Tyron Woodley and Colby Covington have history, but Woodley is not eager to recreate their MMA rivalry on a wrestling mat.
Ahead of his September 2026 RAF matchup with Khamzat Chimaev, Woodley explained that a Covington rematch was not high on his list of wrestling goals.
Woodley wants new challenges instead of old rivalries
Woodley’s position is largely about what he wants from this stage of competition. He has said he is more interested in testing himself against elite wrestlers and difficult new matchups than returning to a feud he already experienced in the UFC.
That mindset helped explain why he pursued Chimaev in Moscow. Chimaev brought a different style, a strong grappling reputation and the kind of challenge Woodley believes makes a crossover wrestling match meaningful.
His wrestling résumé shapes the opponents he wants
Woodley was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American at Missouri before he became a UFC champion. In recent interviews, he has referenced that background when discussing the kind of opponents he wants in RAF.
He has shown interest in facing accomplished wrestlers and high-level crossover athletes rather than simply recreating old UFC matchups. Names discussed around his comments have included elite competitors such as Jordan Burroughs and Arman Tsarukyan.
RAF has created a second competitive lane for former MMA champions
The promotion’s format has brought together wrestlers and MMA names in matchups that would rarely happen inside a cage. Woodley’s victory over Joaquin Buckley and subsequent match with Chimaev are examples of how his career can move in a different direction without pretending his UFC history never happened.
For Woodley, the question is not whether Covington is a familiar rival. It is whether another match would offer the kind of competitive challenge he wants during the final stretch of his athletic career.
Source: MMA Fighting interview with Tyron Woodley, September 3, 2026.