Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley says he is willing to face Colby Covington next but told ESPN that the current date proposed doesn’t work for him.
“My answer to whether I would fight Colby is eternally yes,” Woodley wrote via text message. “At 96 years old in a nursing home it’s yes! He said no six times and now creates a date that works for him? F— out of here.”
Woodley was responding to an Instagram post by Covington, who posted a picture of a bout agreement for the main event of UFC Fight Night on Aug. 22. Covington insinuated that the fight was not happening anymore because Woodley “pulled out.”
“I literally treated it like every other bluff and told them quit contacting me until this b—- signed a bout agreement,” Woodley said via text. “Never thought he would sign. September/October, I’ll get around to exterminating that roach. Let me call the UFC and see what’s crackin.”
Both fighters have been entangled in a bitter feud since 2017. UFC has tried to book the matchup several times, but it has always fallen through for various reasons.
Sources said UFC wants to see the fight come to fruition sooner rather than later, but it’s unclear at this time whether it will wait for Woodley or attempt to book Covington versus someone else on Aug. 22, a card that doesn’t have a main event yet.
Woodley (19-5-1) most recently fought on May 30, when he lost a unanimous decision to Gilbert Burns.
Covington (15-2) hasn’t fought since he lost to Kamaru Usman in a UFC welterweight title fight in December.
“He declined fights since [for two years]. He’s lucky I’m still entertaining it.”