Tyron Woodley meets Joaquin Buckley in RAF debut in August

Tyron Woodley is stepping away from boxing to return to his wrestling roots. Real American Freestyle announced Wednesday that the former UFC welterweight champion will make his promotional debut at RAF 12 on August 22 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, facing UFC welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley.

Woodley, a two-time Division 1 All-American from Missouri, built his fighting foundation on wrestling before establishing himself as one of the UFC's elite 170-pounders. He captured the welterweight title and successfully defended it four times, but his reign ended when Kamaru Usman defeated him in 2019. The loss triggered a downward spiral that saw Woodley lose his next three UFC bouts before departing the promotion. He subsequently pursued professional boxing, compiling a 0-3 record in the sport.

His opponent, Buckley, is also a Missouri native with a wrestling background, though he did not compete at the college level. Buckley has already tasted competition in RAF, suffering a technical fall loss to former All-American Pat Downey at RAF 3. Despite that setback, Buckley has established himself as a capable MMA wrestler and remains a recognized contender in the UFC's welterweight division.

Raf 12 will mark a significant return for Woodley to the sport's wrestling-centric format, a natural fit given his amateur credentials. The card will also feature the RAF debut of legendary American wrestler Jordan Burroughs, adding another marquee name to the August event.