Tyron Woodley Wants Reunions, Not With Kamaru Usman

Tyron Woodley is planning reunion sit-downs with several of his former opponents, but Kamaru Usman is the one name he's leaving off the guest list.

Woodley laid out the idea on Bowks Talking Bouts, explaining that he wants to build a series of content around former UFC welterweights breaking down their old fights together. He said he's already doing this with Dong Hyun Kim and wants to bring Carlos Condit into it too, saying he and Kim "both want to do something where we get Carlos Condit out to Korea" to talk through their fights and what they thought about each other heading into fight week. He named Stephen Thompson as another target, noting a planned sit-down in London never happened because their filming schedules on a separate project kept them apart.

Robbie Lawler, the man who took the welterweight title off Woodley in 2016, sits at the top of that list despite the two having gone silent since their fight. Woodley admitted he hasn't spoken to Lawler since they fought, saying "I'm gonna reach out to him today," and added, "I was a big fan of Robbie. I love Robbie. My family love Robbie. I had to go and fight him, man." He said the title fight was simply a job he had to do, not anything personal.

Why Woodley Is Skipping a Usman Reunion

Usman is the fighter Woodley beat to win UFC gold in 2019, and on paper that history should make for the same kind of nostalgic content Woodley is chasing with Lawler and Thompson. Instead, Woodley made clear the door isn't fully open. "I don't speak much to Usman and I feel like, I don't know, maybe not Usman," he said, before adding that Usman "did some goofy things outside of the fighting thing that I don't really mess with." Woodley didn't specify what those things were, but the framing points to something outside the cage rather than any leftover tension from their 2019 title fight.

The contrast in tone is hard to miss. Woodley talks about Lawler and Thompson with real affection and unfinished business, even floating that Lawler owes him the same kind of outreach he's extending to others. With Usman, the language shifts fast, from open invitation to a flat no.

What This Means for Woodley's Content Plans

Woodley is building a media presence around nostalgia and mutual respect among former rivals, and the Condit and Kim project fits neatly into that lane. Reunion-style breakdowns between old opponents have become a reliable draw in retired-fighter media, giving fans a look back at fights and rivalries from years ago with the benefit of hindsight. A sit-down with Usman would carry extra weight given the title implications of their history, but Woodley's comments make clear that particular pairing isn't happening anytime soon.

There's no fight or booking attached to any of this, so there's nothing for the betting markets to price in. The takeaway is purely about where Woodley's relationships with his old rivals stand today, and it's clear Usman remains the outlier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't Tyron Woodley want a reunion with Kamaru Usman?

Tyron Woodley said Kamaru Usman did unspecified things outside of fighting that he doesn't mess with, making him hesitant to reconnect the way he plans to with other former opponents.

Which former opponents does Tyron Woodley want to reunite with?

Tyron Woodley named Dong Hyun Kim, Carlos Condit, Stephen Thompson, and Robbie Lawler as former opponents he wants to sit down and talk fights with.

Did Tyron Woodley beat Kamaru Usman or lose to him?

Tyron Woodley beat Kamaru Usman to win the UFC welterweight title in 2019, before Usman reclaimed the belt from him in their rematch.