Tyron Woodley is loving free agency, and plans to put his career into overdrive next year with a variety of fights under different rulesets.
For a fighter that just skidded out of the UFC on a four fight 15 round losing streak, the future looks bright for Tyron Woodley. At least in terms of opportunities.
There was his August boxing match against Jake Paul, which Woodley says was the highest payday of his fight career by far (a cool $2 mil at least). And while he didn’t end up winning that (no matter how much he may disagree), there’s still more independent promotions out there looking for his services.
“Most people that watched the [Jake Paul] fight felt like I won the fight,” Woodley said in an interview with MMA Junkie. “I really didn’t walk away a loser in the fight. My ceiling doesn’t look different right now.”
Sure, they may be looking for a fighter with name value that will lose to their own chosen ones, but if playing the would-be spoiler pays the bills, who cares? His 2022 is looking packed … if all goes well Woodley will fight four times!
“I’m the only free agent in combat sports,” Woodley continued. “Nobody else can say they’re a free agent. I can fight here, I can fight there. I can fight anywhere. You’re going to see my fight multiple times, for different promotions – four different styles of fighting. I’m going to be the first one to do it, and then everybody else is going to follow behind like they always do. One of them is going to be MMA. I plan on fighting in MMA in July in a real special fight to me. It’s probably going to be in Las Vegas.”
Woodley is still being mum regarding what those fights may be, but one potential bout is a boxing match in the UK against former UFC commentator Dan Hardy, who is looking to step back into the cage after nearly a decade away from fighting. Woodley was also at Triller’s Triad Combat event in Texas this weekend, pointing at some potential work with Triller.
And then this special July MMA fight against someone ‘real special?’ Color us intrigued. Who do you think that could be, Maniacs?