Tyron Woodley Biography: Age, Wife, Kids, Height, Net Worth, Parents, MMA Career, Ethnicity

Tyron Woodley is a talented American professional mixed martial artist, former UFC Welterweight Champion, professional boxer, actor, broadcast analyst, and rapper.

Known as “The Chosen One,” he dominated the UFC welterweight division with powerful striking and wrestling skills, defending his title four times before transitioning to boxing and entertainment ventures.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Tyron Lakent Woodley
• Stage Name: Tyron Woodley
• Born: April 7, 1982
• Age: 43 years old
• Birthplace: Ferguson, Missouri, United States
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Mixed Martial Artist, Former UFC Welterweight Champion, Professional Boxer, Actor, Broadcast Analyst
• Height: 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
• Parents: Deborah Woodley and Sylvester
• Siblings: Twelve
• Spouse: Averi Woodley
• Children: Tyron Jr., Dylan, Darron, and Gabby
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth: $4 million to $5 million USD

Early Life and Education

Tyron Woodley was born on April 7, 1982, in Ferguson, Missouri, United States. Raised by his mother Deborah Woodley in a large family after his father Sylvester left early, he grew up as the first of thirteen children. His ethnicity is African-American, and details about his religion are not publicly detailed.

From a young age, he showed talent in sports. In high school at McCluer High School, he excelled as a two-sport athlete in American football and amateur wrestling, winning the Missouri 4A State Wrestling Championship in 2000 at the 160 lb weight class.

He graduated from McCluer High School in 2000 and attended the University of Missouri, where he became a two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler (2003 and 2005) and Big 12 Conference champion. He earned a degree in Agricultural Economics in 2005.

Career

Tyron Woodley turned professional in MMA in 2009, starting with a submission win. He competed in Strikeforce, going 9-1 before joining the UFC in 2013. His UFC debut came against Jay Hieron with a first-round KO. He captured the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 201 in 2016 by knocking out Robbie Lawler.

He defended the title four times: against Stephen Thompson (draw and majority win), Demian Maia (unanimous decision), and Darren Till (submission). Notable wins include TKO over Dong Hyun Kim and split decision over Kelvin Gastelum.

He lost the title to Kamaru Usman in 2019 and faced subsequent defeats to Gilbert Burns, Colby Covington, and Vicente Luque, leading to his UFC release in 2021. He then moved to professional boxing, facing Jake Paul twice (split decision loss and KO loss) and Anderson Silva (TKO loss in 2025).

Woodley has also acted in films like Straight Outta Compton, Escape Plan 2: Hades, and Sultan, hosted podcasts and shows like Morning Wood with Deez Nutz and TMZ’s The Hollywood Beatdown, and remains active in combat sports commentary.

Awards and Nominations

• UFC Welterweight Champion (one time, four defenses)
• UFC Knockout of the Night
• UFC Performance of the Night (three times)
• UFC Fight of the Night (two times)
• Strikeforce Rising Star of the Year

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @twooodley
• Facebook Handle: Tyron Woodley
• Twitter Handle: @Twooodley
• YouTube Handle: Tyron Woodley

Personal Life

Tyron Woodley, 43, is a talented mixed martial artist, former UFC Welterweight Champion, professional boxer, actor, broadcast analyst, and rapper. He was previously married to fitness trainer Averi Woodley, with whom he shares four children — three sons (Tyron Jr., Dylan, Darron) and a daughter (Gabby).

The marriage ended, and he has kept his current personal life private, with no confirmed ongoing relationship. He stands at 5 ft 9 in and focuses on family, community work (including plans for a non-profit for troubled youths), and staying involved in sports like basketball. He has spoken out on social issues, including during unrest in Ferguson.

Net Worth

Tyron Woodley is a talented mixed martial artist, former UFC Welterweight Champion, professional boxer, actor, broadcast analyst, and rapper. Net worth is estimated at $4 million to $5 million USD. His income comes from UFC fight purses and bonuses, boxing bouts, acting roles, endorsements, podcasting, broadcasting, and other entertainment projects.

Filmography

• Straight Outta Compton (2015)
• Sultan (2016)
• Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016)
• Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018)
• The Equalizer 2 (2018)
• S.W.A.T. (TV series, 2017)