Tyron Woodley has no hard feelings about how his UFC run ended.
It’s been a rough stretch for Woodley since his time atop the welterweight division as UFC champion from 2016 to early 2019. “The Chosen One” has lost a combined six straight bouts, starting with his title defeat to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 and most recently seeing him falter in back-to-back boxing matches against Jake Paul in 2021.
Woodley, 40, currently finds himself as a judge on PFL’s Challenger Series, helping decide which winners get into the regular season. He continues his exploration of the many options in combat sports.
” I am a free agent, and I enjoy my freedom. I’m enjoying doing what I want to do,” Woodley told BJPenn.com. Woodley said, “Fighting for what I want and the money that I need. This is the only sport where I can achieve that. Although I am aware that some men are still free agents, I believe I have the best chance of being successful with what I do right now. I want to be the pioneer and first boxer that is able to do Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Boxing, and Muay Thai. I can do my own s*** and make top dollar. I’m very thankful, very blessed.”
Working in an capacity with PFL led to talks to fight the UFC champion. Woodley said that he would be looking at PPV events with Peter Murray, President of PFL before the Challenger Series was over. The promotion will kick off its new venture into the PPV market with two events in 2023 outside of the traditional season format.
Despite departing the UFC on a four-fight skid and feeling he wasn’t treated fairly as champion, however, Woodley doesn’t think a UFC return is out of the realm of possibility.
” I have no doors closed,” Woodley stated. “I’m a businessman, I can fight in any business I want to. I can fight in any organization I want to. ONE, Bellator, Glory, PFL, UFC. I don’t get my feelings hurt in business. I don’t have to invite you to my daughter’s birthday as long as the check clears.”
TOP STORIES
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Idiot. Idiot.
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Replacement. Sidney Outlaw flunks drug test, Brent Primus enters lightweight grand prix at Bellator Paris
Departure. William Knight has resigned from UFC after his much-maligned performance in the fight against Marcin Prchnio
VIDEO STEW
Jon Jones | Greatest Year.
Free fight.
Yaroslav Amosov’s story.
Bellator 291 main card fighter finishes.
Adesanya’s UFC 284.
LISTEN UP
Heck of a Morning. MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck talks to Erin Blanchfield about her title hopes and his interest in Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Art.
A mural of Yair Rodriguez went up in Ciudad Juarez pic.twitter.com/e7HJvPCvSM
— MMA mania (@mmamania) February 21, 2023
Guest spot.
Excited to be a guest Celebrity Judge on the PFL Challenger Series this Friday night at 9pm ET on Fubo Sports Network!
Tune in and help me decide which Women’s Flyweight will receive the opportunity of a lifetime, a PFL contract. #PFLonFubo pic.twitter.com/EdvK3sYIGY
— Megan Anderson (@MeganAnderson) February 21, 2023
Amazing.
I gotta watch more Dragon Ball Z
But I gotta say, I’m Vegeta and you’re Goku if I’m being real @MightyMouse
: https://t.co/V4Srq8z8m6 pic.twitter.com/IvtahCqj1B
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) February 22, 2023
Where’s Gregor?!
Gregor Gillespie vs Josh Churella in OT for an NCAA title @gregor_the_gift pic.twitter.com/Tdv377BvRK
— OLD SCHOOL WRESTLING CLIPS (@Gut_Bench69) February 21, 2023
Who?
who is next?
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) February 22, 2023
Sheesh.
This looks tremendous. pic.twitter.com/lD5D9PXj4H
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 21, 2023
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Josh Quinlan (6-0) vs. Ange Loosa (9-3); UFC Fight Night, April 29
Charles Oliveira (33-9, 1 NC) vs. Beneil Dariush (22-4-1); UFC 288, May 6
Marina Rodriguez (16-2-2) vs. Virna Jandiroba (18-3); UFC 288, May 6
Mansour Barnaoui (20-4) vs. Brent Primus (11-3); Bellator 296, May 12
Mackenzie Dern (12-3) vs. Angela Hill (15-12); UFC Fight Night, May 13
Karolina Kowalkiewicz (14-7) vs. Vanessa Demopoulos (9-4); UFC Fight Night, May 13
FINAL THOUGHTS
If Woodley continues to fight, I would be willing to place a bet that it will end in bare-knuckle. PFL could make Jake Paul fight him in MMA. It would be hilarious. I think I’d prefer Ben Askren to get his MMA rematch, but I don’t even know. Time will tell.
Thank you for reading!
EXIT POLL
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Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/22/23609368/morning-report-tyron-woodley-would-be-open-to-ufc-return-if-offered-i-have-no-door-closed-mma?rand=96749
