Tyron Woodley retains welterweight title at UFC 209, Mark Hunt knocked out

With barely 24 hours before fight night, however, the event lost one of the most anticipated bouts of 2017.

Tyron Woodley retained his UFC welterweight title with a desultory majority decision over Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in their rematch at UFC 209 on Saturday night. As seen on the photo below, Judge Sal D’Amato gave Wonderboy 3 rounds, to Woodley’s 2, but the 5th round with a knockdown and a near finish was scored a 10-8, making it a draw on his card.

UFC 209 is now officially in the books.

Fans in the arena at UFC 209 were made to wait until the last 30-seconds of the 25 minute bout for some real action, with Woodley dropping Wonderboy – almost finishing him in the process. With Thompson clearly hurt, Woodley put everything he had into his punches to try and turn out his lights.

“I’m in the best shape, man”, Woodley said.

I didn’t really get into this sport for people to worship me or people to bow at my feet. He made it hard.

First, we go to a performance that was perhaps not the flashiest or even the most noteworthy in Tyron’s back-catalogue but it was certainly a performance in which Tyron matured somewhat as a fighter. “I’ve been longing for that setup and he didn’t know it”. “I was just praying”. Anyway, Thompson has had a good training camp and he should be ready for Woodley this Saturday.

Thompson survived a guillotine choke and two big right hands and those big right hands are Woodley’s signature shot.

Drama aside, Woodley said he will be bringing the heat to this fight and Thompson better be ready. “If there are issues that I think are unfair, I’m going to speak out on them”. “Live to fight another day”.

Darren Elkins, after more than two rounds of being battered and bloodied, showed no quit. Thompson stalked him around the perimeter but was hesitant to engage.

Corner advice from Din Thomas prompted “The Chosen One” to make the takedown a priority and that’s just what happened early in the third round.

Woodley kicked off the third round with a takedown attempt, and after putting in some work, he got it, forcing Thompson to the fence. But Thompson would probably argue that he would have won if different judges were scoring the first fight.

A spinning heel kick by Thompson was the only strike of the fourth worth noting. The five-round rematch was marked by extended periods of inactivity, with champion and contender circling one another to a chorus of boos from those in attendance.