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With UFC 106 tonight, UFC 105 last Saturday and WEC 44 this past Wednesday I understand that most people did put a lot of their attention on the Strikeforce Challengers card last night, but I was left very impressed with Mr. Woodley's performance.  A touch of reality is necessary before I begin.  Woodley is a top welterweight prospect so to say he is impressive is not a revolutionary statement.  Woodley is a great athlete without question, but the best athlete in all of Mixed Martial Arts is questionable and to claim that statement is without doubt is absurd.  Finally, Rudy Bears may have been riding a six fights win streak, but Woodley is clearly the more talented fighter.

Despite these realities Woodley did two things specifically that provide insight into Woodley's potential.  As with many American mixed martial artists Woodley has a strong wrestling pedigree.  Tyron was a two-time All American and Big 12 champion at Missouri.  A wrestling background has had a positive correlation with success as a MMA fighter.  However, two major drawbacks wrestlers have had transitioning to MMA have been their technical striking and patience in the cage. 

SBN coverage of Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley vs. Bears

Striking for many wrestlers is simply the one punch KO.  They use their wrestling ability to keep the fight upright and their strength/power to finish fights.  Many times they lack disciplined striking as it is something completely new to them.  This can cause many problems when facing a kickboxer or boxer who has spent their career learning the finer parts of striking.  These opponents can avoid the predictable power shot and use their striking to pick apart a wrestlers poor defense.  Last night Woodley showed mildly impressive striking from his feet and was not simply looking for the one shot KO.  He used knees effectively, closed the distance to get to the clinch, and controlled his opponent against the cage.  Watching last night it is obvious his strength is his takedown and athleticism, but his smooth striking is a huge addition to his game.  Training at ATT and with only five professional fights it can be assumed the striking will improve further.  The rapid success of his striking has been significant, especially coming from an amateur wrestler.

The other flaw that former wrestlers show is that they can be overaggressive.  They leave their necks out on takedowns, gas quickly, and lack patience on the mat.  With the fight not getting past the first round it is hard to gauge where his conditioning is.  After Woodley's first takedown he secured a dominant position on the ground, but eventually Bears was able to slip out.  Most young fighters, wrestlers in particular, would try to scramble or give up position to attempt a maneuver.  Woodley had this opportunity to attempt an armbar during the scramble, but instead he stood back up and re started the fight.  This was hands down the most intelligent move of the night.  He was winning the fight and knew he could obtain the dominant position again.  Woodley was not in a desperate situation and he made the smart move.  If he attempted the submission and failed then Bears would have had a dominant position and he could have finished the fight.  The ability to realize this shows great fight IQ, especially for such a young fighter.

Woodley also showed patience when he finished the fight.  He successfully completed another takedown, but instead of frantically looking to advance or finish with strikes he used the choke as hold and effectively moved to side control to finish the submission. 

Patience and solid striking will not win fights alone, but couple that with extreme athleticism and an All-American wrestler and you a have recipe for future success.  Woodley is already a top prospect, but last night we saw why and the potential that lies within.  I guess what I am saying if you have not picked up on it; I was impressed.