Tyron Woodley takes issue with the UFC paying him similar to Donald Cerrone.
Woodley, a former UFC welterweight champion, defended the title four times during his reign from 2016 to 2019. He parted ways with the UFC in March 2021 after suffering his fourth consecutive loss.
Woodley revealed that he wanted to part ways with the UFC years prior and how fighter pay was the main reason for his departure. He said he made $500,000 for his final title fight against Kamaru Usman.
“I was going to leave the UFC after (fighting) Darren Till,” Woodley said on the “MIGHTYcast” with Demetrious Johnson. “I told them, ‘Fcking cut me, dog. Ya’ll don’t want me here. Why ya’ll keep holding on to me, dog?’ We (kept) fighting and sht every fight because you know how I was. I was a gorilla. … I knew the numbers so well. I knew what everybody was making. I’m not finna go out there and be making the same as ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone.
“That motherf*cker ain’t never touched gold in his life. That’s just a principle thing. Sometimes when you’re an African-American in this game, they think you should just be appreciative. I’m not just appreciative. I’m thankful that you gave me an opportunity, but you didn’t give me the gifts. God gave me the gifts. I’m thankful to him.”
Woodley claimed that he fought with the UFC over former longtime flyweight champion Johnson’s pay, as well. Johnson recently revealed that it took three consecutive title defense for him to get a champion’s contract with the UFC, and he could never get pay-per-view points.
“I argued with them (UFC) over you a couple times,” Woodley told Johnson. “It ain’t have sh*t to do with me, but I was like, nah. I was talking numbers. I’m like, when you go to basketball, it don’t matter if Steph Curry throwing a Monster can at somebody’s dome or bust a window out. He can pull a three. He’s going to get paid top dollar.
“You got DJ who got (11) titles, but you going to pay ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone the same as him? Cowboy was making ($350,000). He never touched gold ever. So, your reason behind him making $350,000 per fight is that he never complains, he takes any fight that you offer him, he’ll even fight injured, he’ll even fight last-minute notice. That don’t work for me.”
Yea the fans actually like cowboy. Nobody likes or paid to see Woodley, but win or lose Cowboy is a fan favorite.
Truth
Let’s see.
Lost a “boxing” match to a guy who can’t box and has no combat sport experience.
Ran from Maia during their entire fight.
Bad attitude.
Hard to see why he’s not a favorite.
Cowboy was more exciting and he’d work with us.
Next question?
No one likes you T-Wood go back to making your pornos
Did he really say ‘‘finna?’’
People who have trouble pronouncing ‘‘going to’’ or ‘‘gonna’’ don’t deserve to be paid anything at all!
Not a Cowboy fan, but the guy fought 1,000 times in the UFC and never turned down a fight.
If nothing else, he earned his pay structure based on that alone.
Didn’t Woodley get a title shot off the back of a cancelled fight with Johny Hendricks, when Hendricks missed weight. Then Woodley sat out for over a year without fighting anyone else before getting his shot against Robby Lawler.
The guy has no good reason to complain.
Cowboy fought ben henderson on like 8 days notice, and never turned down a fight. Fuck woodley, no idea how he still thinks hes relevant
tea
I like “whitchoo”
This
In fact Cowboy should have gotten paid more, he’s the one that should be complaining.
zuffa bought him his rodeo