Tag: Din Thomas

Tyron Woodley’s Coach Has Theory Why He’s Not Fan Favorite

Tyron Woodley’s coach has given his take.

The post Tyron Woodley’s Coach Has Theory Why He’s Not Fan Favorite appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Tyron Woodley’s coach has a theory in regards to the reason that the UFC welterweight champion is not a fan favorite when he competes. It really started all when he won the title after beating Robbie Lawler by KO.

Woodley suffered a partial labrum tear early in his title defense over top contender Demian Maia, which he won by decision, which put him on the shelf. Woodley had been a fighting champion as he has defended it twice in 2017 where he picked up decisions over Stephen Thompson and Maia. This tied with three other fighters for the most active 2017 schedule by a UFC champion.

Then, for the majority of this year, Woodley would continuously state in interviews that he wanted big fights while telling fighters such as Rafael dos Anjos, Colby Covington, and Kamaru Usman to wait a little longer.

He would then return with a submission win over Darren Till in the headliner of UFC 228 to retain his welterweight title.

One of the coaches of the welterweight champion, Din Thomas, recently stated in an interview his theory on why Woodley is not over big with the UFC fanbase.

“I think that people are starting to realize,” Thomas said Monday on The MMA Hour. “Here’s what I think, I’m going to be honest with you, I think that people were just upset with Tyron. I don’t think that they ever didn’t think he could fight. I think they were just upset with him because they know what he’s capable of. I mean, up until the second Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson fight — Tyron was just tearing people up until that fight. Then those two fights, I think he just disappointed people and they were upset with him, and that’s when they started really badmouthing him. And the fact that he was coming out and just kinda complaining about his position in the game, I think that really just kinda exacerbated everybody’s view of him, and just, ‘You know what, we don’t like this guy.’

“But I think his performance on Saturday and his stance now that, ‘Listen, I don’t care who you put in front of me, I’m just going to fight,’ I think that’s what people want from Tyron and I think that’s what turned everybody’s opinion of him around.”

“It’s always affected him,” Thomas said. “There’s times where we had to take his phone away from him. It affects these guys. These fighters, everybody thinks they’re just these warriors and these animals, but fighters are some of the most sensitive people that you’ll ever see or ever meet, and it affects them. They get out there and they train their tails off and then get in the cage and they fight, they make themselves so vulnerable for the world to see, and then people just take that for granted and start talking trash about them, and it affects them. It affects them heavily.

“But I think now is a time where Tyron has matured, he has evolved as a person and a martial artist. He’s starting to become more mature and say, ‘You know what, this may be a time where I have to just give to the fans what they want, and that’s for me to just shut up and fight.’”

Woodley is expected to make his next title defense against Colby Covington at an event that has yet to be officially announced.

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Din Thomas Reveals His Theory On Why Fans Can’t Relate To Tyron Woodley

One former UFC fighter has given his theory on the fact that some fight fans can’t relate to current welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. Woodley, who is coming off recent shoulder surgery, has stated publicly that he doesn’t think there are any clear contenders in the division right now. Woodley continues to say that former UFC […]

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One former UFC fighter has given his theory on the fact that some fight fans can’t relate to current welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.

Woodley, who is coming off recent shoulder surgery, has stated publicly that he doesn’t think there are any clear contenders in the division right now.

Woodley continues to say that former UFC middleweight and welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is the opponent he wants and that he will tell fighters such as Rafael dos Anjos, Colby Covington, and Kamaru Usman to wait a little longer.

The welterweight champion is all about wanting to take money fights these days and has got into it publicly with UFC President Dana White.

Woodley’s friend, coach, and podcast host Din Thomas went on record recently by saying that race is one of the major reasons why Woodley has yet to get the fans on his side and connect with them.

“He’s not all that relatable to people,” Thomas told the UFC Unfiltered podcast yesterday (trancript courtesy of MMA Fighting). “He’s a wealthy black man that speaks his mind, people don’t like that. People didn’t like Cam Newton when Cam Newton was loud and brash. People just don’t like wealthy, large black men to speak their minds.

“It’s not all racial but let’s keep it real, when there’s a debate or whatever, Presidents wear a certain color tie to appeal to a certain demographic. We can’t try to hide the fact that our skin color has something to do with how people treat you. We can’t hide that fact.”

On the flip side, fight fans around the world have supported UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones despite his personal and legal issues. Thomas believes that Jones is more relatable to people because of his personal failings.

