Introduction
Tyron "The Chosen One" Woodley is a former UFC Welterweight Champion (July 2016 to March 2019) and one of the most accomplished UFC welterweight title-defending champions of the 2010s. The Ferguson, Missouri native — University of Missouri NCAA Division I All-American wrestler — won the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 201 in July 2016 by first-round overhand right KO of Robbie Lawler and defended the title four times across his championship-era run. His seven-fight UFC welterweight unbeaten streak from 2014 to 2018 is one of the longest in division history.
Contents
Quick Stats
Background
Fighting Style
Career Highlights
Notable Fights & Rivalries
Championships & Accolades
Current Status
Fun Facts
Legacy / Verdict
Frequently Asked Questions
References
Quick Stats
Nickname: The Chosen One
Age: 43 (born April 17, 1982)
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Reach: 74" (188 cm)
Weight Class: Welterweight (170 lb), now competes at boxing cruiserweight (200 lb)
Stance: Orthodox
Team: American Top Team, Coconut Creek, Florida
Pro MMA Record: 19 wins, 7 losses, 1 draw (released from UFC March 2021); also 0-5 in pro boxing
Background
Born April 17, 1982 in Ferguson, Missouri. Woodley grew up in challenging working-class circumstances and built his identity around wrestling at McCluer High School in Florissant, Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri (MIZZOU) on a wrestling scholarship and competed at the NCAA Division I level — earning two-time NCAA Division I All-American honors and two-time Big 12 Conference Championship titles in wrestling.
He turned professional in MMA in February 2009 and competed in Strikeforce from 2009 to 2013 — going 6-1 with notable wins over Tarec Saffiedine and Jordan Mein before signing with the UFC after the Strikeforce-Zuffa merger. He made his UFC debut at UFC 156 in February 2013 and competed in the UFC through March 2021. He trains at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida and has resided in St. Louis, Missouri throughout his post-Mizzou career.
Fighting Style
Wrestling-driven counter-striking layered with championship-level finishing power in his right hand. Woodley's pattern is textbook American Top Team — Mizzou NCAA Division I wrestling foundation combined with one-shot KO power in the right hand. The July 2016 UFC 201 title-winning first-round overhand right KO of Robbie Lawler and the September 2018 UFC 228 second-round D'Arce choke submission of Darren Till are the canonical examples of his championship-level finishing arsenal. The seven-fight UFC welterweight unbeaten run from 2014 to 2018 — one of the longest in division history — demonstrated his championship-pace fitness at the elite level.
His weakness — exposed across his post-2018 stretch — was takedown defense against elite wrestler-strikers and a vulnerability to championship-level distance management. The Kamaru Usman UFC 235 unanimous-decision loss in March 2019 (the title-changing fight), the Gilbert Burns UFC Vegas 17 unanimous-decision loss in May 2020, the Colby Covington UFC Vegas 11 fifth-round TKO loss in September 2020, and the Vicente Luque UFC 260 first-round D'Arce choke submission loss in March 2021 reflected variations of the same pattern of championship-level Woodley vs elite contenders who could maintain distance. Within his championship-era prime years from 2014 to 2018, however, his arsenal made him one of the most accomplished UFC welterweight title-defending champions of the 2010s.
Career Highlights
February 2013 — UFC debut at UFC 156 vs Jay Hieron. Won by first-round TKO at 0:36.
January 2014 — UFC on Fox 11 vs Carlos Condit. Won by second-round TKO via knee injury.
March 2014 — UFC 171 vs Dong Hyun Kim. Won by first-round KO.
March 2015 — UFC 192 vs Kelvin Gastelum. Won by unanimous decision.
January 2016 — UFC 192 vs Johny Hendricks. Won by first-round KO.
July 2016 — UFC Welterweight Champion. Stopped Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 by first-round overhand right KO at 2:12 of round one — Performance of the Night.
November 2016 — UFC 205 vs Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson 1. Title defense via majority draw.
March 2017 — UFC 209 vs Wonderboy 2. Title defense via majority decision.
July 2017 — UFC 214 vs Demian Maia. Title defense via unanimous decision.
September 2018 — UFC 228 vs Darren Till. Title defense via second-round D'Arce choke submission — Submission of the Night.
March 2019 — UFC 235 vs Kamaru Usman. Lost the title via unanimous decision.
May 2020 — UFC Vegas 17 vs Gilbert Burns. Lost by unanimous decision.
September 2020 — UFC Vegas 11 vs Colby Covington. Lost by fifth-round TKO at 1:19 of round five.
March 2021 — UFC 260 vs Vicente Luque. Lost via first-round D'Arce choke submission; final UFC fight.
