Tyron Woodley

UFC Vegas 11 Preview: Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley finally meet

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UFC, Colby Covington

Tomorrow night, the UFC will host their final event in the US before packing up and leaving for for Fight Island for the next five weeks. In the main event, we have a fight that has been years in the making and it has a ton of heat.

Former UFC welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley (19-5-1), and former interim champion, Colby Covington (15-2), will finally meet. The entire card is fantastic so let’s dive into the main card for previews and predictions.

Former UFC Champions Finally Fight

Tomorrow night is a big night in the UFC‘s welterweight division. The main event of the evening pairs two former champions and two top five contenders against each other. There’s not one fighter who has more on the line than Tyron Woodley.

Yes, nobody can take away what Woodley has done, but if he loses convincingly for a third time in a row, it might be time to hang it up. When the calendar turned to 2019 last year, many wondered who could beat Tyron Woodley.

The champion was dominant. He had brutal power in his hands, and fantastic wrestling. He used those tools to get to the top. However, his last two fights have seen a tentative Woodley who was outworked and outclassed by Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman.

Standing across from Woodley will be Colby Covington. One of the more polarizing figures in the sport, but also one of the best fighters in the world. Covington rose to the top of the welterweight division with his world class talent, and effective use of the microphone.

Starting in 2016, Covington went on a seven fight winning streak where he was not only undefeated but nobody really challenged him. Covington puts on a pace that many fighters just can’t keep up with. Last December at UFC 245, Covington took on Kamaru Usman.

The fight was razor close. I had the fight 2-2 going into the fifth round, but one judge had Covington up 3-1. He went on to lose by TKO, but he showed great striking and very solid overall skills in that contest. A rematch between those two could very much be in the cards.

As for this fight, Covington poses massive problems for Woodley. Woodley has really struggled with guys who push the pace and come at him heavy. Well, Covington is going to do the exact same thing. Covington is going to push forward with good striking and a pace that’ll be tough to keep up with.

The only path to victory that I see for Woodley in this fight is first round KO/TKO. If this fight gets into the second or third rounds, I think you’ll see Covington really start to cruise. I just don’t see Woodley getting the better of Covington in this one.

Prediction: Colby Covington by Unanimous Decision

Donald Cerrone vs Niko Price

The co-main event of the evening features a fantastic matchup in the UFC‘s welterweight division. Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (36-15, 1 NC) takes on Niko Price (14-4, 1 NC) in a fight that promises to deliver. Many are saying this could be fight of the night.

Over the past two years, it’s pretty clear what’s going to happen in a Niko Price fight. He’s either going to knock you out or he’s going to get knocked out trying. He’s 3-3 in his last six with all fights getting stopped by TKO or KO.

Price has been in the UFC for a while and put together a pretty nice resume. He holds wins over Alan Jouban, Randy Brown, Tim Means, and James VIck. The one knock on Price over the last couple of years has been his inconsistency as he tries to climb the ranks.

What is there to be said that hasn’t been said about Donald Cerrone. Cowboy holds virtually every record there is to hold in the UFC and he’s making the walk again. This time he’s trying to snap a four fight losing streak inside the octagon.

Now, those four fights have all come against former champions. Prior to the losing streak, many thought Cerrone was going to get another crack at the title. Cowboy has great skills on the feet and on the ground which is why he holds the finishes record.

I think that we are going to see a fight that primarily stays on the feet. While Price has looked really good on his feet over his last few fights, I think Cowboy has a little more technical skill to get it done. I’m expecting a war, and in the end, I’m taking Cowboy.

Prediction: Cowboy Cerrone by Unanimous Decision

Khamzat Chimaev vs Gerald Meerschaert

The third fight on the main card features the UFC‘s new budding star, Khamzat Chimaev (8-0). Chimeav came out of no where over the summer, but with two dominant victories on Fight Island in just 10 days, the MMA world fell in love with him.

Taking on Chimaev is going to be veteran Gerald Meerschaert (31-13). One has to wonder just how much the disrespect is getting to Meerschaert. The UFC has already booked Chimaev to fight on Fight Island, and the fight with Meerschaert hasn’t even taken place.

