Firas Zahabi: Tyron Woodley has added ‘a new dimension to his game’

Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley has been putting work at Tristar in Montreal, Quebec. According to the gym’s head coach, Firas Zahabi, Woodley has been making strides.

Speaking to MMA Junkie., Zahabi discussed his recent work with Woodley. Apparently, the former champ has been kicking convention and added some new weapons to his arsenal.

“When you’re champion for a long time, people are getting to know your style,” Zahabi said of Woodley. “I think what happens is everyone is always watching the No. 1 guy, the champion, so they start figuring him out. Not as many people are watching the guy who is No. 10 or No. 15 or No. 4. They’re all watching the No. 1 guy. So the No. 1 guy has to keep reinventing himself.

“With Tyron, we’re going to try to add a new wrinkle that nobody knows so that, when he goes back in there, he’ll be at the same level, of course, but he’ll have new tricks in his bag, new surprises for his opponents. Things that he’s comfortable doing that’ll work and they’re going to have to figure him out on fight night, not before fight night because he’s going to be having a new wrinkle, a new dimension to his game.”

Tyron Woodley won the UFC welterweight title in 2016, when knocked out Robbie Lawler in the first round. He then defended the title a significant four times, thwarting challenges from Stephen Thompson (twice), Demian Maia, and Darren Till. Woodley surrendered the title earlier this year, when he was walloped to a decision loss by Kamaru Usman.

Since his loss to Usman, Woodley has been adamant that he’d win a rematch, and that his title loss was primarily the result of a bad night at the office.

How do you think Tyron Woodley will look after training at Tristar?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 10/3/2019.