Tyron Woodley reacts to ‘weird’ UFC Newark headliner, eyes rematch with Kamaru Usman

With the chaos that is the UFC’s welterweight division, former champion Tyron Woodley seems to have a solution.

“The Chosen One” had his over two year title reign come to an end at UFC 235 when he lost a unanimous decision to Kamaru Usman. We haven’t heard much from Woodley following his first defeat since 2014. Woodley was scheduled to face Robbie Lawler in the main event of UFC Minneapolis last month, but the 37-year-old was forced to withdraw from the bout with a hand injury.

Following Jorge Masvidal’s incredible knockout win over Ben Askren at UFC 239 and the recent UFC Newark main event being announced between Colby Covington and Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley believes that his championship resume speaks for itself to earn him a rematch with Usman — who is dealing with an injury of his own — while the rest of the division can, essentially, continue to sort itself out.

“I think it’s so weird right now. Colby fighting Robbie is weird — even me fighting Robbie again was kind of weird,” Woodley told ESPN on the red carpet prior to Wednesday night’s ESPY Awards. “I think me and Usman should run it back.

“I think the fact that he’s injured, the fact that people are getting tired of Colby sitting around – he hasn’t fought since June of last year and he’s trying to call his shots from a s**t camera phone, I think it’s real important that people get a moment to sit back and think: Tyron beat all the best welterweights, in their prime, the number one contenders, defended his title four times, took out Robbie Lawler in a fraction of a second — which is historical — and he loses a fight, has a bad night. I think if anybody else Joanna (Jedrzejczyk), Cody Garbrandt, Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, anybody else, you see them in the title picture really quickly, so . . . The fans are kind speaking for me though.”

After capturing the title from Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 in June 2016, Tyron Woodley successfully defended the 170-pound strap against Stephen Thompson on two different occasions, Demian Maia and Darren Till. Woodley says he is healing up during his down time, is ready to get his chance at redemption.

“Health is doing well, hand is doing well, healing it up, training hard. I was training right before I came here so, all in all, I’m ready to get back after it, ready to get that belt back.”

Do you think Tyron Woodley should get the rematch against Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight title?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 7/11/2019.