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You ever got the odd feeling that Tyron Woodley is less than pleased about this rematch with Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson going down this Saturday (March 4, 2017) at UFC 209? Me too. Maybe it's how he repeatedly said he didn't feel like 'Wonderboy' deserved another fight, despite their epic back and forth brawl at UFC 205 ending in a majority draw. There's been other signs as well, but this latest quote from TMZ Sports adds more evidence to the giant pile that Woodley would rather be fighting a new opponent this weekend.
"Once you knock someone down and you concuss them, it makes it easier to completely knock them out," Woodley said. "[Stephen Thompson] should have had a 90-day suspension after that fight. He had a concussion in that fight. He shouldn't technically be even fighting. Any other fighter that has a concussion, you are automatically awarded a 90-day suspension. We fought in November. He shouldn't have even been able to fight, but we signed the contract and I'm gonna try to rattle his brain really early in the fight and try to take him out."
TMZ wouldn't be TMZ if it didn't immediately take that claim to Dana White, who in their words “called BS” on the “full of crap” claim that Thompson left their fight with a concussion.
"I'm gonna go ahead and take the advice of the best doctors in the country over Dr. Tyron Woodley.”
Jeez, TMZ. Trying to start a fight between UFC’s Welterweight champ and president of the promotion? Not like they need much help fighting lately. Most recently, White suggested Woodley start finishing fights if he wanted to be considered a Welterweight stud. Before that, he called Tyron a drama queen over remarks about racism in the sport. Here's to hoping Woodley manages to turn around his relationship with White and Co. after UFC 209, because while he certainly has a good chance of victory this weekend against Thompson, a war with White isn't something many fighters end up winning.
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