The last two years haven't gone Tyron Woodley's way.
Everything started at UFC 235 as Woodley lost his welterweight title to Kamaru Usman. After that, Woodley dropped his last three fights, which resulted in him fighting out his UFC contract and becoming a free agent.
Being on the open market gave Woodley a chance to right the recent setbacks as he ventures into boxing to take on Jake Paul on Aug. 28. During an appearance on the Believe You Me podcast with Michael Bisping, Woodley predicts he'll return to his knockout form and finish the social media influencer-turned boxer in the early stages of the fight.
“I think three (rounds),” Woodley said of when he'll finish Paul. “First round sounds cocky, sounds dope, but I just know that if I’m fighting Tyron Woodley, everyone is going to tell him to cover up, weather the storm, clinch him, grab him, keep him away from you, stay at distance, watch out for the right hand. I’ve got to set a couple traps, so I may need a round or two to set some traps, see what he responds to, and I think third round I should be able to clean up the deal.”
Paul is 3-0, with all three wins coming via KO. The former UFC welterweight champion will be the toughest test to date for the 24-year-old. There's a rematch clause in place if Woodley does as he predicts. Woodley had no problem with that because he'll increase his bank account substantially. For good measure, Woodley says that if Paul's older brother Logan is feeling jumpy, then he can take care of him as well.
“At the end of the day, he’s gonna get beat up. He’s gonna get knocked out,” Woodley said of Jake. “Hopefully, it’s not too bad because what’s happening is, his people are gassing him up that he can win. He accepted this fight, and I was very surprised he accepted this fight. They’re gassing him up, and they’re giving him that ‘You’ve got the power. He’s old. He ain’t won a fight a million years. You the younger, more hungry, he’s taking you lightly, you can beat him!’ They’re lying to this kid, and they’re gonna get him f—ed up. So what’s gonna happen is, I’m gonna beat him, I’m gonna knock him out, and hopefully it’s not too bad where he doesn’t want to do it again because I want to take the money again. I want to rob the bank twice. So that’s the plan.
“I really don’t have smoke with his brother Logan but s—, after he sees what I do to his brother, he might want to get the hands too.”