Meerschaert is fantastic on the ground holding 23 professional wins by submission. He is by no means a cupcake opponent for anyone. While he hasn’t defeated any top guys, his losses have come against guys like Thiago Santos, Ian Heinisch, and Jack Hermansson.

Chimaev would remind you of a bigger version of Khabib Nurmagomedov. All he wants to do is slam his opponent to the ground and smash their face in. However, I think we might see a little different strategy at first with Chimaev.

I’ve seen a lot of footage of Chimaev’s striking, and it’s actually very good. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Chimaev look to strike a bit. However, eventually he’s going to want to take this down. While Meerschaert is really good on the ground, I think the storm of top pressure and shots are going to be too much.

Prediction: Khamzat Chimaev by TKO – Round 2

Johnny Walker vs Ryan Spann

In the second fight on the main card, we have a matchup in the UFC‘s light heavyweight division between Johnny Walker (17-5) and Ryan Spann (18-5). Walker is another case of how quickly the tide can change in a UFC career.

At this point a year ago, Walker was one of the top prospects in the division. His flashy style combined with his power and size made him look like a future champion. However, Corey Anderson put a halt to that at UFC 244.

Walker was finished in the first round. Then in his return fight, Walker lost to Nikita Krylov back in March. In both of those fights, Walker just didn’t look like the same guy. He’s going to look to get back to his powerful finishing style against Spann.

Spann will enter the octagon on Saturday night riding an eight fight winning streak. He made an appearance on the Contender Series back in 2018. and since making his debut, he’s 4-0 inside the UFC. Spann has looked fantastic minus his last outing.

In his last fight, he had a close decision win against Sam Alvey. However, before that he had finishes over Devin Clark and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Spann is a jack of all trades that will throw finishing strikes and submissions at you.

This fight is very close on paper. I can see both guys winning this fight, and a lot is going to come down to which Johnny Walker we see. If we see the Johnny Walker with swagger, I think he takes it. If not, I think Spann has multiple paths to victory. I’m going on a limb with Walker on this one.

Prediction: Johnny Walker by TKO – Round 1

Mackenzie Dern vs Randa Markos

Kicking off the main card is a good matchup in the UFC‘s strawweight division as Mackenzie Dern (8-1) takes on Randa Markos (10-8-1). Markos is a very seasoned vet who has been in there with some of the best that the division has to offer.

In her tenure, Markos has wins over the likes of Angela Hill and Carla Esparza. Her last three losses have only come against top competition like Amanda Ribas, Claudia Gadelha, and Nina Ansaroff. Markos is a tough out in this division.

She has really good skills on the ground, and she’s got a pressuring striking style that can give Dern problems. A key for this fight is going to be for Markos to keep it standing and strike from distance. That is her path to victory.

There might not be a better grappler in women’s MMA than Mackenzie Dern. She is an absolute wizard on the ground, and she operates like quick sand. Once the fight touches the mat, it’s just inevitable that she’s going to get the win.

Dern is still relatively green in her overall MMA game, but she’s improving with every outing. However, there’s no secret as to what her strategy is on Saturday night. She’s going to look for the takedown and submission to end the fight.

Randa Markos is so tough, but can she keep Mackenzie Dern off of her. That is going to be the question in this one, and I’m just not sure she can. If this fight gets in close quarters, I’m not sure it’s going to last very long despite Markos’ decent grappling skills.

Prediction: Mackenzie Dern by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) – Round 1

UFC Vegas 11 Outlook

This fight card is absolutely fantastic from top to bottom. The UFC is really putting their best foot forward on their final show before the promotion packs their bags for Fight Island. So many storylines and fun fights will fill up the screen on Saturday night.

For Tyron Woodley, it’s sink or swim at UFC Vegas 11

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In two days at UFC Vegas 11, the former welterweight champion of the world has a chance to silence all the doubters. With his back up against the wall like never before, Tyron Woodley (19-5-1) finds himself in a sink or swim situation on Saturday night.

