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Woodley won't get into c**k-fest with Daley

ESPN staff
July 27, 2011
Tyron Woodley plans to dominate Paul Daley like Josh Koscheck managed during the Brit's UFC days © UFC
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Tyron Woodley has revealed he "won't fight Paul Daley's fight" this weekend, admitting he would be stupid to try and trade strikes with the Brit.

Woodley and Daley go head-to-head in a welterweight bout that will surely propel the winner towards a Strikeforce title encounter. Daley is just coming off a title loss to Nick Diaz, but alongside Woodley he is arguably the best the division has to offer now that Diaz has vacated.

The stylistic match-up could not be more contrasting. Daley is a pure striker with unbelievable knockout power, Woodley is wrestler. Daley has had problems before with the likes of Josh Koscheck and Jake Shields, and Woodley has confessed he won't fight a senseless war.

"He's probably like 80-something-per cent for his knockout percentage," Woodley told Heavy.com. "Of his 27 wins, 20 of them are knockouts, so he comes out there and gives the fans what they want to see.

"To be honest, he doesn't have very many holes or gaps in his striking, especially in his stance. He keeps a super-tight stance, so it's not very wise to just come out throwing crazy punches. Once you get close to this kid, everybody knows what his abilities are, how he can put guys down with power.

"It's just being cautious; keeping your hands glued to your face is a no-brainer. Not engaging in a complete slugfest and trying to prove that I can throw with him or take shots, I think that's silly. Everybody who's done that -- you watch [Martin] Kampmann, [Dustin] Hazelett, Scott Smith -- everyone who has engaged him in a slugfest, he's been the victor in all those, so it wouldn't be wise for me to get in there, stand in front of him, and start throwing crazy.

"Diaz is the only one that succeeded with that game plan, but he got dropped twice in the process. He's just a tough kid that can take a punch like nobody's business.

"I'm going out there to win this fight. I'm going to dominate. I think the fans deserve to see me on all cylinders, and I'm training to go out there and run through him like a Mack truck. Whether it's striking, submit him, take him down; 15 minutes of me just putting myself through hell to get the victory at the end is what I'm going for.

"I'm not going to fight Paul Daley's fight. You have to realize that when you compete -- when the stakes are this high -- you have to go out there and pick apart your opponent. You have to be able to dominate, you have to be able to endure, you have to be able to press through. He calls out all these strikers, all these guys that are going to sit in front of him banging, having a c**k-fest. For me, I'm going out there to win this fight. I'm going to dominate."

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