MIAMI – Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley only wants to take on notable and established names in the fight game moving forward.
He draws one in a boxing match against former UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva on Friday at Kaseya Center – on the same card as Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul, which streams live on Netflix. Woodley is stepping in on short notice to replace an injured Chris Weidman.
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Woodley admits MMA is still on his mind. He parted ways with the UFC in 2021 after four consecutive losses.
“I don’t know about that,” Woodley told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during a media scrum Tuesday on his MMA future. “I’m still praying about that, so I feel like I haven’t heard what the MMA deal is, but at some point I’m going to have to figure it out and give it a proper close. I think it’s due that for all the things that mixed martial arts did for me and my career.”
As for boxing, Woodley still plans on continuing to lace up his gloves. He is particularly interested in two of MMA’s most beloved personalities.
“Boxing, for sure, but I just really want big names,” Woodley said. “I really want big fights that are exciting because this fight motivated me, and it got me to do things that my body wasn’t supposed to be able to do, especially on short notice. So, some names out there. A Nate Diaz or a Nick Diaz would be a phenomenal fight. I’ve always respected those guys.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Tyron Woodley: Nick or Nate Diaz would be ‘phenomenal’ fights