Not even two years ago, many were putting Woodley in the conversation as one of the greatest UFC welterweights of all time. Some (not me), even put him in the same conversation as Georges St. Pierre. Oh how the times have changed in just a year and a half.

After being put in those lofty conversations, the former UFC welterweight champion is on a two fight losing streak. Not only is he on a two fight losing streak, he’s on a two fight shutout streak where he’s lost all ten rounds in those two UFC contests.

Woodley is getting another main event against his biggest rival in the division, Colby Covington (15-2). He finds himself in a position where he has to win. If Woodley cannot win on Saturday night, he could be facing some tough realities in his UFC career.

Last chance for the former UFC champion?

Prior to UFC 235, Woodley was on a seven fight winning streak with one draw thrown in there. Outside of Stephen Thompson, his welterweight title reign was pure dominance. Woodley shutout Demian Maia, submitted Darren Till, and knocked out Robbie Lawler.

Many people believed that Woodley would also defeat Kamaru Usman and continue his UFC title reign. However, Usman completely dominated Woodley in a performance that was pretty embarassing by Woodley’s standards.

After the loss, the former champion took over a year off to dedicate him back to the sport. He was originally scheduled to fight Leon Edwards, but after that fight fell through, he fought Gilbert Burns in May at UFC on ESPN 9.

That night, once again, Woodley was completely dominated. Now, he gets the matchup he’s always wanted with Covington. If he can win, we might be looking at another title run. If he loses, he might have to look down at the pieces of shattered glory. Saturday is a big night for the former champion.

Tyron Woodley vows to let his hands go in UFC bout with Colby Covington

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UFC, Tyrone Woodley

We are less than two weeks away from arguably the biggest grudge match on the UFC‘s calendar for 2020. Former welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley (19-5-1), will be taking on former interim champion, Colby Covington (15-2).

It is no secret that these two men do not like each other. Covington has called Woodley out for years, but something always got in the way of them fighting. Now, the UFC has paired them against each other when both men need a victory.

Nobody needs a win more in the division than Woodley. Woodley has been criticized for his last two UFC performances where he was shutout by Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman. Woodley wouldn’t let his hands go, but he vows this time will be different.

UFC Grudge Match

“I will let my hands go…You’ve got my word. I’m going to let them go upside his head, body, I might even punch him in the sack,” Woodley said in a fan Q&A. These two former UFC champions do not like each other and Woodley is making it known.

Woodley is even training with Jorge Masvidal for this fight. Masvidal is Covington’s former close friend and roommate. Masvidal is assisting in getting Woodley prepared to take out Colby Covington.

We haven’t seen Covington since he lost to Kamaru Usman back at UFC 245. Covington put up a great fight, but in the end, Usman proved to me just a little too much. Despite the loss, Covington’s stock didn’t take too much of a hit considering the way the fight went.

A win for either man on September 19th would put them right back in the mix for a title shot. If Covington wins impressively, you could say nobody deserves it more than him. One thing is for sure, I’m hoping Woodley lets his hands go and we have a competitive UFC main event.

UFC: Colby Covington – Tyron Woodley to headline Fight Night in September

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UFC, Colby Covington

One of the biggest grudge matches the UFC could have put on is finally becoming a reality. According the ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, former interim welterweight champion, Colby Covington (15-2), will be taking on former welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley (19-5-1).

The fight is expected to headline a fight night in September. The date is not finalized yet, but the fight has been agreed to. The fight’s date is pending based on where the UFC decides to host UFC 253.

The UFC was trying to book this fight for August, but Woodley was not ready to take the fight. He wanted the fight, but he wanted it to be in September or October. Covington took to Instagram to voice his frustrations.

Former UFC’s champions clash

This is a fight that has been years in the making. Covington was originally supposed to get the title shot that Kamaru Usman got back at UFC 235. Covington was supposed to fight Woodley before then, but a nose surgery forced him to wait.

