Tyron Woodley wins majority decision over Wonderboy in UFC 209 main event
Tyron Woodley wins majority decision over Wonderboy in UFC 209 main event
As they say, sequels usually fall flat from the original. That opinion held true tonight in the main event of UFC 209 at UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley rematched challenger Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson.
The first time these two men fought was in November in the co-main event at UFC 205. The fight went to a majority draw.
Tonight in the rematch Wonderboy maintained octagon control in the first two rounds which is really the only reason that would have awarded him the nod on points. The two were relatively equal in the strikes thrown/landed comparison. Nothing really decisive in the opening two rounds except for the octagon control.
In round three the champion came forth with a big take down, pinned the challenger’s arm behind his back, trapped his leg, and went to work with the strikes. Thompson did manage to fend off his back and work back up to his feet and finish the round strong but the third round could have very well been in favor of the champion.
Round four again did not show too much action, more of rounds one and two, but it appeared as if the challenger had stolen another round and that Woodley would have to impress in the fifth to retain.
In the fifth and final round, slow start, but then in the closing 30 seconds Woodley landed a big shot that knocked Thompson down, and it almost looked as if referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy was going to step in and call an end to the contest but Wonderboy was able to stay alive and the fight went to the scorecards.
The final tally was concluded a majority decision (48-47, 47-47, 48-47).
It is undeniably official now, Woodley retains the title, but after the first fight going to a draw, and the second fight going to an unbelievably close decision, is a third fight pending? Probably not, but with 10 full rounds in the books between the two, both going to scorecards, one indecisive, second really not decisive, who knows?
