Sean Woodson has been in the shadows, quietly rising up the ranks of one of the UFC's most talent-filled divisions.
But on April 12 at UFC 314, Woodson (13-1-1 MMA, 7-1-1 UFC) and his 6-foot-2, 145-pound frame will step fully into the spotlight as he faces his first ranked challenge, promotion-No. 15 Dan Ige[autotag] (18-9 MMA, 10-8 UFC).
"I've been patient," Woodson recently told MMA Junkie. "I've had the utmost and belief in myself. I don't rush sh*t. I don't rush nothing. I've been more than confident that my time will come. I've just got to keep putting in the work and staying focused and doing what I do. Eventually, I'll be undeniable. After this fight, god willing it goes my way, I'll be right there damn near a 10-fight unbeaten streak.
"2024 was a great year for me. I fought three times. I was 3-0. I feel like it really has me set up for 2024 to really be my year. 2025 is my breakout year, the year where I really make some noise and get everybody talking about me and really force my hand and force the UFC to give me the big fights to lead me to the title."
Woodson, 32, has done it his way. Frequently asked why he doesn't compete at a higher weight class with a lesser weight cut, Woodson has stuck to his recipe – and it's worked. He's been loyal to those who have been loyal to him. That right there might be the secret to his success.
"I take pride in being a guy who just trains at his hometown, local, no-name gym, sort of say," Woodson said. "We don't have a huge reputation. I train at Wolves Den in St. Louis, Missouri and I do my strength and conditioning at Project Deliverance with my guy Matt Owen. Nobody knows about us, but I take pride in that. It's given me extra motivation to be a guy in his hometown of St. Louis knocking off all these guys from these world class really reputable gyms. I mean that's pretty much it. That's something I really hang my hat on is not having the resources that all these other guys have.
"I'm not in one of these big gyms that has 10-20 other UFC fighters day-in and day-out. I'm the only UFC fighter in my gym and I take pride in going around and knocking off all these other guys in big gyms. Those guys who as soon as they get to the UFC and they leave their team and run to go link up with a bunch of other UFC fighters, I think that kind of is my own opinion, but that says something about the confidence in themselves that they have. They need to be in a room with a bunch of other guys who are in the UFC to feel like they are doing the right thing or whatever."
