Tyron Woodley Rallies to Beat Buckley, Ends 8-Year Drought

Tyron Woodley snapped an eight-year winless streak in combat sports on Saturday, rallying from a 8-1 first-period deficit to beat Joaquin Buckley 14-8 at Real American Freestyle 12 inside Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

The former UFC welterweight champion looked finished early. Buckley, who has no high-level wrestling pedigree, scored two four-point throws in the opening period and had Woodley on the brink of a technical fall. Woodley's only answer in that stretch was a single step-out point, leaving him down 8-1 and needing a response fast.

He got one. Woodley, a two-time NCAA Division I All-American, reeled off 13 unanswered points over the final two periods. He picked up two step-outs and a four-point gut-wrench to cut the gap to 8-7 by the second period, then tied it with another step-out before countering a late Buckley attack with a four-point takedown to seal the win.

"I didn't lose my composure," Woodley said. "I said, 'Tyron, you're going to win tonight. You're going to win tonight. You're going to win tonight.' And I won!"

What This Win Means for Woodley

This was Woodley's first victory in any combat sport since he submitted Darren Till at UFC 228 in September 2018. In between, he dropped four straight fights inside the octagon, including his welterweight title loss to Kamaru Usman, then lost three straight boxing matches, two to Jake Paul and one to Anderson Silva. At 44, Woodley has spent nearly a decade searching for a signature win, and the Buckley comeback gives him something he hasn't had in years: momentum heading into a marquee assignment.

That assignment comes fast. Woodley is booked to wrestle former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of RAF Moscow on September 5, just two weeks after the Buckley fight.

Betting Angle

Woodley walking into a wrestling match with Khamzat Chimaev off two weeks' rest is a wildly different proposition than the eight-point hole he had to escape against Buckley. Chimaev is a decorated, physically dominant grappler in his athletic prime, and Woodley's comeback against Buckley showed grit and gas-tank more than it showed a wrestling edge over elite competition. Sportsbooks and bettors watching the RAF product should treat the Buckley result as proof of Woodley's competitiveness and conditioning rather than a signal he can hang with Chimaev's caliber of wrestler. Expect Chimaev to open as a firm favorite, with the real betting value likely sitting in round or point-total markets rather than the moneyline.

What's Next

Woodley now shifts focus to Chimaev on September 5 in Moscow, a fight that will tell a much clearer story about where the 44-year-old stands in this new freestyle wrestling venture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Tyron Woodley win his fight at RAF 12?

Yes, Tyron Woodley defeated Joaquin Buckley 14-8 at Real American Freestyle 12 on August 22, 2026, in Cleveland, rallying from an 8-1 deficit.

When was Tyron Woodley's last win before beating Joaquin Buckley?

Tyron Woodley's last win in any combat sport before beating Joaquin Buckley at RAF 12 was his submission of Darren Till at UFC 228 in September 2018.

Who does Tyron Woodley fight next after RAF 12?

Tyron Woodley is scheduled to wrestle former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of RAF Moscow on September 5, 2026.