After Usman dominated Rafael Dos Anjos, the UFC moved forward giving Usman the title shot. Of course, Usman went on to defeat Woodley to become champion. Usman also went on to defeat Covington last year.

We haven’t seen Covington since his loss to Usman in December. The fight was an instant classic that was very close. I personally had the fight 2-2 going into the fifth round. Usman of course went on to finish Covington in that final round.

The fight proved that Usman was the best in the world, but it also proved that Covington was 1B to his 1A. Covington’s stock really didn’t take a hit even in the loss. A guy who’s stock has taken a massive hit is the former champion, Woodley.

Woodley has not only lost two fights in a row, but he’s been shut out in both fights. Both fights going to the scorecards and not one judge gave one round to Woodley. Woodley has looked completely lost in his last couple of UFC fights.

This fight is big for both men as they try to get back to the UFC title. If Covington wins, he might be next in line, and Woodley might permanently hang up his gloves. If Woodley wins, he might be looking at renewed confidence which can help him get back to title contention.

This is going to be a fun fight, and the build up is going to be something else. Who do you have taking it when Covington and Woodley finally fight?

 

UFC: Leon Edwards calls for fight with Jorge Masvidal

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Leon Edwards

One of the top welterweights in the UFC has his eyes on his next opponent. Leon “Rocky” Edwards (18-3) hasn’t fought since last July. He was supposed to fight Tyron Woodley earlier this year, but had to pull out due to his inability to train at his gym.

The pandemic shut everything down in the UK, and Edwards couldn’t train for that fight. The UFC offered Edwards a shot at Kamaru Usman after Gilbert Burns was forced out of UFC 251. Edwards again couldn’t take the fight due to his inability to train.

Things have opened back up, and Edwards is ready to get back to the octagon. There is only one man he wants to fight upon his return to the UFC and he’s made it very clear who that man is.

Calling out the UFC’s BMF

Edwards really wants to fight Jorge Masvidal (35-14). This is a fight that has a backstory, and a fight that has a lot of heat. The heat dates back to UFC Fight Night 147 when Masvidal knocked out Darren Till.

Masvidal was conducting his post fight interview when Edwards yelled out, “Fight me in July.” After Masvidal said maybe, Edwards told him to shut up. What happened next became a viral video and a viral saying.

Gamebred bloodied Edwards with his classic three piece and a soda. A saying that Masvidal coined which became popular to the point of selling apparel. To Edwards’ point, this is a fight that makes perfect sense.

The UFC‘s BMF said that he’s wanting to get back into the cage by November or December. He wants a rematch with Kamaru Usman, but the UFC has been clear that Gilbert Burns would be getting that shot.

As Edwards said, both Masvidal and him fall within the top four of the UFC‘s welterweight division. Everyone else is either scheduled or tentatively scheduled to fight.

This fight would likely determine who would face the winner of the Usman – Burns fight whenever that fight takes place. I personally would be very excited to see Edwards and Masvidal match up against one another.

Masvidal on UFC return timetable: “Hopefully December or November”

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Arguably the biggest star in the UFC right now has laid out the timeline for him to return to the octagon. Last night, the BMF Jorge Masvidal (35-14) took on cornhole pro, Cody Henderson, on ESPN.

Following the cornhole grudge match, Masvidal was asked about his UFC return by ESPN. Masvidal replied, “Hopefully, December or November… My opponent has a broken nose.. due to me…he’s going to be out for a couple days… I think next week we’re going to find out just how long he’s out for and then we’ll start determining who will be the next fight and where”

Who will the UFC have face the BMF?

Masvidal is clearly talking about welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, in that interview. Masvidal lost a decision to Usman back at UFC 251. Gamebred took the fight on one week’s notice.

Masvidal looked fantastic in the first round, but it became apparent that he didn’t have the gas tank to deal with Usman’s style. Usman was able to implement his game plan and win the fight.

The fight did massively well selling 1.3 million PPV buys. The UFC could no longer deny the fact that Masvidal had become a huge star. However, Dana White has said multiple times that Gilbert Burns will be next for the champion.

