The doubters have been proved correct, albeit it took nearly five-years to do so, however after back-to-back losses at Welterweight, what awaits The Chosen One?
Casting minds back to September 2018 and the belief that Tyron Woodley's days as ruler of the 170lbs division were as fresh as ever, however, the then 35-year-old managed to silence skeptics and retain his dominance.
Now 630 days later and following back-to-back heavy defeats the once unshakable champion has become a fighter with little way back to their throne - despite 1600 days holding gold, The Chosen One may be entering the twilight of his career in Mixed Martial Arts.
Nontheless, while a title shot looks to be out of the question with Jorge Masvidal, Leon Edwards and now Gilburt Burns ahead of him, the landscape for Woodley may be more interesting than ever.
A composed outlook following defeat, and a well deserved rest following a hard camp, Woodley will likely contemplate his future over the next few days and weeks, and while he remained upbeat following his loss many will wonder just what comes next?
Colby Covington
The rivalry between the pair has stemmed from controversial comments that Covington has utilised to improve his persona outside of the octagon and while it has improved his personality as a fighter it has attracted a fair few enemies - such as Woodley.
Colby has called out the former Champion on many occasions, going back years, even referencing their old training sessions and claiming he would also "break" him inside the octagon should they ever meet, the closest a bout agreement between the pair ever came was this Spring.
Following the postponement of The Chosen One's bout with Edwards in March, Colby was a name highly speculated to take the short notice opportunity against his long time rival, although it remained just that, with no culmination following social media back and forth.
Gilburt Burns threw his name in the hat and ultimate won the prize of Woodley, but while their pairing could not be made in such short notice - it is possible that the two could see each other down the road with a crowd likely required for their huge showdown.
Robbie Lawler
A coming out fight for The Chosen One, one that many expected him to lose - however he stunned the world to dethrone 'Ruthless' Robbie Lawler via KO in the first round, all the way back in July 2016, a rematch in 2020 was delayed following an injury to the #12 ranked Welterweight.
Both men are 38-years-old, and at a crossroads in their careers, regardless of meaning, the significant pairing of the two would draw huge excitement for the pair each coming from back-to-back losses.
As of now, the extent of Lawler's injury is unknown but it is possible the two former foes could run it back in September or later which would be nearly 1500 later and with little at stake, the main question becomes - why not?
Middleweight
Despite fighting much of his MMA career as a 170lbs fighter, Woodley started his fighting life as a middleweight before finding his home in the welterweight division.
While he has looked comfortable, against many of his opponents a string of losses could prompt T-Wood to look at ways to keep him in the eyes of his fans and a move to 180lbs may just be the key for him for a number of top prospects available.
The 38-year-old shared a dream list of opponents on social media, with current Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya on the list, while Khabib Nurmagomedov also features, Woodley himself has put to bed any hint of a drop down to lightweight explaining he could not shed that much weight.
Yoel Romero may serve as a source of inspiration for the Roufus Sport competitor as despite being 43-years-old he recently squared off against his desired opponent Israel in March, so while 40-years-old may seem like a lifetime away a win against a ranked opponent at 180lbs could see him entire the title picture pretty quick.
Retirement
Father time conquers all careers, and while Woodley has proven time and time again why you should never count him out, his recent losses may be too big a mountain to climb.
Losing to a well respected champion such as Kamaru Usman in dominant fashion was a tough pill to swallow for the veteran, and a second loss just as assertive may give the former Strikeforce fighter something to think about during his time off.
Few can claim to be a champion in the top division of sport, and even less are able to hold onto a title for years at a time, there is very little left for Woodley to prove with many opportunities awaiting him outside of the octagon.
The former two-time All American is a father to four children and has made a name for himself via TMZ in a weekly web show called The Hollywood Beatdown, and despite training for much of his life, he has managed to release an album called Chaos Theory.
So, what do you think should be the next step for The Chosen One?
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