It’s redemption season for one Tyron Woodley.
The former UFC Champion is about a week away from getting his second crack at influencer boxer Jake Paul. Woodley’s sequel opportunity wasn’t originally scheduled for Dec. 18th, however. It would be a result of a rib injury suffered by Tommy Fury, who was going to headline against Paul.
All About The Money
After Fury pulled out of the fight, ‘The Problem Child’ would have no problem signing the dotted line a second time against Tyron Woodley. The influencer would also put a $500k bonus on the line for Woodley, if he is able to knock him out. If this doesn’t influence Woodley to try even harder for the KO, nothing will.
It looks like T-Wood is extra motivated by the bounty.
“At the end the of the day, you put a bag on your own head,” Woodley said during a media conference call on Thursday. “Sh*t, I’m completely all about taking that free money. I had plans on doing that anyway, but if he wants to entice me a little bit more.
“You don’t offer a kid from Ferguson half a bag to go out there and do what he wanted to do anyway. So it does put motivation. You don’t put a bounty on your own f*cking head and think I’m not going to take it.”
Leaving No Doubt
Woodley’s original plan for the rematch didn’t involve going to the judges anyways. With the controversy that came with the first fight, the former UFC Champ is taking no chances. He doesn’t want to see the distance, especially with half a million dollars on the line.
For Woodley, he just wants to leave no doubt that he’s the better boxer… and do it again for good measure.
“I’m not losing to Jake Paul. I didn’t lose to him the first time and this time I’m finishing the fight. I don’t want no referee, no hometown advantage, no ‘let’s let the storyline continue’ type s*** to happen at all.”
“So what that’s going to do is probably set us up to fight a third time and I’m just going to replace the boxing fight I anticipated next year with Jake instead.”
Future Plans
What’s the ideal future for ‘The Chosen One?’ He wants to end 2021 with a win over Paul and begin 2022 with yet another win, considering a trilogy happens right off the bat. The welterweight great has previously discussed his dreams of fighting four times next year, in four different promotions and also four different disciplines of combat.
“I’m still going to fight four times,” Woodley added. “I’m still going to fight four different forms of combat, but the boxing fight will just be replaced with a trilogy against Jake.”
Tyron targets his first fight to be a trilogy against Paul, in the boxing ring. Woodley doesn’t have any other names on his mind for now, but looks to make his return to MMA in July, should all go well.
What About Dan Hardy?
Don’t expect Woodley to be fighting Dan Hardy anytime soon though. Hardy has been pushing for a fight with the former UFC Champ ever since he lost to Paul in August.
“Why are we even talking about Dan Hardy?” Woodley replied when asked about the Brit. “We’re talking about Tyron Woodley and Jake Paul, the biggest fight of the year.
“Let’s respect myself and Jake Paul because we’re the ones putting a***es in seats, Dan Hardy ain’t touched a face in ten years.”