Tyron Woodley has made it clear that he does not view his fighting career as finished.
In August 2026, the former UFC welterweight champion said he was discussing opportunities to compete in MMA again and described this stage of his career as one final run. The comments came as Woodley prepared to return to his wrestling roots in Real American Freestyle.
Woodley never stopped thinking about MMA
Woodley’s last MMA appearance came in 2021, after which he moved into boxing and other projects. But he has repeatedly said he never formally closed the MMA chapter. During interviews in 2026, he pointed to conversations around several organizations and said fans could potentially see him compete in MMA again before the end of the year.
At the same time, Woodley has been realistic about what a return requires. Building a full camp again means assembling coaches, training partners and the support structure needed for MMA rather than preparing for a single-discipline wrestling match.
RAF became the first step back into competition
Woodley returned to competitive wrestling at RAF 12 against Joaquin Buckley. After falling behind 8-0, he rallied to win 14-8. He then traveled to Moscow to face Khamzat Chimaev.
Those matches put Woodley back into live competition after years in which most of his combat-sports attention had centered on boxing. They also allowed him to lean on the wrestling base that helped carry him from the University of Missouri to Strikeforce and eventually the UFC championship.
A different version of the final chapter
Woodley has spoken openly about lessons from the latter part of his UFC run and about approaching this stage of his career differently. Rather than treating every opportunity as a simple comeback, he has described the period as a chance to remind fans what made him one of the top welterweights of his generation.
Whether the next MMA appearance ultimately happens in 2026 or later, Woodley’s recent competition makes one point clear: he is still actively testing himself, training and looking for meaningful opportunities.
Sources: MMA Fighting interview with Tyron Woodley, August 19, 2026; MMA Junkie Radio reporting, August 2026; RAF 12 results.