Earlier this year, after he lost a split decision in his boxing match against Jake Paul, Tyron Woodley was given a choice. He could get the “I love Jake Paul” tattoo he had agreed to in a pre-fight bet with Paul, and in so doing he could earn a rematch with Paul, or he could refuse and Paul would move on. Ultimately, “The Chosen One” got his ink only to have Paul opt for a fight with Tommy Fury instead while the MMA world lamented Woodley’s decision to cave to the YouTubers demands. Well, it appears that it’s Woodley who will be having the last laugh after all.

On Monday, Fury was forced out of his Dec. 18th boxing match with Paul and now Woodley will be stepping in to take his place on short notice. It’s another opportunity for Woodley to secure a big payday in his post-UFC career and it’s one that has Daniel Cormier, one of the most vocal opponents to Woodley getting the tattoo, admitting he may have been wrong.

“I have been a number of things in my life, a lot of good things, a lot of bad things, but the one thing I am not is a hater,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “At times, when this whole Tyron Woodley and Jake Paul thing was going on I may have come off as a bit of a hater because I didn’t want T-Wood to get the tattoo, I didn’t like the way the rematch was asked for, but guess what? It actually worked. And I’ve got to be honest, I can’t say I would be happier for anyone more than I am for Tyron right now, because he felt that he won the last fight and then, obviously he didn’t get the decision, and it felt like them kids were playing him.

“It felt like Jake Paul and his brother were gonna play Tyron, telling him he had to get a tattoo, Logan Paul saying, ‘Hey man, you had your chance.’ It felt like they were trying to play T-Wood, but honestly, Tyron did what he had to do, which even if you don’t agree with it, obviously there was some good favor with him getting the tattoo because otherwise they would’ve looked for someone else. I still have my same opinions on the tattoo but that don’t really matter right now because T-Wood gets the rematch....

“Everything’s out there for T-Wood. It’s out there for T-Wood to go and get it done right now and honestly, I couldn’t be happier for him. When a person has to go through what he went through, the ridicule from all his friends, family, everyone, all of us, people who he considered his friends for a long time were judging him harshly, saying he was foolish to do what he did. He stayed the course, he believed in himself, he believed in what could happen potentially for him, and now he finds himself right on the cusp of another massive payday.”

Massive payday is right. Heading into their first fight, Woodley was open in saying he the bout would be the biggest payday of his career and this time, Paul has added an additional incentive, a $500,000 bonus if Woodley can knock him out. In their first contest, Woodley had the most impactful moment of the fight when he rocked Paul with a big punch that nearly sent the Disney Channel star through the ropes, but Paul managed to keep his feet and Woodley never came particularly close to a stoppage again, instead, getting outworked at distance for much of the fight. That inactivity has been a recurring theme for much of Woodley’s career and with the rematch less than two weeks away, Cormier says the former UFC welterweight champion needs to find a way to get over it, quickly.

“Now, this is one where T-Wood has to just go fight,” Cormier said. “T-Wood has to just go fight. He hurt Jake Paul in the first fight and that is the one thing he has built his case for the rematch on. ‘I had you, the ropes saved you!’ But now you’ve got to actually go put it on the dude. You can not go and stand in front of him anymore. You felt what he had, you know that you can hurt him, it’s a matter of Tyron going out there and implementing his game plan.”

Paul and Woodley will face each other for the second time in a 192-pound catchweight affair on Dec. 18 in Tampa, Fla.

---

TOP STORIES

Secured the bag. Jake Paul to rematch Tyron Woodley following Tommy Fury withdrawal.

Out. Tommy Fury announces reason for withdrawal from Jake Paul fight.

Beef. Jake Paul trashes Tommy Fury as an ‘embarrassment’ for pulling out of their fight: ‘They’re just a bunch of b*tches’.

Oof. Rashad Evans returns from retirement, Tyrone Spong vs. ‘Bigfoot’ Silva headlines Eagle FC debut card in U.S.

Options. John Kavanagh names preferred foes for Conor McGregor’s return: Nate Diaz trilogy ‘gives me nightmares’.

---

VIDEO STEW

The MMA Hour.

Embedded.

Best UFC finishes from November.

Amanda Nunes Bonus Resume.

Dan Ige- UFC 269.

Doctor breaks down Tommy Fury’s injury.

---

LISTEN UP

Jack Slack. Discussing Jose Aldo’s greatness and Sergio Pettis’ comeback.

The Co-Main Event. Previewing UFC 269 and talking about Jose Aldo.

---

SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Jake Paul.

Tyron Woodley.

Call out.

Jon Jones giving back.

Training.

---

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Caio Borralho (10-1, 1 NC) vs. Jamie Pickett (12-6); UFC Fight Night, Jan. 15.

Tyrone Spong (2-0) vs. Antonio Silva (19-13); Eagle FC, Jan. 28.

Jessica Eye (15-10) vs. Manon Fiorot (8-1); UFC Fight Night, Mar. 5.

Amanda Ribas (11-2) vs. Michelle Waterson (18-9); UFC Fight Night, Mar. 26.

---

FINAL THOUGHTS

Thanks for reading and see y’all tomorrow.

---

EXIT POLL

---

If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @JedKMeshew on Twitter and let him know about it. Also follow MMAFighting on Instagram and like us on Facebook.