Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley hinted at an MMA comeback, saying he could potentially even fight this year.
Woodley has not competed in MMA since a submission loss to Vicente Luque at UFC 260 in March 2021. While he has boxed since then, he never announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, even though some fans assumed he was retired since he hasn’t fought inside the cage since then.
Tyron Woodley May Fight Again in MMA This Year
Speaking to MMA Junkie Radio ahead of his wrestling match at RAF 12 on Saturday against UFC star Joaquin Buckley, Woodley confirmed that he is still an active MMA fighter, and he hinted at a potential comeback to the cage in 2026.
“I never retired (from MMA). People just said I retired. You never heard me formally come out and retire, or put my gloves down anywhere, or even say the word retirement. Because I haven’t fought MMA since 2021, a lot of people call me retired. In this sport, if you don’t refute it, and you don’t go back and defend it, or you correct people, then people run with it. So I found out a long time ago that everybody knows everything, just let them know it. So I never retired from MMA. I never closed that chapter. It’s actually quite the opposite. You may even see me fight MMA this year. You may see me wrestle twice, fight MMA and box. I feel like I’m getting to the part where my body being used as a way to generate wealth is coming to an end. I’m getting closer and closer and closer to that moment,” Woodley said.
Tyron Woodley Wants to Compete in Various Combat Sports
At age 44, Woodley knows that he doesn’t have much time left to make money competing in combat sports.
That’s why he is taking advantage of his current health to compete in various disciplines, including boxing, wrestling, and MMA, though he said that the one combat sport that he won’t compete in is bare-knuckle boxing.
“I feel like the more I can stay in shape, the more I can just keep training, the better I’m going to be. We all know me with consistency. When I had that title run, I fought four world title fights in one year. I feel like knowing yourself is the most important part. I know when I’ve got something ahead of me, I’ve got a date, I’ve got an opportunity, I know that my body is going to be disciplined, it’s going to be more focused, less distractions are going to come in. It’s just something about being in a camp. That daily regimen is just a discipline I need in life. So I’m just staying in camp, whatever that is, whatever combat it is. I’m thankfully blessed to be versed in many, many different forms of combat. I’m really open to doing any and all, minus bare knuckle, and that leaves me with a lot of things to do,” Woodley said.
Tyron Woodley Hints at MMA Comeback