UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley is looking at a weight class jump sooner than later.
UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley is slated for his fourth overall title defense at UFC 235 against Kamaru Usman this March. But as early as now, he is already looking at some future options.
Speaking on the Ariel Helwani MMA Show on Monday, “The Chosen One” sent a personal message to the top contenders of the 185-pound division.
”People in the middleweight (division), they need to watch out too,” Woodley said (via ESPN.com). “I might slide up on one of y’all by the end of the year.
“Wipe out the division clean at welterweight and go up there and either beat (Kelvin) Gastelum up again or take out Robert Whittaker. They are both welterweights anyways. They just don’t know how to cut weight.”
As for his challenge at hand, Woodley is not too worried.
”Kamaru Usman? He’s not ready for me yet,” he said. “He’s not mature enough in the sport yet to be able to withstand what I’m going to bring at him.
”What’s Kamaru going to do, take me down? He’s going to out-strike me? He’s going to punch harder than me? He’s going to out-strategize me with fight IQ? He’s a version of myself five years ago.”
UFC 235 is set for March 2nd in Las Vegas.