UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley has been labeled as a “drama queen” by the organization’s president Dana White. Woodley doesn’t feel he’s getting his just due as champion and isn’t satisfied with the way the UFC has been promoting him. He recently spoke to SportsCenter about his latest grievances.
“Look at the current promo,” Woodley said. “The current promo is talking about how he (Stephen Thompson) was so resilient. Even the music behind it says ‘give me your best shot’, meaning he took my best shot and he kept ticking. When you look at how a champion is promoted, you know, I am the champion of the world. This takes a long time to get to this point. This has been a 10-year journey for myself. Why aren’t people talking about how many movies I’ve been in, how many commercials, the fact that I’m a television analyst, the fact that I’m a father, the fact that I’m a husband, the fact that I’m an entrepreneur, a business owner, the fact that I’m from Ferguson, Mo., a family of 13 in a house of four bedrooms. Nobody communicates about that.”
After hearing Woodley’s complaints, and never one to hold his tongue, White explained why he feels the champ isn’t getting the type of recognition and fanfare he feels he deserves. And he also explained how Woodley can remedy the situation.
“Tyron, that’s great stuff, all great stuff. … You fought to a draw in your last fight,” White stated. “Finish it. Finish the fight. He (Stephen Thompson) was resilient, it was that type of fight. It was a back and forth fight, it was an amazing fight. It was a draw. If that’s what you want people to focus on, is what a stud champion you are, then go in there and finish it on Saturday night and nobody will be questioning you whatsoever.”
Woodley won the UFC welterweight title when he knocked out Robbie Lawler in the first round at UFC 201 in July of last year. His first title defense was against Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson at UFC 205 in November and the two fought to a draw. As White pointed out, if Woodley can put Thompson away in their rematch at UFC 209 on Saturday, or at least get a decisive victory, it will go a long way toward silencing the critics and maybe he can start getting some of the recognition he feels he deserves.