt has been heavily criticised in performances opposite the above mentioned, Maia, his rematch with Stephen Thompson, and even in his most recent defeats against both Usman and Burns – failing to let his hands go on occasion.