UFC Champ Tyron Woodley Announces Stephen Thompson Rematch for UFC 209 on March 4

After 25 minutes of drama at UFC 205 in November and a subsequent two months of public and social media bluster, Ultimate Fighting Championship 170-pound king Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson are going to run it back.

Monday, on his podcast “The Morning Wood Show with Deez Nuts” which he co-hosts with UFC veteran Din Thomas, Woodley revealed that he would make the second defense of his welterweight title in a rematch with Thompson at UFC 209 on March 4 in Las Vegas.

Woodley earned the UFC welterweight title with a scintillating knockout of Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 in Atlanta this past July. In his first defense at the UFC's Madison Square Garden debut at UFC 205, he defended the title for the first time against “Wonderboy” in a back-and-forth championship bou. Despite especially dominant first and fourth rounds, Woodley had to settle for a majority draw in his first defense.

Judges Derek Cleary and Doug Crosby both turned in 47-47 scorecards, with Crosby giving Woodley a 10-8 round one, and Cleary giving “T-Wood” a 10-8 in the fourth round. Third judge Glenn Trowbridge gave no 10-8 rounds, but wound up with a 48-47 scorecard, giving the champ the first, third and fourth rounds.

Following the contest, Woodley and Thompson traded regular shots in the media as Woodley publicly expressed interest in bouts with UFC middleweight champ Michael Bisping and welterweight contender Demain Maia. Sunday, Thompson tweeted out a picture of a UFC bout agreement for a contest between he and Woodley, with his own signature.

UFC 209 will also feature a heavyweight rematch between Alistair Overeem and Mark Hunt, a featherweight clash between Mirsad Bektic and Darren Elkins and the return of lightweight prospect Lando Vannata, who faces David Teymur.