“Here’s the thing, Jon Jones is a lot more relatable because Jon Jones doesn’t come off like he’s great,” Thomas suggested. “My sister-in-law once said to me, ‘Look at Tyron, he acts like he’s better than everybody,’ and she said that not knowing Tyron but just what he puts out there. But Jon Jones can’t because he’s a drug addict and steroids and he’s running pregnant ladies over, so he comes off as human. He has problems and people can relate to that.”

“There’s a lot of different reasons,” concluded Thomas. “Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it comes off as if we’re saying all people don’t like him because he’s black, but I don’t believe that for a second. I just think that’s one of the elements that makes him less relatable.”

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Dana White, Crew Converge on Sturgis in “Lookin’ for a Fight”

UFC president Dana White, former champion Matt Serra and ex-fighter Din Thomas return for another episode of “Lookin’ for a Fight.” In this episode, White and company embark on an adventure to South Dakota for the annual Sturgis rally. While there, they see Mount Rushmore, a tattoo cover-up and get a front row seat to […]

UFC president Dana White, former champion Matt Serra and ex-fighter Din Thomas return for another episode of “Lookin’ for a Fight.” In this episode, White and company embark on an adventure to South Dakota for the annual Sturgis rally. While there, they see Mount Rushmore, a tattoo cover-up and get a front row seat to […]

Din Thomas Believes Tyron Woodley Can Become Greatest of All Time

Tyron Woodley isn’t widely regarded as an all-time great, but his coach believes the potential to make that a reality is there. Din Thomas, who is a renowned coach at American Top Team, has worked with Woodley at the gym in Coconut Creek, Florida. “The Chosen One” successfully defended his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight […]

Tyron Woodley isn’t widely regarded as an all-time great, but his coach believes the potential to make that a reality is there. Din Thomas, who is a renowned coach at American Top Team, has worked with Woodley at the gym in Coconut Creek, Florida. “The Chosen One” successfully defended his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight […]

Din Thomas Thinks ATT is ‘The Best Team’ Despite Robbie Lawler’s Departure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_KHFLHXj0g

After three years of training with American Top Team (ATT), former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight title holder Robbie Lawler left the camp. Lawler hasn’t revealed which team he will be training with going forward.

Assistant coach at ATT Din Thomas appeared on “The Main Event Zone” (via Flo Combat) to discuss Lawler’s departure. He said the former champion most likely made the right call for himself:

“If it’s a coaching issue where you’re not getting the proper coaching that you need, then you need to find better coaches. If you don’t have the proper sparring partners that you need, then you need to go find the right sparring partners. For whatever reason, Robbie felt that he had to leave. I’m sure he thought about it, and I’m sure it was probably the best decision for him.”

While Lawler may have left ATT, Thomas feels he will still be “Ruthless.”

“Like I said, I don’t know what his reasoning was, but I wish him all the best and I got nothing but love for him. He’s a true champion, he’s a great fighter and he’s a pioneer. I’m sure he will land on his feet wherever he lands, and I’m sure he will continue to crack skulls open.”

There are many times where fighters have left gyms on bad terms. That doesn’t appear to be the case here as Thomas has been respectful of Lawler’s decision. Having said that, the assistant coach also believes ATT will remain as an elite team regardless of who comes and goes.

“The mood is good–it doesn’t matter who’s in. That’s the one thing about the dynamic of American Top Team, because we are such a big team, with or without Robbie we are still going to be the best team in the world.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_KHFLHXj0g

After three years of training with American Top Team (ATT), former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight title holder Robbie Lawler left the camp. Lawler hasn’t revealed which team he will be training with going forward.

Assistant coach at ATT Din Thomas appeared on “The Main Event Zone” (via Flo Combat) to discuss Lawler’s departure. He said the former champion most likely made the right call for himself:

“If it’s a coaching issue where you’re not getting the proper coaching that you need, then you need to find better coaches. If you don’t have the proper sparring partners that you need, then you need to go find the right sparring partners. For whatever reason, Robbie felt that he had to leave. I’m sure he thought about it, and I’m sure it was probably the best decision for him.”

While Lawler may have left ATT, Thomas feels he will still be “Ruthless.”

“Like I said, I don’t know what his reasoning was, but I wish him all the best and I got nothing but love for him. He’s a true champion, he’s a great fighter and he’s a pioneer. I’m sure he will land on his feet wherever he lands, and I’m sure he will continue to crack skulls open.”

