Tyron Woodley takes on a somewhat reinvented Dong Hyun Kim this Saturday, with the Korean recently showcasing a wilder and more open fighting style that has resulted in two brutal highlight reel knockouts. While people talk about Kim's new found aggressiveness being tailored to garner a more 'fan friendly' style, Woodley says he believes it's just a natural evolution of his game.
"I don't think it's his new style," Woodley retorted as he spoke to BloodyElbow.com, "I think fighters in general just have to be comfortable. He might have known how to strike three, four, or five years ago. Sometimes it just takes maturity and experience in the sport to know when to do it, how to bring it out, and who to bring it out against."
"I think he's just growing into his own," he says, firm in his belief that the Korean is simply hitting his stride.
"I'm always up to fight guys who are at their peak, because I feel that's where I'm at. Those are the more meaningful wins to me. I think he's going to come out and show some new tricks, and I'm going to do the same."
Kim has stated that he's simply going to follow the same striking game plan against a guy like Woodley, but whether or not it pushes through come fight time, the 32-year-old wrestler is up for the task.
"I think it's going to be all the same (whether he strikes with me or tries to take me down). I didn't come here thinking it was going to be an easy fight," he said. "There are no easy fights in the welterweight division. I'm a top 5 welterweight in the world, and I've got to prove that every time."
"I believe he's a top 5 welterweight too, I think politically, and that some people just aren't aware of his record and resume and who he has beat," Woodley argues, "I think he's much more deserving to be in the top 5 than some others, and I don't think he's a 10th ranked welterweight."
"I think he should be above Matt Brown being that he beat him," he said. "He beat freaking Nate Diaz, he beat T.J. Grant, he beat Erick Silva. I think he's a top 5 welterweight and I believe this will be 2 guys fighting at a very high level."
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Woodley has received some criticism in the past, with Joe Rogan, along with other fans suggesting that having too much muscle weight would be bad for his cardio. For the most part, Woodley shrugs off the 'ridiculous' claims.
"I think it's funny, I just disregard it," he says, "I actually think it's disrespectful because if they ever come in a day in a life of what I do to train, I actually do more to be able to explode and run through guys and give you guys these great knockouts that you want to see. I got to train that, and I got to train the traditional cardio with three to six mile runs, and jump rope, and the more aerobic (workouts), and I do those other stuff in addition."
"I think it's kinda silly," he continues. "I think what he was saying was factual, that it actually takes a little bit more oxygen to fill up these muscles, and I think the media and the fans just took it to the left wing. Me and the category of 'poor cardio' don't even go together if you watch me train."
"I'm usually between 190 and 195, and I usually weigh between 185 too 190 when I fight. I don't fluctuate very much. I get the water weight down, and right back up," Woodley states about his weight, "I'm a little leaner this time too, not by purpose, but just by travelling and I haven't had access to my usual strength and conditioning coach."
"So I'm more leaner and let's see if it has an effect on Saturday."
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