Woodley: Why I'm the 'worst-treated' champ in UFC history

Tyron Woodley believes the UFC has a golden opportunity to take African-American boxing fans and make them into mixed martial arts fans – so long as the company puts in the effort.

The UFC welterweight champion and native of Ferguson, Mo., sees that the biggest black star in combat sports in this generation, undefeated boxing kingpin Floyd Mayweather Jr., has retired, with no obvious successor ready to take his place.

And as far as Woodley is concerned, the UFC has never been in a better position to win over the hearts and minds of African-American fans.

“I think I’m the only African-American fighter on the roster who can capture the market,” Woodley said.

“Especially with Floyd Mayweather retiring and things like that. But you have to educate the community on what it is.

Woodley and Stephen Thompson are currently on a whirlwind media tour through Los Angeles to promote their title rematch in the main event of UFC 209 on March 4 in Las Vegas.

However Woodley seemed mostly in the mood to talk about both issues of race in the sport and how he’s been promoted by the UFC.

In an appearance on the ESPN show “First Take,” Woodley questioned why black fighters such as Demetrious Johnson, the UFC flyweight champion since 2012 and the competitor largely considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, hasn’t broken through to superstardom along the lines of Caucasian fighters like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey.

“The best pound-for-pound fighter, Demetrious Johnson, African-American male, completely a Tasmanian devil,” Woodley said.

“Why isn’t he getting the endorsements? Why isn’t he making the most money? What’s the difference? Think about it.”

He later added, “I’m by far the worst-treated champion in the history of the UFC. Blatantly fact.”

As an example, Woodley, who is undefeated in his past eight fights at 7-0-1, cited the way his first fight with Thompson was marketed.

Woodley-Thompson I was the co-feature of the first UFC event at fabled fight hall Madison Square Garden, second in billing only to McGregor’s lightweight title victory over Eddie Alvarez.

But Woodley feels the UFC had a chance to reach out to a whole new market in its first trip to New York City.

“If they want to take it to the next level, I felt New York was the perfect opportunity,” said Woodley.

“The Mecca of hip-hop, they could have done a little bit better to promote me in a different way, to grab that market, not only to grab those pay-per-view buys, but to bring in a complete different demographic, but also for the youth.

"This is the way to keep them off the streets, this is the way to turn things into something positive. Martial arts is about respect.”

Woodley feels he’s upheld his end of the bargain in treating people with respect, and has a positive life message which should resonate with fight fans if the UFC chose to put their marketing muscle behind him the way they have for others.

“I’m a husband, I’m a father of four, I’m a gym owner,” Woodley said.

“I’m an actor. I’m an analyst. I’m a stuntman. I’m a Christian. Every avenue you can take me, I’ve done it.

"I grew up in the projects. I grew up in gang banging. Family of 14 in a four-bedroom house and I made a choice to be successful. What is there not to market? I’m fighting like hell. I’m not doing performance-enhancing drugs in my life. Why would they not want to market me?”

The welterweight champion knows there are going to be some people who want him to stop talking about racial issues and stick to talking about the fight game. But he believes in this day and age, it’s more important than ever for those with a platform to get their message out while they can.

“We forget as fighters and as celebrities, whatever you want to call us, we have an obligation to point out stuff that’s just completely wrong,” Woodley said.

“[Muhammad] Ali said it best, I might sit out, I might miss a year or two of my prime, but this is more important than money, and that’s right.

"I made a vow to myself that this year, if things are unjust or untrue, I’m going to be honest.

“This is me not being a victim or making excuses,” Woodley continued.

“This is me making my way out, rising above my situation. That’s what people need to see.”