August 2021 — Boxing debut vs Jake Paul. Lost by split decision.
December 2021 — Boxing rematch vs Jake Paul. Lost by sixth-round KO.
December 2025 — Boxing vs Anderson Silva (Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua undercard). Lost by second-round TKO.
Notable Fights & Rivalries
vs Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson (UFC 205 2016, UFC 209 2017)
Two fights, one Woodley win and one majority draw. The two — both elite Mizzou-area-trained karate-and-wrestling-driven welterweights — fought to a five-round majority draw at UFC 205 in November 2016 (one of the most-replayed UFC welterweight title-fight draws in promotion history). The rematch at UFC 209 in March 2017 was a Woodley majority-decision win that defended the UFC Welterweight Championship. The two-fight series is one of the most-watched UFC welterweight rivalries of the 2010s.
vs Kamaru Usman (UFC 235, 2019)
The fight that closed Woodley's UFC Welterweight Championship-era prime. Usman defeated Woodley by five-round unanimous decision at UFC 235 in March 2019 — taking the UFC Welterweight Championship and starting Usman's championship-era run. The result confirmed the gap between Woodley's championship-level pattern and Usman's elite welterweight wrestling-and-distance arsenal.
vs Robbie Lawler (UFC 201, 2016)
The fight that crowned Woodley as UFC Welterweight Champion. He stopped Lawler by first-round overhand right KO at 2:12 of round one at UFC 201 in July 2016 — Performance of the Night. The result was Woodley's first UFC main event win and the foundational moment of his championship-era prime years; Lawler was a former UFC Welterweight Champion and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Modern Wing as part of the Class of 2025.
vs Darren Till (UFC 228, 2018)
Woodley's most-replayed UFC welterweight title-defense win. He submitted the British contender Darren Till by second-round D'Arce choke at UFC 228 in September 2018 — Submission of the Night and the most-discussed UFC welterweight title-defense submission of the year. The result confirmed Woodley's championship-level grappling finishing pattern alongside his striking arsenal.
vs Jake Paul (Cleveland 2021, Tampa 2021)
Two fights, two Jake Paul wins. Paul won the August 2021 boxing match by split decision in Cleveland, Ohio — Paul's first non-knockout boxing win at the time. The rematch in December 2021 in Tampa, Florida ended with Paul's sixth-round KO of Woodley. The two-fight series started Woodley's transition from MMA to boxing-focused late career and was the first major UFC champion vs YouTuber boxing-vs-MMA crossover in modern combat sports.
Championships & Accolades
UFC Welterweight Champion (July 2016 to March 2019) — four successful title defenses (Wonderboy 2, Maia, Till; plus a majority draw with Wonderboy 1).
Strikeforce Welterweight title eliminator (March 2012, lost to Nate Marquardt).
UFC career: 12-7-1 record across nearly a decade-long tenure (February 2013 to March 2021).
Multiple UFC Performance of the Night and Submission of the Night Award winner.
Two-time NCAA Division I Wrestling All-American at the University of Missouri.
Two-time Big 12 Conference Wrestling Champion at the University of Missouri.
Career UFC and Strikeforce wins over Robbie Lawler, Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, Demian Maia, Darren Till, Carlos Condit, Dong Hyun Kim, Kelvin Gastelum, Johny Hendricks, Tarec Saffiedine, and Jordan Mein.
Seven-fight UFC welterweight unbeaten streak (2014-2018) — one of the longest in division history.
Current Status
Active in boxing — effectively retired from MMA. Woodley's last MMA fight was the March 27, 2021 first-round D'Arce choke submission loss to Vicente Luque at UFC 260, after which his UFC contract was not renewed. He has competed in five professional boxing matches since (2021-2025) — losing to Jake Paul twice (Aug 2021 split decision, Dec 2021 sixth-round KO), defeating two opponents in the interim, and most recently losing to Anderson Silva by second-round TKO at the Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua undercard on December 19, 2025 in Miami.
He continues to train at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida and has expressed continued interest in additional combat sports opportunities — including potential MMA returns and additional boxing matches. He is widely projected as a future UFC Hall of Fame Modern Wing inductee given his championship credentials and his cultural impact on the UFC welterweight division of the late 2010s. He resides in St. Louis, Missouri and continues to be active on his Instagram (1.3 million followers) and as a podcast host.
Fun Facts
His nickname "The Chosen One" reflects his Christian faith — the title is a reference to his self-described identity as one of God's chosen athletes.
Was a two-time NCAA Division I Wrestling All-American at the University of Missouri (MIZZOU) — making him one of the most academically credentialed UFC welterweight champions in promotion history.
