Morning Report: Tyron Woodley equates final UFC fights to ‘a simulation,’ calls ‘Apex arena deal kinda whack’
Tyron Woodley wishes things could have ended differently for him in the UFC.
There are a countable number of happy endings to careers in combat sports. That's how few there are. One moment a fighter can be on top of the world as a champion and the next thing they know, it's a four-fight losing skid and departure from the promotion. Hence the case with Woodley in 2021.
Woodley's UFC welterweight title reign concluded with him passing the torch to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 in March 2019. After the unanimous decision loss, Woodley fought his next three bouts at the UFC Apex Facility in a crowdless environment. Two boxing matches against Jake Paul followed for Woodley that same year and he hasn't fought in any discipline since. However, "The Chosen One" isn't planning to leave things off on such a sour note specifically with the sport he made his name in.
“I plan on doing MMA,” Woodley told Title Sports Network. “A lot of fans want to watch me fight MMA again, and just to be honest, when I was fighting my last couple MMA fights it was just kind of like a simulation. The whole Apex arena deal is kinda whack. It’s a lot like a sparring session. I don’t let people come watch me spar, I don’t like it, being in a weird awkward room and the cage is super small. I just really wasn’t motivated to be in the fight space at that time.
“Those fights to me are like exhibition fights. I do think the fans deserve me to see me go out there, see me run through somebody, see the Tyron Woodley that they know I’m capable of being and put a proper close to an MMA career.”
In 2023, Woodley revealed he'd soon be starting his own sports and entertainment promotion called The Realest International Promotion (TRIP). Along with the news were mentions of offers to Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz for fights against him with hefty purses. Woodley claims St-Pierre reiterated he was comfortably retired while Diaz never responded. The latter is also believed to still be under UFC contract.
For his eventual return to launch TRIP, Woodley expects it to be held in the Middle East with him fighting an opponent similar to the two names mentioned.
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LET’S WATCH
The MMA Hour.
LISTEN UP
On To the Next One. MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Alex K. Lee discuss matches to make after UFC Vegas 92.
MORNING MUSIC
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Go to Twitter, use the #MorningReport hashtag, or find one of my tweets with it, and drop me a jam you’re currently really into. I’ll pick the best one alongside my daily choice and give you a shoutout! You can also share in the comments below — those are just harder to sift through sometimes!
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Next up.
I’m ready to box @MostVpromotions @jakepaul pic.twitter.com/MMr9stR3yt
— Jessy Jess (@missjessyjess) May 20, 2024
Waiting.
I’ve agreed to the opponent and location so what are we waiting for ?
— Dricus Du Plessis (@dricusduplessis) May 20, 2024
Catch.
Crazy Headlock throw after a Duck Under pic.twitter.com/l3bPhBGC79
— Catch Wrestling U (@CatchWrestling) May 20, 2024
Conor goes off.
Conor McGregor gives his thoughts on Kamaru Usman and Ilia Topuria
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 20, 2024
“Kamaru Usman? F*** him, he’s a bum.
Opinions on Topuria? F*** him too. Don’t give a f*** about him either.”
@Duelbits #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/L75kvTgQ6B
Conor McGregor stops himself from taking a sip of his Forged Irish Stout
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 20, 2024
KICK / @Duelbits #UFC303 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/tSqVQoIFbk
Conor McGregor on Alexander Volkanovski:
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 20, 2024
"Thoughts on Volkanovski, you know. No thoughts as well, f*** him too. F*** him too.
I'd have kicked his head clean of his shoulders and that's a fact."
@Duelbits #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/6mO0nlxWul
Poor Rebecca.
Tough life. Don’t know how she copes pic.twitter.com/8WfD8l9nTP
— michael (@bisping) May 20, 2024
Borz.
The is back in the Octagon at #UFCSaudiArabia @KChimaev is coming for another DOMINANT performance on June 22nd! pic.twitter.com/88JGcaTr06
— UFC (@ufc) May 20, 2024
Apology.
I am sorry to @ufc and @seanshelby for the bad performance.I fought with my ego and abandoned my game plan and I am very sorry to the fans too.
— Themba T L Gorimbo (@TheAnswerMMA) May 20, 2024
I won’t call my next shot because i know my last performance wasn’t good enough to do so.
Hard pass.
And that’s enough pic.twitter.com/DIJMzOiqO0
— Jared Gordon (@JFlashGordonMMA) May 20, 2024
Debut.
Great first event in the books at @TechCUArena, looking forward to continuing this new journey. pic.twitter.com/ZCtGilQgd8
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) May 20, 2024
Stats.
If Islam Makhachev beats Dustin Poirier at #UFC302, his 14 fight win streak in the UFC would pass these fighters whose longest was 13:
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 20, 2024
✅ Max Holloway
✅ Khabib Nurmagomedov
✅ Demetrious Johnson
✅ Jon Jones
✅ Georges St-Pierre
LEGENDARY GROUP pic.twitter.com/4LMpMjEsfU
Who?
Who do you guys want me to fight next?
— LERONE MURPHY (@LeroneMurphy) May 21, 2024
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Farid Basharat (12-0) vs. Montel Jackson (13-2); UFC Saudi Arabia, June 22
Sharabutdin Magomedov (12-0) vs. Joilton Lutterbach (38-10); UFC Saudi Arabia, June 22
Abu Azaitar (14-4-1) vs. Denis Tiuliulin (11-9); UFC Saudi Arabia, June 22
Oban Elliott (10-2) vs. Preston Parsons (11-4); UFC 304, July 27
FINAL THOUGHTS
Tyron is right and wrong. I’ll let you guys decide which parts are which.
Thanks for reading!
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