What got me into MMA first was that I was a wrestler, and I was a gangbanger getting into trouble a lot and getting into fights. I grew up in a family of 15 in a four-bedroom house. It was dysfunctional, so that alone made me want to be an MMA fighter. It's really the only sport where you gotta basically depend on yourself.

Tyron Woodley

Categorized in : You Me Alone Family

Life isn't easy, life isn't fair, when you get your chance, make sure you take it.

Tyron Woodley

mma chance easy

I don't need to be in a comfortable spot to achieve greatness. I fight for it no matter what.

Tyron Woodley

mma greatness fighting

If the risk is high, the reward is high... Why not roll the dice?

Tyron Woodley

mma why-not risk

You can delay but you can't deny.

Tyron Woodley

mma delay deny

Growing up as a kid, in elementary and middle school, I was always getting in trouble. Always getting suspended. I got suspended for 90 days for fighting beginning my freshman year, so I missed Homecoming, and that's when I turned the page. I went on honor roll and had good grades after that. It was the changing point.

Tyron Woodley

beginning good fighting school

It can be a grind, training and fighting and waiting for your chance. But when that opportunity presents itself, you have to be ready because you never know if or when you'll get another shot.

Tyron Woodley

you training waiting opportunity

Nobody should be treated any type of way because of their color, their race, their gender, their socioeconomic status. We're all human.

Tyron Woodley

nobody gender color way

What's on my playlist when I'm fighting is not so much hip-hop. Sometimes, it's something more inspirational. I get a chance to think about what I'm fighting for, like, my family. It takes me to that state because a lot of times, it's a spiritual warfare for me.

Tyron Woodley

me family spiritual inspirational

There's some ignorant people in the world, and if I spend time trying to convince people to think like me, I'll be wasting valuable time I could use to be growing my business, perfecting my craft as a fighter, watching film, studying, or just enjoying time with my family. Or just sleeping.

Tyron Woodley

me family business time

I think a kid from the inner city, if I had to recruit, is the ideal person for MMA. They'd be less likely to be affected by hard work. They'd be less likely to not appreciate something when someone is helping them out, because they probably don't have a ton of stuff.

Tyron Woodley

city think hard-work work

If I'm straight outta shape for a fight, I might need 12 weeks or more to get in shape.

Tyron Woodley

need more get fight

I used to be in a street fight at least twice a week, so locking me in a cage with somebody, with a set of rules and a referee to jump in if something get ugly, and a time limit, like, it don't scare me.

Tyron Woodley

fight me ugly time

I think the fans are human, and they have their own mind. If someone doesn't like a person because of their skin color, it doesn't matter if you fight or you deliver mail; they're going to have that opinion.

Tyron Woodley

skin fight you mind

For me, it's just being wiser, finding my opportunities, and really fighting a smart fight.

Tyron Woodley

fight me smart fighting

Let's put the cards on the table. Real is real. If I was a different complexion, I think people and fans would treat me a different way.

Tyron Woodley

treat think me people

I don't want to be the dude that you just think about with a crazy suit, talking crap, fighting in these super fights and driving a Rolls-Royce.

Tyron Woodley

think you crazy fighting

I don't believe in ring rust. I used to believe in ring rust, but I talked to my buddy Dominic Cruz, who's a bantamweight, and he basically said it's a mindset. What you do in between in your time off determines how you're going to look when you come in there.

Tyron Woodley

look you time believe

When things get you in the corner, and it feels like you can't go on, you can fight back. You're never out of the fight.

Tyron Woodley

fight never back you

I've had five submissions in the first round. I have 3, 4, 5 knockouts. I've had decisions. I've had grinding fights.

Tyron Woodley

round decisions first five

I love playing Rick Ross' 'Port of Miami' album. Jeezy's 'Thug Motivation 101' is a classic in my opinion, and I still listen to that album to this day. I'm a big fan of OutKast, so pretty much any album they put out is great in my opinion, but I find myself listening to 'Aquemini' a lot. Anything Kendrick Lamar does is great.

Tyron Woodley

day great myself love