EXCLUSIVE | Tyron Woodley: “Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson should thank Robbie Lawler”

UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley will attempt to make his first title defense when he squares off with Stephen Thompson in the co-main event of UFC 205 on November 12 at Madison Square Garden.

“The Chosen One” was a recent guest on BJPENN.com’s Rapid Fire segment with host Chris Taylor where he discussed a number of topics, including why he feels Stephen Thompson should be thanking former UFC champion Robbie Lawler. His words:

“Stephen Wonderboy should thank Robbie Lawler. Robbie tenderized Rory (MacDonald) and he tenderized Johny (Hendricks) for him. He beat the steak up, marinated it, and then gave it to Thompson to put on the grill. Those guys will never be the same fighters after fighting Robbie.”

Robbie Lawler was involved in a pair of five-round wars with Johny Hendricks at UFC 171 and then UFC 181. Following his title-earning split-decision victory over “Big Rigg” in December of 2014, “Ruthless” would go on to defend his title for the first time against Rory MacDonald at UFC 189 in July of 2015. After twenty minutes of back and forth blood-spilling action, “Ruthless” would score a fifth-round stoppage over the “Red King”, thus cementing his legacy as one of the best 170-pound fighters in welterweight history.

As Woodley was quick to point out, Thompson’s victories over Johny Hendricks and most recently Rory MacDonald came after they had been put through some grueling battles with Lawler. “T-Wood” believes that both Hendricks and MacDonald have lost a step since being in the cage with “Ruthless”.

“That’s Robbie Lawler. The person I just beat in record-breaking time which everybody fails to remember. The fastest stoppage in welterweight title fight history.”

He continued:

“Robbie is fighter who has always shown that he is ready to go to war. He has been in more five-round fights than any other fighter in the UFC over the last two years. He was fighting five-round fights against guys like Matt Brown, you know outside of championship fights. So he is a  true warrior man. He definitely shortened the careers of MacDonald and Hendricks.”

Who do you think will emerge victorious when welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and top division contender Stephen Thompson square off at Madison Square Garden on November 12? Sound off PENN Nation!