Trains at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida — the gym widely considered the foundational facility of the UFC welterweight wrestling pipeline of the 2010s.
His seven-fight UFC welterweight unbeaten streak (2014-2018) is one of the longest in UFC welterweight division history.
Has the UFC welterweight career-record one-shot KO of Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 — a championship-winning overhand right at 2:12 of round one that remains one of the most-replayed UFC welterweight title-changing finishes in promotion history.
Was the first UFC champion to lose a professional boxing match to Jake Paul — starting the YouTuber-vs-MMA boxing crossover trend of the early 2020s.
His December 19, 2025 boxing loss to Anderson Silva (a 50-year-old MMA legend) on the Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua undercard was a career-historical moment — the older Silva extended his boxing career while Woodley's pattern continued to decline.
Holds 1.3 million Instagram followers and remains one of the most-followed retired UFC welterweight champions globally.
Legacy / Verdict
Tyron Woodley is a former UFC Welterweight Champion and one of the most accomplished UFC welterweight title-defending champions of the 2010s. The four UFC Welterweight Championship defenses (the most by a single champion since Georges St-Pierre's championship-era prime), the seven-fight UFC welterweight unbeaten streak, and the championship-era career UFC wins over Robbie Lawler, Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, Demian Maia, and Darren Till together place him in the top fifteen UFC welterweight contenders of all time. The July 2016 UFC 201 title-winning first-round KO of Robbie Lawler is one of the most-replayed UFC welterweight title-changing finishes in promotion history.
What complicates the legacy is the post-2018 stretch — four-fight losing streak with three stoppage losses across his late UFC career, the corresponding UFC release in March 2021, and the boxing-focused transition that has produced an 0-5 boxing record across the 2021-2025 stretch. The Modern Wing UFC Hall of Fame induction conversation continues to develop given his championship credentials and his cultural impact on the UFC welterweight division. The competitive resume is permanent; the post-MMA boxing transition is ongoing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tyron Woodley still active?
Yes — but in boxing, not MMA. His last MMA fight was the March 27, 2021 unanimous-decision loss to Vicente Luque at UFC 260, after which his UFC contract was not renewed. He has competed in five professional boxing matches since (2021-2025) and most recently lost to Anderson Silva by second-round TKO at the Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua undercard on December 19, 2025 in Miami.
What is Tyron Woodley's professional MMA record?
Nineteen wins, seven losses, one draw across his MMA career. He competed in Strikeforce and the UFC across his career — going 12-7-1 in his UFC career across nearly a decade-long tenure (February 2013 to March 2021).
Was Tyron Woodley UFC Welterweight Champion?
Yes. He won the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 201 on July 30, 2016 by stopping Robbie Lawler with a first-round overhand right KO at 2:12 of round one. He defended the title four times — Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson 1 (UFC 205, majority draw), Wonderboy 2 (UFC 209, majority decision win), Demian Maia (UFC 214, unanimous decision), and Darren Till (UFC 228, second-round D'Arce choke submission). He lost the title at UFC 235 on March 2, 2019 by unanimous decision to Kamaru Usman.
What style does Tyron Woodley fight?
Wrestling-driven counter-striking layered with championship-level finishing power in his right hand. Woodley's pattern is textbook American Top Team — Mizzou NCAA Division I wrestling foundation combined with one-shot KO power in the right hand. The July 2016 UFC 201 title-winning first-round overhand right KO of Robbie Lawler and the September 2018 UFC 228 second-round D'Arce choke submission of Darren Till are the canonical examples of his championship-level finishing arsenal. The seven-fight UFC welterweight unbeaten run from 2014 to 2018 (one of the best in division history) demonstrated his championship-pace fitness at the elite level.
Did Tyron Woodley fight Jake Paul?
Yes — twice. He lost to Jake Paul by split decision at the August 29, 2021 boxing match in Cleveland, Ohio, then lost the rematch by sixth-round KO on December 18, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. The two professional boxing losses to Jake Paul started Woodley's transition to a boxing-focused late career.
Where is Tyron Woodley from?
Born April 17, 1982 in Ferguson, Missouri. He is a 12-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at the University of Missouri (MIZZOU) where he was a two-time Big 12 Conference Champion. He resides in St. Louis, Missouri and trains at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida.
References
Box.live — Tyron Woodley News, Record & Stats (December 2025)
TMZ — Tyron Woodley Vows To 'Hurt' Anderson Silva In Boxing Match (November 2025)
ESPN — Jake Paul set for Tyron Woodley rematch (December 2021)