Dana White has clashed with Tyron Woodley on more than one occasion
Every time Tyron Woodley successfully defends his title, it’s essentially a massive ‘fuck you’ to Dana White and the UFC. Think about it. UFC champions that get on with the president receive immediate rematches when they lose their belts. The ones that don’t, well, don’t.
Cody Garbrandt got a second crack at TJ Dillashaw without question. Joanna Jedrzejczyk was given another chance at Rose Namajunas without any pushback from the promotion. Stipe Miocic, who infamously refused to let White wrap the heavyweight title around his waist after beating Francis Ngannou, doesn’t look like he’s getting the opportunity to exact revenge on Daniel Cormier.
So you better believe that Tyron Woodley, who has more title defences of any current UFC champion, wouldn’t have received another shot at Darren Till had he lost his welterweight strap at UFC 228. Not after all he’s been through with White.
Beef
White’s attitude towards Woodley has changed dramatically in the last couple of years. After Woodley’s lacklustre defence against Stephen Thompson at UFC 209, White had a message for the booing fans.
“You want to boo? You’re sitting up here drinking your beer and eating your popcorn. Get in there with Tyron Woodley.”
Then Woodley had another boring defence against Brazillian jiu-jitsu black belt Demian Maia at UFC 214. The UFC president was a little less forgiving of this performance despite the fact that the champion had a torn labrum for most of the bout.
“You ask fans if they want to see Woodley fight again, I think that’ll be a flat-out ‘no’. Who wants to pay to see Tyron Woodley fight again?
“What did you think about watching the Woodley fight? Listen, when you break a record for the least punches ever thrown in a five-round title fight, and it was about 130 and these guys threw 60 or something like that, I think that sums it up.”
Turning ugly
Understandably, ‘The Chosen One’ didn’t take too kindly to these comments. He threatened to leak ‘shit that people don’t want to be out in the wind,’ if he didn’t receive a public apology. Then Colby Covington told White not to worry because he had some dirt on Woodley that would ‘ruin his life’ if it got out.
Just when it looked like this beef was heading into saga territory, it ended very abruptly. Woodley explained to ESPN that after a shouting match, it got better.
Then in the build-up to UFC 228, White went after Woodley again.
“Every time Tyron Woodley opens his mouth he shoots himself in the foot. He’s a very unlikable guy to fight fans and Till is the exact opposite.”
So no wonder why White had a face like stirred porridge when Woodley was pounding the Liverpudlian into oblivion in the second round.
He stared at the ground.
He went back to staring at the car crash with a big sour puss.
Then he looked away again.
‘Hello darkness my old friend’ started playing in his head.
‘Hey look, a distraction!’
Cue the ‘stop it, he’s already dead’ Simpsons meme.
Then when it came to wrap the belt around the champion’s waist, White looked like he was attending a funeral.
Did he enjoy that one?
No fucking chance!
