Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley is heading back to his wrestling roots.
Real American Freestyle (RAF) announced on Wednesday that Woodley will make his promotional debut at RAF 12 on August 22, where he is scheduled to face UFC welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley.
The matchup marks Woodley’s first appearance in the promotion and his return to competitive wrestling after building a successful career in mixed martial arts.
Before becoming a UFC champion, Woodley was one of the top collegiate wrestlers in the United States.
Competing for the University of Missouri, he earned Division I All-American honors twice and established himself as one of the country’s top prospects before transitioning to MMA.
That decision ultimately led to tremendous success inside the cage.
Woodley captured the UFC welterweight title in 2016 and successfully defended it four times before losing the belt to Kamaru Usman in 2019.
Following the defeat, Woodley endured a difficult stretch in his MMA career, dropping his next three UFC appearances before parting ways with the promotion.
He later transitioned into professional boxing, where he compiled an 0-3 record, including two fights against Jake Paul.
Now, Woodley will return to the sport that laid the foundation for his fighting career.
Standing across from him will be another Missouri native in Joaquin Buckley.
Although Buckley never competed at the collegiate level, he developed strong wrestling skills throughout his MMA career and has already tested himself under the RAF ruleset.
Buckley made his RAF debut earlier this year at RAF 3, where he faced former NCAA All-American Pat Downey.
Despite a competitive effort, Buckley ultimately suffered a technical fall defeat.
The matchup against Woodley presents another opportunity for Buckley to prove himself against an accomplished wrestler, while Woodley will look to show that his collegiate pedigree remains intact years after stepping away from the mats.
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