Woodley defends coach Din Thomas and plots MMA return for one last run

Tyron Woodley has thrown his full support behind longtime coach Din Thomas amid the fallout from UFC 330, while also confirming plans to return to MMA competition for what he calls one last run.

Thomas drew widespread criticism after announcing his retirement from cornering fighters moments after watching Gillian Robertson suffer a lopsided decision loss to Mackenzie Dern in the UFC 330 co-main event. Thomas later apologised for the timing, calling his own actions “despicable”, but that did not prevent UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland from labelling him a “shit coach” on social media. Woodley responded via private message to Strickland, which Strickland then posted publicly, escalating the dispute further.

Woodley acknowledged that his instinct to defend Thomas may have got the better of him, but he was unapologetic about standing up for someone he considers a genuine ally.

“He’s my guy for real,” Woodley said. “I had to catch myself because I was going at it with people, I’m like what am I doing Tyron? I can’t be a hypocrite.”

Woodley noted the contradiction in attacking others for voicing their opinions while simultaneously defending Thomas’s right to do the same. “I’m saying he has a freedom to say whatever he wants to say, when he wants to say it,” he said. “I can’t be going at these people.”

On Robertson’s performance, Woodley was measured in his assessment, arguing the loss carried no shame. “I didn’t think that her losing to Mackenzie was anything to look down upon,” he said. “That girl is strong, she’s a great striker, she’s a great jiu-jitsu player. She can come back and do better.”

Beyond the Thomas controversy, the former UFC welterweight champion confirmed he has not closed the door on his fighting career, stating he intends to make one final competitive run in MMA in 2025. Woodley has not fought in the UFC since 2021 and most recently competed in a boxing match against Jake Paul.