Getty Tyron Woodley reacts to defeating Demian Maia in their welterweight title bout during UFC 214 at Honda Center on July 29, 2017 in Anaheim, California.
Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley is gearing up for a grudge match with Colby “Chaos” Covington, and the former champ expects Chaos to be “racist” during the buildup to their match. The fight between the two top welterweights has not been officially scheduled, however the match will likely be finalized soon and take place sometime in 2020.
Woodley and Covington, who are former training partners, have bad blood and they have been on a collision course for years. In a recent discussion with former UFC fighter Mike Swick on the Real Quick with Mike Swick podcast, The Chosen One spoke about his inevitable fight with Chaos. Covington is known as a heel, using limit-pushing trash talk to hype up his fights, and Woodley believes Chaos will cross a line.
Woodley said (via MMA Mania):
He’s gonna try to use everything in mental warfare. He’s going to try to be racist, he’s going to try to talk about stuff from my personal life, he’s gonna bluff and make up s*** about the gym. He’s going to ask all these daggone questions cause he was in St. Louis with me so anything he can turn into something he’s going to do that. Guess what? I’m going to match him and make him look stupid.
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Woodley Says His Fight With Covington Is Likely the Biggest Match In His Career
The Chosen One has competed in six UFC title fights, however he told Swick that his fight with Covington is “probably biggest fight in my career.” Bragging rights are on the line for Woodley and Covington — by the time they exit the Octagon, one man will be the winner and live in the history books as the victor of their rivalry.
He told Swick (via BJPenn.com):
Because the situation, it’s bragging rights. He’s talked all this s***, but in my mind, he really knows what time it is but now because he has talked that much sh*t, he’s got to try to live up to it. He’s got to try to beat me. He’s been calling me out for three or four years damn near. So now it’s to the point where it’s personal and the other fights didn’t really mean as much.
Woodley said that he didn’t feel any animosity toward his last two opponents, Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman. He continued:
But I feel that with Colby. Some of the other guys I felt the urgency because of how good they were, Carlos Condit and Robbie Lawler, those guys are the OG’s. [Carlos Condit], [Robbie Lawler] and [Darren Till], all these monstrous fighters that I got to bring it to them cause they sure as f*** going to bring it to me. I think Colby’s going to bring me that, the first time I get the opponent at the press conference, we probably just going to break the internet to be honest.
Woodley & Covington Are Both Coming Off Losses & Need a Win to Stay in the Title Hunt
Woodley is currently sitting at No. 5 in the welterweight division, and Covington is ranked No. 2. Both men are coming off of losses, with Woodley losing back-to-back fights against Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns while Chaos lost to Usman in his last outing.
Burns, who is ranked No. 1 in the division, will likely fight Usman next for the welterweight title. If Woodley and Covington want to keep their name in the title discussion, a win in their bout is critical.
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