Tyron Woodley will head to England after all, as the ex-welterweight champ has agreed to face Leon Edwards in the UFC London main event.
After plenty of back-and-forth, Tyron Woodley and Leon Edwards have agreed to throw down in the UFC London main event.
Woodley confirmed the news on social media, writing “Merry Christmas” before addressing Edwards, saying “watch what you ask for. Now you about to get f*cked clean up at the crib!”
It’s something of an about-face for Woodley, who previously said he wasn’t interested in fighting overseas. On the plus side, it marks the return to action for ‘The Chosen One,’ who has not fought since losing his title to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 last year.
The American was convincingly shut down in that fight, losing a five-round unanimous decision, and his title. Prior to that, he’d earned wins over Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson (following a draw between the pair), Demian Maia, and Darren Till. Woodley originally won the belt when he knocked out Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 in 2016.
Britain’s Leon Edwards (18-3) has finally started to break into the mainstream, after compiling one of the best resumes at welterweight, mostly under the radar. Edwards has won eight straight, with victories over Vicente Luque, Cowboy Cerrone, Gunnar Nelson, and most recently Rafael dos Anjos. However, with many of his performances coming in England, it wasn’t until his win at UFC San Antonio over RDA that he began to receive the credit he clearly deserved.
A high-profile battle with the former welterweight champ, however, should cement his contender status. A win, in fact, could secure Edwards a title shot.
UFC London (UFC Fight Night 171) takes place March 21, 2020 at the O2 Arena in London, England. The event is expected to air live on ESPN+ in the U.S.
Currently, the promotion’s return to London includes the following bouts:
Paul Craig vs. Ryan Spann
Nicolas Dalby vs. Danny Roberts
John Phillips vs. Dusko Todorovic
Darren Stewart vs. Marvin Vettori
Tom Aspinall vs. Raphael Pessoa Nunes
Molly McCann vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith
