'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Until 2019-2020, Tyron Woodley had never lost two consecutive fights in his entire career. However, the former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley lost his title to Kamaru Usman in 2019 and, a year later, suffered a defeat to the Brazilian Gilbert Burns.
What was stunning about those two fights was just how one-sided they were. Tyron Woodley was a dominant Champion but was thoroughly dominated for ten rounds. Tyron Woodley faces Colby Covington this weekend, and while many expect it to be another five-round loss for The Chosen One, Ben Askren, his friend and training partner, is hoping that won't be the case.
Speaking to Submission Radio (H/T BJPENN.com), Ben Askren revealed what went wrong for Tyron Woodley in his last couple of fights:
“One of his biggest issues for his competitive career, whether it’s fighting or wrestling, is he just doesn’t pull the trigger sometimes,” Askren said of Woodley. “He gets inside and he just thinks too much. He’s really intelligent and he just thinks a lot about it, and I think that was kind of what happened with the Gilbert Burns fight. I know that’s what happened with the [Usman] fight. And so I’m hoping that gets fixed and he gets in there and lets his hands go. And if he lets his hands go, he should knock Colby out.”
Since Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns are expected to face off in a Welterweight title clash at UFC 256 this December, Ben Askren explained why the Tyron Woodley-Colby Covington fight makes a lot of sense to determine the next title challenger:
“He’s fought them both,” he said, referencing Woodley’s losses to Usman and Burns, who will fight for the welterweight title in December. “I think that adds to the story, is like, hey, let me get that one back. You got me once, I had a terrible performance and I want to get it back, let me have it. And, again, Leon Edwards is not getting a title shot as is. That’s for sure. Jorge Masvidal, it’s probably unlikely that he’s getting one. So, I think it is the winner of Colby and Tyron, for sure.”
Will Tyron Woodley be able to overcome Colby Covington?
The odds are certainly in favor of Colby Covington getting a dominant victory. Given his style of putting pressure, it wouldn't be surprising to see Tyron Woodley suffer another crushing loss.
With that said, if Woodley can overcome the hesitation we've seen in his last two fights and pull the trigger, then it would be interesting to see if Colby Covington can handle that kind of power.