There are many times where fighters have left gyms on bad terms. That doesn’t appear to be the case here as Thomas has been respectful of Lawler’s decision. Having said that, the assistant coach also believes ATT will remain as an elite team regardless of who comes and goes.

“The mood is good–it doesn’t matter who’s in. That’s the one thing about the dynamic of American Top Team, because we are such a big team, with or without Robbie we are still going to be the best team in the world.”

Strategic Call-Out Alert: Dan Hardy Wants to “Retire” Diego Sanchez


(With takedown defense like that, Hardy doesn’t even stand a chance. Photo via Hardy’s Twitter.)

Ever since being forced into a semi-retirement due to a heart condition known as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, former welterweight title challenger Dan Hardy has been building up a ton of good will with fans while serving as the color commentator for several of the UFC’s overseas shows. His intelligent, insightful, and undeniably British mic skills have left many fans calling for Hardy to replace Jon Anik outright, which is sad because Anik is probably the nicest cliche-spitting android this side of Shotbot.

But before Hardy was ever a smooth as silk commentator, he was a fiercely polarizing fighter known for his ability to trash talk his way into a fight. His last strategic call-out backfired in a big way, as he was battered, then choked out by Chris Lytle at UFC on Versus 5. But now that Hardy has received some positive news in regards to his condition, he is once again back to his old ways, calling out Diego Sanchez for his potential comeback fight. His reasoning: Getting some good old fashioned payback for fellow countrymen Ross Pearson’s controversial loss to Sanchez at Fight Night 42 (via MMAJunkie):

That was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen.

Ross Pearson won that fight clearly, and Diego accepted the win like he does…he’s as crazy as he is. I’m a huge Diego fan, but for me, he is what’s wrong with mixed martial arts right now. He is the 20th century bullheaded martial artist that walks forward and fights with their face, and now we’ve got guys like … Conor McGregor, we’ve got Gunnar Nelson; they’ve all got this very Machida-esque style where they’re very mobile; they can switch stances, and they can hit with power from anywhere.

I think Diego represents the old school, where you just walk forward in a boxing stance and see who falls over first.


(With takedown defense like that, Hardy doesn’t even stand a chance. Photo via Hardy’s Twitter.)

Ever since being forced into a semi-retirement due to a heart condition known as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, former welterweight title challenger Dan Hardy has been building up a ton of good will with fans while serving as the color commentator for several of the UFC’s overseas shows. His intelligent, insightful, and undeniably British mic skills have left many fans calling for Hardy to replace Jon Anik outright, which is sad because Anik is probably the nicest cliche-spitting android this side of Shotbot.

But before Hardy was ever a smooth as silk commentator, he was a fiercely polarizing fighter known for his ability to trash talk his way into a fight. His last strategic call-out backfired in a big way, as he was battered, then choked out by Chris Lytle at UFC on Versus 5. But now that Hardy has received some positive news in regards to his condition, he is once again back to his old ways, calling out Diego Sanchez for his potential comeback fight. His reasoning: Getting some good old fashioned payback for fellow countrymen Ross Pearson’s controversial loss to Sanchez at Fight Night 42 (via MMAJunkie):

That was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen.

Ross Pearson won that fight clearly, and Diego accepted the win like he does…he’s as crazy as he is. I’m a huge Diego fan, but for me, he is what’s wrong with mixed martial arts right now. He is the 20th century bullheaded martial artist that walks forward and fights with their face, and now we’ve got guys like … Conor McGregor, we’ve got Gunnar Nelson; they’ve all got this very Machida-esque style where they’re very mobile; they can switch stances, and they can hit with power from anywhere.

I think Diego represents the old school, where you just walk forward in a boxing stance and see who falls over first.

It’s a pretty apt breakdown of the fighter Sanchez has evolved (devolved?) into, as the TUF 1 winner’s last few fights have seen him abandon anything resembling an intelligent gameplan in favor of a strategy more fit for Julian Lane. Still, Sanchez has gone an even 2-2 in his last 4, and while a win over him wouldn’t exactly put Hardy in line for a title shot, it would be a nice name to add to his list of victims.

“I’d like to get in there and maybe push him toward retirement,” said Hardy “Get my comeback fight, give him his last fight, and see where we’re at.”

Hardy has additionally stated that he “has reason to believe” the UFC might be interested in booking him against Sanchez, but considering what happened when the promotion recently tried to book Stefan Struve another fight after a similar layoff due to heart issues, I’d say it’s a long shot.

So Nation, any of you interested in the prospect of Hardy vs. Sanchez?

–J. Jones