Tyron Woodley: Colby Covington Fight’s “Going Down For Sure”

Increasingly it’s looking like we’re finally, going to see Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley throw hands, as the latter’s reporting that grudge match is close to being signed.

Woodley talks timeline for fight with ‘Chaos’

For a few years now, Covington and Woodley have been trading verbal shots through interviews and social media. When Woodley was the UFC’s welterweight champ, Covington claimed that he had bested the powerful wrestler in sparring.

Woodley, however, said it was the other way around. As Covington continued to climb the welterweight ranks, their rivalry grew, and both men have accused the other of ducking them.

Well, more recently UFC President Dana White confirmed that the promotion is trying to book Woodley – Covington. The former champ didn’t want to commit to fighting Colby in August, as Woodley is coming off a decision loss to Gilbert Burns in May, but he insisted he’s down to fight his rival.

More recently, while talking with Mike Swick, Woodley reported that a fight with Covington is finally, close to getting done (quotes via MMA Fighting).

“Looks like I’m going to be fighting Colby Covington,” Woodley said. “The date, we’re waiting on right now. I’m pretty confident it’s going to be a main event. Main event ESPN+ me versus Colby.

“We’re getting real close on a date. September/October. It’s going down for sure.”

There you have it. Now, could something come up and the fight won’t happen? Of course.

But, it does seem like the timing’s right for this match-up. Following Covington’s crushing loss to Kamaru Usman last December, he repeatedly called for a rematch. But, it’s clear that the plan is to have Burns fight the new champ next.

Woodley knows how massive this fight is

Both Covington and Woodley need to get back on track. But, when you consider Woodley’s 38 year’s-old now, and that he’s lost back-to-back fights, decisively, this is a massive bout for him.

“This is a big fight for me,” Woodley said. “This is probably the biggest fight of my career to be honest. Because the situation, it’s bragging rights.

He’s talked all this sh*t, 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…”

It’s a fascinating fight, no question. If Woodley loses badly, however, could we seem him retire?