What you need to know between Woodly Vs Paul

The Jake Paul vs. MMA phenomenon (but … in a boxing match) will continue this Sunday, as the popular YouTube star takes on former UFC champion Tyron Woodley on a Showtime PPV.

There are many unanswered questions about the force Paul (3-0, 3 KOs) has become in combat sports. The fact that his upcoming fight against Woodley, 39, airs on Showtime PPV, a well-established network in the fight space, is certainly interesting. What is the long-term appeal of these fights? And how might they affect the industry, especially if more active pro fighters want a piece of the action?

Of course, there’s also the tantalizing question of: how good a fighter is Jake Paul, really?

For now, though, let’s focus on some of the questions we can already answer. And many of those center on Woodley – who is he, what has he done, where is he in his career to take this fight? And, most pertinently, can he box?

Here’s what you need to know about Paul’s next opponent.

Woodley is one of the best welterweights of all time …

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Legitimately, one of the all-time greats. In fact, ESPN ranked the best welterweights in mixed martial arts history, and Woodley came in at No. 4. He fought for a Strikeforce championship just three years into his pro career in 2012, won a UFC title in 2016 and defended it four times before losing to another all-time great, Kamaru Usman, in 2019. Woodley is true and decorated when it comes to welterweight in MMA.

But he hasn’t always received credit for that

And that bothers him. Woodley has long believed he never received enough credit (or compensation) for his accomplishments in MMA, which has resulted in him carrying a chip on his shoulder.

Much of that stems from the fact that when he was champion, UFC president Dana White was highly critical of some of his performances. Ultimately, Woodley had a hard time rallying the UFC fan base in his favor, and the unfortunate reality of combat sports is that when you’re not a fan favorite, you run the risk of being underestimated. Woodley was probably a victim of that.

And his frustration, disappointment, bitterness, however you want to phrase it, around that aspect of his MMA career is noteworthy at this point, because …

Woodley is definitely taking a risk, in terms of legacy, by accepting this fight.