Tyron Woodley Says He Will Only Face Darren Till at UFC 228

– Tyron Woodley is only willing to face Darren Till at UFC 228 and won’t accept a fight with Kamaru Usman if Till can’t make weight. Yoiu can see highlights from his interview below at a media luncheon, per MMAjunkie:

On his fight at UFC 228: “It’s Till or no fight at all. I don’t even know why they did that [make Usman a backup plan].”

On if he would fight Usman otherwise: “Would I fight Usman? Yeah, I would fight Usman. I would fight Usman on a full training camp. I’ll fight anybody on a full training camp. But I’m not that guy. This is not a circus to me. You’re not going to have me prepare for a 6-(foot)-3 striker southpaw, and then 24 hours before the fight, because this (expletive) missed weight and he’s unprofessional, now I’ve got to fight a 5-10 switch-stance wrestler. No – you’re not going to waste my time. You’re not going to waste my money that I forked into training camps. You’re not going to add this one crazy variable and make me feel like I’m the punk, or I’m the pansy, for not taking the fight. No. It’s not going to happen. So if he’s making money for making weight, congratulations. You got a couple of free bags. But when it comes down to the fight, Sept. 8, I’m fighting Darren Till. If he makes weight, he makes weight. If he doesn’t make weight, it’s not going to mentally disturb me.”

On the downfall of the replacement fight: “How many times in the NCAA basketball tournament, or the NBA Playoffs, you see, ‘OK, you know what, Golden State can’t make it in – Cleveland, you’re back in the game.’ You want us to be respected as a sport? You want us to be showcased with the other professional sports? Let’s start being professional again. It’s not bingo. 176 (pounds) today! It’s 170. If you can’t make it, move up (to middleweight).”

On Till’s weight cut: “His body is going to be the body that’s beat up from cutting all that weight. He’s probably not doing it the right way. If anything, it’s going to be to my benefit that he doesn’t make weight.”