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Tyron Woodley is making his UFC return a bit more personal.
Since he dropped the title to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 last year, Tyron Woodley hasn’t set foot inside the UFC Octagon. After dropping out of his scheduled Robbie Lawler rematch for June 2019, the former 170-pound champion is now slated to face Leon Edwards at UFC London this March.
Now eager to return, “The Chosen One” says he is also looking to send a strong message to his fellow welterweights.
“This f—ng division is getting so corny, and it’s starting to irk me so bad,” Woodley said on Monday at the Ariel Helwani MMA Show (transcript by BJPenn.com). “I just really need to come back and try to f—k everyone up.
“Who makes the most money in our sport? Not the world champion Kamaru Usman,” he added. “[Jorge] Masvidal, he’s finally making his paydays. He’s at the top of the list now. So [are] the Diaz brothers, so is Conor McGregor. Some of these people have never had a belt. Cowboy Cerrone just earned a big payday, never been remotely close to a world title in the UFC.”
Because of Woodley’s dissatisfaction towards the current state of the division, he is fueled to make his return a little more personal.
“A Leon Edwards, a Kamaru Usman, a Colby Covington,” he said. “None of those guys are going to make me that much more of a great than a Carlos Condit, a Robbie Lawler, than a Josh Koscheck, than a Dong Hyun Kim.
“People that are going to put my name into the record books are the people I’ve already defeated. This sh-t is just personal now.”
UFC London takes place on March 21st at the O2 Arena.