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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Farah Hannoun

Tyron Woodley says he’s already accepted his next fight – with Colby Covington

Just days removed from his loss to Gilbert Burns, Tyron Woodley is keen to bounce back and says he’s already been offered his next fight.

Woodley (19-5-1 MMA, 9-4-1 UFC), a former UFC welterweight champion, is on the first losing skid of his career after dropping a lopsided decision to Burns this past Saturday in the UFC on ESPN 9 main event.

Speaking to ESPN, Woodley revealed he’s already accepted a fight with Colby Covington (15-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) while he recovers from a foot contusion and a cut that are expected to keep him out for up to two months.

“They offered me that fight. I told them I’m in,” Woodley said. “I mean, I just don’t want to talk a lot about Colby because Colby is an actor, man. I know what he’s doing and it makes sense and it’s kind of fun to watch. But at the end of the day, Colby’s turned me down five or six times. But after losing two fights back-to-back, I think it may be a time where he may accept it because he may think I’m down and out.

“That was the first thing they did. They wanted to see if I was all right and then they offered me the fight against Colby. And I told (my manager), I said, ‘Make sure to tell them today: Yes.'”

The matchup between Covington and Woodley almost materialized on numerous occasions, but both fighters continually accused the other of turning it down.

Covington hasn’t competed since this past December, when he was stopped late in Round 5 by welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 245.

He has yet to comment on the newly proposed matchup with Woodley.

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