UFC 171’s Tyron Woodley baffled by injury reaction, answers Joe Rogan’s criticism

After securing the biggest victory of his career at UFC 171 this past Saturday, Tyron Woodley isn’t going to allow any naysayers to bring him down from his perch on cloud nine.

While some feel his second-round TKO victory over Carlos Condit in Saturday’s pay-per-view co-main event at Dallas’ American Airlines Center was mostly a product of “The Natural Born Killer” suffering a knee injury, Woodley wants to put that line of thinking in perspective.

Sure, Condit’s (29-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) night was cut short due to what his coach told MMAjunkie could be ligament and meniscus damage in the knee. But Woodley (13-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is quick to remind fans that a whole lot happened in the fight before that point, and he was getting the best of the action.

“Lots of people fail to realize we were seven minutes into the fight, and I believe I won seven minutes of the fight,” Woodley today told MMAjunkie Radio. “They’re like, ‘Oh, it was a freak accident.’ A freak accident is someone who slips on a banana peel and tears their meniscus or whatever happens. But that was from an offensive attack – my wrestling takedown. A well-timed double leg.”

Woodley then pointed to other recent situations.

“It’s unfortunate for his injury,” Woodley said. “But if I punch someone in the face and break their jaw – or Anthony Pettis kicks Donald Cerrone in the ribs and he can’t continue – (it’s not much different). I was winning the fight, and I forced the injury. Like Chris Weidman checking the kick [against Anderson Silva].”

Although some critics believe “The Chosen One” was beginning to fade as the second round wore on, Woodley insists he would have continued to dominate the fight even if the injury never occurred. UFC color commentator Joe Rogan even jumped on that line of thinking, saying that Woodley’s muscular frame could’ve negatively affected his cardio if the bout hit a third round.

Woodley was made aware of Rogan’s on-air comments once he got a chance to watch the fight.

“I really wish [Rogan] would just quit making reference to guys who are built with a certain muscular structure that might fatigue,” Woodley said. “I train way too hard and I put myself through hell for anybody to ever reference me in the sense that I have bad cardio or I might deflate because I have so much muscle. I have muscle because I train, because I was born genetically gifted from God.”

Despite the criticisms, the 31-year-old is directing his attention to the positives – one of which is the fact he never felt threatened against the former UFC interim champion and longtime WEC titleholder.

“I hit him with some of the hardest bombs he’s probably ever been hit with,” Woodley said. “He tried to submit me, and I flicked him off like a booger. I just think that I was showing dominance in the fight.

“When I hit him, he was like, ‘What the F just hit me?’ And I was like, ‘How the hell are you still standing up?’ I hit him so hard, probably one of the hardest punches I’ve landed on someone. I think 80, 85 percent of the rest of the world – except him and Roy Nelson – would have been completely laid out flat.”

Woodley has maintained before and after the fight that a victory over Condit – regardless of its nature – should be enough to get him the first crack at newly minted UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks.

He still firmly believes that, and while others may try to use Condit’s injury as an excuse for his loss, Woodley stands behind his performance and wants his chance to challenge for UFC gold as soon as possible.

“I just think it’s hilarious how the fans and some of the media try to diminish a great moment for me, and I just won’t allow it,” Woodley said. “Carlos Condit’s the No. 2 guy in the world. I took him on when nobody else would. I went out there to win, I was winning the fight, I was going to take it up to the next level, and I just think I should be in line for the next world title shot.”

For the latest on UFC 171, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

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