With that, who will Masvidal fight? Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley are scheduled to fight at some point in the next couple of months which takes them off the table.

The only opponent that would make sense from a rankings perspective is either Leon Edwards or Stephen Thompson. Masvidal has said that he’d love to get the Wonderboy fight back after losing a decision in their first fight.

Of course, Edwards and Masvidal do have history. They got into a backstage scuffle after the UFC‘s BMF knocked out Darren Till in London. I would think the UFC would lean towards Edwards for Masvidal’s next fight.

Either way, it looks like we have a general timeline for the return of Gamebred. What do you think? Who do you think Masvidal should fight upon his return to the octagon?

UFC struggling to book Covington – Woodley

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UFC, Colby Covington

One of the bigger potential grudge matches in the UFC would be Colby Covington (15-2) and Tyron Woodley (19-5-1). Per ESPN‘s Ariel Hewlani, the UFC was trying to book the fight for August which was confirmed by a Covington Instagram post.

Will the UFC make it happen?

As you can see from the post above, Covington and Woodley were offered to headline a UFC fight night on August 22nd.

Covington stated that Woodley was the one who would not agree to that date which was later confirmed by Woodley himself. T-Wood clarified his stance with Ariel Helwani.

“”My answer to whether I would fight Colby is eternally yes. . . At 96 years old in a nursing home it’s yes! He said no six times and now creates a date that works for him? F— out of here,” Woodley said in a text to Helwani.

Both men have a lot of heat between the two of them and both men are former UFC champions. Woodley is coming off back to back losses while Covington is coming off of the loss to Kamaru Usman.

I’m a little surprised that the UFC is going with Covington/Woodley as opposed to having Jorge Masvidal fight Covington. That fight to me makes more sense than this one.

Woodley has looked like a shell of himself in his last two fights, and I don’t see him fairing well against Covington. I think Covington’s pace and pressure would be way too much for Woodley to handle at this stage.

Looks like the UFC will try again to book this fight in September or October. It will definitely be a main event whenever it does/if it does get booked.

UFC: Gilbert Burns & Leon Edwards argue over who’s more deserving of the next title shot

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This past weekend at UFC 251, Kamaru Usman (17-1) successfully defended his welterweight title. After the event, UFC president Dana White said that Gilbert Burns (19-3) would be next for the title.

However, Leon Edwards (18-3) took exception to this. Edwards, who is on an eight fight winning streak responded to Burns on Twitter of the weekend stating why he deserves to be next. What resulted was a fiery back and forth between the two.

Who deserves the next UFC title shot?

If you’re looking at the two men on paper, Burns definitely deserves the title shot. Yes, Burns stepped in for Edwards to fight Woodley. Yes, the UFC offered Edwards the shot before Burns, but that doesn’t matter at the end of the day.

Burns has the better resume, and Burns presents an interesting angle. Being a former teammate and the most difficult stylistic matchup for Usman is very appealing.

I can understand where Edwards is coming from. The UFC offered him several big opportunities that he had to turn down due to the inability to train with the pandemic going on.

Edwards could be in a bit of a tough spot. The UFC has made it clear that they are going with Burns with the next title shot. I don’t think Edwards is going to get either Colby Covington (15-2) or Jorge Masvidal (35-14) in his next fight.

I think the UFC will likely pair those two up for a fight. Tyron Woodley (19-5-1) has lost a couple of lopsided fights in a row which doesn’t make him appealing. Maybe Stephen Thompson (15-4-1) would be the best fight for Edwards?

You have to feel for the spot that Edward’s is in. You can’t blame him for wanting the shot since he was actually offered the fight before Burns. Who do you think deserves to be next for the UFC‘s welterweight title?

UFC: Gilbert Burns looking to cement his fighter of the year status on July 11th

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Entering 2020, not a lot of people were thinking about Gilbert Burns (19-3) as a top contender in the UFC‘s welterweight division. Sure, Burns had won four fights in a row, but his best win came against Gunnar Nelson at UFC Fight Night 160. While that’s a quality win, nobody was putting him on that elite level. Burns got his first shot to prove his eliteness back in March against Demian Maia (28-10).

