MMA fighter, Tyron Woodley, reasoned that his being black may have to do with his not being marketed by the UFC.

According to Woodley, Dana White and the Ultimate Fighting Championship should attempt to take African American boxing fans and turn them into mixed martial arts fans. He reasoned that with the retirement of the largest African American star in boxing, there is a large gap to be filled. According to Woodley, the African American community simply has to be led to mixed martial arts.

“I think I’m the only African-American fighter on the roster who can capture the market,” said Woodley said. “Especially with Floyd Mayweather retiring and things like that. But you have to educate the community on what it is. Most people in the community, those people think that mixed martial artists are a whole bunch of crazy white guys kicking on each other and they sprinkle in a few brothers. That’s their thought. They don’t see it as karate, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, taekwondo, sambo. They don’t see it’s a beautiful art with so many martial arts combined in them.”

Woodley pondered whether race had anything to do with the way the Ultimate Fighting Championship does not market its African American stars more prominently.

“The best pound-for-pound fighter, Demetrious Johnson, African-American male, completely a Tasmanian devil,” said Woodley. “Why isn’t he getting the endorsements? Why isn’t he making the most money? What’s the difference? Think about it.”

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