Edwards: Clout-Chasing Woodley Seems Lost

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A thrilling Welterweight bout between Tyron Woodley and Leon Edwards was among the many bouts that were postponed due to COVID-19. While many of those bouts have since found new homes (examples here and here), this one is still in limbo.

And the by the sound of it, Woodley isn’t interested in a re-booking, as the former UFC Welterweight champions shifted his focus to the likes of Colby Covington, and even started a new beef with Middleweight king, Israel Adesanya.

For Edwards, it’s strange that “The Chosen One” has opted to not speak his name when they have unfinished business to tend to.

“Since the fight has been postponed, he hasn’t mentioned my name one bit, which I find very strange. If I had a fight with a man who I said had lit a fire under me…and you said what you were going to do to me, I would be pushing for that fight to happen,” said Edwards in conversation with MMA Fighting’s Eurobash podcast.

“But like I said, since the fight has been canceled he hasn’t once mentioned my name. He’s calling out lightweights…even the middleweight champion he’s calling out – I think the man is just lost.”

To here Edwards tell it, Woodley may be looking for an exit out of the fight game, which is why he is seemingly trying to pick fights that he feels will score him major coin.

“He’s up there in age, he’s 38 years old,” Edwards added. “He done an interview saying how he spent all his money…I don’t know whether he’s trying to get some money under his belt before he’s retiring, but he’s calling out everyone other than me, which is a very strange, strange thing.”

One thing “Rocky” does find sort of hypocritical on Woodley’s part is the fact that the former champ has always slammed fighters for being “clout chasers,” speaking other accomplished fighter’s names in order to steal some shine. Which is exactly what Edwards says Tyron is doing by calling out a champion above his weight class.

“He’s saying everyone is clout chasing, but I think he’s one of the biggest clout chasers. He’s going out and calling out the middleweight champion, Izzy, and just calling for other random fights – it seems to me that’s a clout chaser,” he added.

“He’s chasing around other peoples’ clout by trying to get a fight with them, he’s trying to use their name to build his name. I think he’s lost; he just doesn’t know where he stands now or what he wants to do.”

According to a recent social media post from Woodley, though, he says there is no truth to him even remotely trying to doge Edwards, implying that a re-booking against Edwards hasn’t been offered…yet.

Since a fight against Adesanya is unlikely and Covington no longer in his cross-hairs, a showdown with Edwards may still be possible for Woodley. The victor there will be at the front of the line to face the winner of Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal, which is expected to take place later this year.