Following a third consecutive defeat, Tyron Woodley has been urged to retire by UFC boss Dana White
“The Chosen One” lost via TKO to arch enemy and former training partner Colby Covington on Saturday, and after seeing Woodley’s performances take a nose-dive in his recent outings, White believes his former champ has nothing left to prove and should consider walking away.
“I think he should start thinking about hanging it up,” White told reporters at the UFC’s post-fight press conference.
“He’s had a great career, he’s made his money. We all get old, man. This happens to the best of us. Woodley’s had a good career. He’s been champion, he’s been around a while. He had a good run in Strikeforce too.”
This isn’t the first time the UFC honcho has been brutal in his assessment of Woodley. In the past White has lamented the 38-year-old for his “boring” performances, and ripped his PPV numbers, saying Woodley simply wasn’t a draw with the fans.
After losing his belt to Kamaru Usman and dropping a number one contender bout to Gilbert Burns, Woodley was dominated for the third time in as many fights, once again appearing gun shy and unable to pull the trigger. Covington executed his predictable game plan, backing his opponent against the fence and mixing takedowns with a high volume of strikes to suffocate and eventually wear Woodley out.
It’s been a dramatic fall from grace for Woodley, the self-proclaimed “greatest welterweight in history” who just a few short years ago was taking on all comers and solidifying his place as one of the sport’s most dominant champions.
Whether or not Woodley makes a return to the cage is ultimately down to him. But with the former 170lbs kingpin approaching his 39th birthday, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see him return to the heights of old.
