Firas Zahabi Claims Tyron Woodley Is Adding ‘A New Dimension To His Game’
Ahead of his eventual return to mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley has been working with Firas Zahabi at Tristar gym.
Speaking with MMA Junkie, Zahabi detailed his work with “The Chosen One,” who he teases is adding “a new dimension to his game” after suffering a lopsided unanimous decision loss to Kamaru Usman earlier this year – losing the welterweight title.
“When you’re champion for a long time, people are getting to know your style,” Zahabi said. “I think what happens is everyone is always watching the No. 1 guy, the champion, so they start figuring him out. Not as many people are watching the guy who is No. 10 or No. 15 or No. 4. They’re all watching the No. 1 guy. So the No. 1 guy has to keep reinventing himself.
“With Tyron, we’re going to try to add a new wrinkle that nobody knows so that, when he goes back in there, he’ll be at the same level, of course, but he’ll have new tricks in his bag, new surprises for his opponents. Things that he’s comfortable doing that’ll work and they’re going to have to figure him out on fight night, not before fight night because he’s going to be having a new wrinkle, a new dimension to his game.”
Woodley had a six-fight win streak snapped when he lost to Usman earlier this year. He won the welterweight title back in 2016 after knocking out Robbie Lawler in the first round. After three successful title defenses, Woodley dropped the strap to Usman, who he hopes to rematch down the road to prove he’s truly the better of the pair.
Of course, he’ll have to wait for his shot, as Colby Covington will take on “The Nigerian Nightmare” next in the main event of UFC 245 this December.
What do you think about Zahabi claiming that Woodley is adding a new dimension to his game? Who do you want to see Woodley face upon his return to the Octagon?
