'The best fighter is the best athlete': Tyron Woodley shares his outlook on the future of MMA
Mixed martial arts has come a long way from its origins of pitting combatants from single disciplines in a cage to find out who reigns supreme. Almost 30 years since UFC 1, it now behooves fighters to possess an all-around skillset by training multiple disciplines. Still, success can be found in the cage relying on a specialty discipline and technique.
As MMA continues to evolve, former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley sees that changing.
“The best fighter is the best athlete,” Woodley told MMA Junkie. “That is gonna become the case.”
MMA is rich in history with brawlers and fighters willing to just stand and trade punches. The sport also had seen its fair share of notable champions who specialize in one discipline – Brazilian jiu-jitsu especially. Top-level athletes haven’t always been abundant, but that seems to be changing.
Woodley, 39, served as modern-day example of a top-level athlete who found success in the cage. An All-American wrestler out of the University of Missouri, “The Chosen One” often was praised for his natural athletic ability – speed, quickness and power – which led to a standout MMA career in which he won the UFC welterweight title and defended it three times.
Woodley explained why fans should expect more versions of himself in the years to come.
“The best athlete has a better chance to have a more explosive workout when it comes down to dynamic striking, motions, movement,” Woodley said. “They’re gonna be more able to switch it up, use their legs, use their hands, they’re gonna be more flexible, they’re gonna have the ability to suppress more. The old school, barnburner fighter that literally just had a strong chin and wouldn’t care and was tired and, you know what I mean, just would keep going? We love watching those fights, but the athlete is gonna (tag him) and get out, and it won’t even be close. He won’t even get a chance to touch him and will be swinging out of desperation.”
He continued, “Think about it: The highlight-reel knockouts and explosive knockouts are from athletes. You look at the guys that are the champions, they’re athletes. And I’m not saying there won’t be a place for guys that may not be as athletic, but the mindset of an athlete is repetition. Repetition is how you build habit. If you do that over and over again, and you’re more athletic, you’ve got more opportunities. Because people wanna work with athletes.