Tyron Woodley may well be the welterweight champion when he makes his way to the Octagon in the co-main event of UFC 205 – but that doesn’t make him the favourite.
As was the case when he took the belt from Robbie Lawler with a sensational first-round knockout at UFC 201, the 34-year-old is the underdog as he faces top contender Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson.
The challenger is riding a seven-fight win streak, which includes the scalps of former champ Johny Hendricks and Rory MacDonald, and is widely regarded as the best striker in MMA having entered the sport with a kickboxing record as clean as his persona (57-0.) Indeed, many have been quick to write off Woodley’s chances, but the champion, who needed the towel but weighed in at 169.8lbs with Thompson tipping the scales 169lbs, is relishing playing a familiar role.
“I like being the underdog,” Woodley said ahead of the clash. “I think my last five or six fights I’ve been the underdog, and I’ve only lost one. In general, statistically showing, I do well as the underdog.
“Thompson will be knocked out stiff at UFC 205. I will have the most memorable performance on the card.”
Thompson, though, would agree with the notion he is the favourite heading into the clash and the 33-year-old expects to exit the
Octagon with the 170lbs belt in toe.
“Every time I visualise this fight (and) I don’t like to make predictions; I will go five rounds, but every time I visualise this fight I get the belt wrapped around my waist and get my hand raised,” Thompson said.
One champion who will be a heavy favourite in Madison Square Garden, though, is Joanna Jedrzejczyk (114.4lbs). The undefeated women’s strawweight queen faces Polish compatriot Karolina Kowalkiewicz (114.4lbs) as she looks to make a fourth defence of her crown.
Jedrzejczyk, the pound-for-pound best female MMA fighter on the planet, relocated to Florida in preparation for the bout as she switched training camps to join the renowned American Top Team.
However, she doesn’t anticipate the shake-up will have any side effects come tomorrow.
“I feel a better fighter,” she said. “I’m very happy, I’ve done an amazing job with American Top Team. I feel really good.
“My mind is open, I feel free, coming there was the best decision of my life and I hope I’m going to prove that against Karolina.”
Familiar foe: Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
Elsewhere, hometown favourite Chris Weidman (185.8lbs) meets Yoel Romero (185.6lbs) in a middleweight clash with title implications.
Former champ Weidman is fighting for the first time since he surrendered the belt to Luke Rockhold last December – who then lost it to current title holder Michael Bisping – having undergone neck surgery. Romero has had the same time away from the Octagon but due to a failed drugs test which saw him banned for six months.