Tyron Woodley stands by Din Thomas, reveals plans to return to MMA and make one ‘last run’ in his career

Tyron Woodley has doubled down on his support for longtime coach Din Thomas amid public criticism over Thomas's timing in announcing his retirement from cornering fighters immediately after Gillian Robertson's loss at UFC 330. UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland called Thomas a "shit coach" on social media, prompting Woodley to defend his coach privately—a message Strickland then shared publicly, escalating the dispute.

Woodley told MMA Fighting that while he caught himself in the back-and-forth, he refuses to apologize for standing by someone who has always had his back. He acknowledged that Thomas's announcement may have been poorly timed and stole Robertson's moment, but emphasized that everyone has freedom of speech in the United States. Woodley noted that Robertson competed well and can improve upon the loss, and that MMA's unpredictability means future outcomes are uncertain for both fighters. Though he initially went hard at Thomas's critics, Woodley realized he was being hypocritical by attacking people for exercising the same right to speak their minds that he was defending in Thomas.

The relationship between Woodley and Thomas dates back to their time together at American Top Team in Florida. Woodley described Thomas as "one of the most beautiful minds in the sport" and made clear his loyalty runs deep—he vowed to defend his coach physically if necessary.

Meanwhile, Woodley is shifting his focus back to MMA after spending time in boxing and wrestling. At 44, he knows his window is closing and wants to make "one last run" in his career. He revealed discussions with Bellator's Scott Coker, consultant work with Nakisa Bidarian, and interest in the upcoming GFL promotion. Woodley is scheduled for wrestling matches in RAF, including a bout against Joaquin Buckley this Saturday and a showdown with Khamzat Chimaev in Russia. He aims to return to MMA competition this year, though he acknowledged the emotional weight of returning without his late head coach Duke Roufus, who passed away in 2025, and potentially without Thomas in his corner. At this stage of his career, Woodley sees this final chapter as a chance to remind the fighting world of his legacy.