Coach Duke Roufus discusses Tyron Woodley’s road back to the welterweight title

Tyron Woodley is no longer the UFC welterweight champion. After four title defenses, he was dethroned by Kamaru Usman at UFC 235.

While this was a tough outcome for the former champion, his coach, Duke Roufus, is optimistic it’s a setback they can rebound from. He’s helped other fighters do so in the past. He’s even done so himself.

“Just licking some wounds and picking up the pieces from Mr. Woodley’s loss. But that’s what this thing is all about. You’ve got to be a great loser as a great winner, as well,” Roufus said on MMAjunkie Radio. “Tough night for Tyron, but here’s the thing: What I got going for me, I was a world champion that’s been defeated and had bad nights. My older brother was a 10-time world champion, been defeated, had bad nights. And I’ve done it with other fighters. I think I have a lot of experience bouncing back from these things, and that’s just what I’m optimistic about.”

Since his loss to Kamaru Usman, Tyron Woodley has been hopeful that he’ll be granted an immediate rematch on the basis of his accomplishments as a long-time UFC champion. Roufus, however, understands that they might have to take a different course.

“We all know how the UFC feels about Tyron, and here’s the thing: I’m friends with everybody,” he said. “I love Tyron, I love them, I get a long with everyone. That’s between them. I’m always going to stand with my fighter, but I understand what they want him to do. [If] we have to go stretch and choke out two or three people, and get a title shot. That’s it. That’s just the formula he’s going to have to do – come in, take out someone and get some big performances. That’s just part of it sometimes. … I understand you don’t get an automatic rematch all the time.”

What do you think the future holds for Tyron Woodley after his title loss to Kamaru Usman?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 3/11/2019.