Former UFC welterweight stars Dan Hardy and Tyron Woodley have begun an unexpected rivalry that’s led to a direct message confrontation from “T-Wood.”
Former UFC 170-pound champion Tyron Woodley hasn’t had a great last two years in the combat sports realm. He lost four straight fights in the Octagon, including his title. He disappointed in his professional boxing debut, when he lost to YouTube sensation turned fighter Jake Paul by split-decision in August, and now has a tattoo on his finger proclaiming his “love” for the younger Paul brother.
Although he did bank one of the best paydays of his fighting career in his last bout, it seems that the criticisms about his performance from some have gotten under his skin. And in the case of Hardy’s recent thoughts on how he looked last month, the 39-year-old Woodley felt the need to go directly to the source and let “The Outlaw” know he isn’t a fan of his critiques.
Dan Hardy and Tyron Woodley exchange un-pleasantries in DMS
“Keep my name out of your mouth,” Woodley wrote in a screenshot from the exchange posted on the Submission Radio Twitter page. “You stay smiling in my face and the quickest to talk sh*t behind cameras and keyboard.”
Hardy, also 39 and not one to stand by silently, had a retort to the “laughable” comments from “The Chosen One.”
“Mate, I’d talk sh*t to your face. You talk a big game and then sh*t the bed,” said Hardy. “You stood and stared at the kid for eight rounds and then call for an immediate rematch. Laughable.”
Woodley followed up the banter by taunting the Englishman for never winning UFC gold — he challenged Georges St-Pierre for the belt in 2010 — and called him a “mosquito” whose acclaimed MMA commentary has allowed him to taste a little “greatness” in the industry. The Missouri-native then called the UFC veteran a washed-up fighter that would get a special gift from him for Christmas.
“You washed. I’ll mail you a dryer for Christmas. Be well mate. You been trying to tell me how to behave at the top for ages. I’ll add a signed t-shirt too,” Woodley said.
In the end, Hardy chose to take a somewhat higher road in the conversation but still dug in with one final verbal body shot when he said: “You’re jokes mate. Good luck with the rematch. Try and hit him this time.”
Hardy has not fought since being diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome nine years ago. However, he has hinted a return to the cage is a possibility. However, with his run as an employee in the UFC coming to an end earlier this year, it is unclear if a fight outside of the Octagon would be enough to pull the former welterweight star back into the fight game as a competitor.
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