Gilbert Burns UFC Ascension

Burns responded by knocking out Maia in the first round. It was clear that Burns was ready for the next step. Burns was calling out top competition after his win, and the UFC gave him what he asked for. Burns was slated to fight former champion, Tyron Woodley (19-5-1), in May. Many people (including myself) thought a motivated Woodley would win the fight. However, from the opening minute, it became very evident that those pundits were wrong.

Burns ran through Woodley as if the former UFC champion didn’t even belong in the cage with Burns. “Durinho” has completely taken off in 2020. Burns is elite on the ground, and he’s become incredibly dangerous on his feet with a fantastic combination of speed and power. Following the win, Burns called out his now former teammate and current UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman (16-1). Usman was initially scheduled to fight Jorge Masvidal, but contract disputes nixed that fight. Burns got the shot at UFC 251 instead.

2020 Male Fighter of the Year (So Far)

In the span of four months, Burns has the opportunity to go from being a top ten welterweight to being the best in the world. The run that Burns is on is truly remarkable. Now, winning the UFC title is not going to be easy. Usman is extremely well-rounded himself with a very strong wrestling game. It’ll be interesting to see the grappling exchanges with a top level wrestler and a top level jiu jitsu practitioner.

ESPN released their mid-year awards and named Burns the Co-Fighter of the Year along with lightweight Justin Gaethje. No disrespect to Gaethje, but this award belongs to Burns. Two incredibly dominant wins, and now he has the chance to win the title in July. If Burns can beat Kamaru Usman next week, he could step away until January and still win 2020 male fighter of the year in the UFC.

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

UFC: Former welterweight champ, Tyron Woodley, hungry to fight two more times in 2020

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UFC, Tyrone Woodley

Just two years ago, Tyron Woodley (19-5-1) was looked as one of the best fighters in the UFC. Woodley had knocked out Robbie Lawler to win the welterweight title, then he successfully defended the title three times. With his skillset, it was hard to imagine him losing the welterweight title. Fast-forward and Woodley finds himself on a two-fight losing streak. At 38-years-old, Woodley still remains hungry and took to Instagram Live to say as much recently.

“I want to fight two more times this year,” (via MMA Junkie). “So we are right now in June. I feel like if I can get one on the books sometime in the near future then it still leaves me with November or December to fight again.”

What does the UFC do?

Woodley would also go on to say that he’s not in a position to call anyone out. Woodley is coming off back-to-back shutout losses. Kamaru Usman dominated him for five rounds taking away his UFC welterweight title, then Gilbert Burns dismantled him back in May. In both fights, Woodley just looked very hesitant to pull the trigger. He did not look like the same Tyron Woodley that we have seen in the past.

Robbie Lawler

So the question becomes, what does the UFC do with Woodley? To me, I think there’s a few matchups that would make sense for Woodley at this stage of his career. I think if you paired Woodley up with Robbie Lawler (28-14, 1 NC) it would make sense. Both men are on multiple fight losing streaks. They were already supposed to rematch a year ago, but injuries forced Woodley out of the fight.

Stephen Thompson

Another fight that could make sense is a third fight with Stephen Thompson (15-4-1). Both of their first two UFC title fights were razor close. They are right next to each other in the rankings so it would make perfect sense from that standpoint. Probably not the sexiest matchup considering the way the first two fights went, but it’s definitely a possibility.

Colby Covington

Then of course you have the potential matchup with Colby Covington (15-2). While there is a lot of heat behind this matchup, I’m not sure the UFC would give Woodley this fight after back-to-back losses, but it’s the biggest potential fight there is. There is a ton of heat between the two men, and both are looking to get back to the UFC welterweight title. This has to be the fight that Woodley wants.

Time will tell what Dana White and the UFC decide to do with Tyron Woodley. He’s still considered to be one of the better welterweights in the world, but many are doubting his eliteness at this stage of his career. I would guess that we will probably see him back in August, perhaps on the card headlined by Cormier/Miocic 3.