Social media sensation KSI has admitted he may have chosen the wrong opponent when he decided against facing former UFC champion and Jake Paul rival Tyron Woodley.
The YouTube star had a number of prospective fights on the table when he confirmed his January return, and ended up going with controversial Bellator MMA fighter Dillon Danis instead of Woodley. Fans were unhappy to see Danis, who is wildly unpopular among both social media and MMA audiences, given the chance, and he repaid it by pulling out ten days out from the event.
The pullout, which Misfits Boxing officials have blamed on a lack of proper preparation, left KSI scrambling for a new opponent - the second time this has happened in as many events during his boxing comeback. He ended up settling on YouTuber Faze Temperrr, who is a considerably less enticing name than the likes of Woodley or even the initial back-up fighter Joe Fournier.
"It's funny, I should have just picked Woodley at the start, honestly," KSI admitted in a recorded physio session with Harvey Ubhi. "That's what we were going to do we were training for Woodley, getting ready for Woodley and then yeah just the whole Danis thing happened.
"We were thinking it would be more entertainment, more people are going to want to see this and also this was a major part; the MMA community, this was me trying to put my name in there. Just like Jake did with [Ben] Askren, etc, this is me trying to put myself in that community."
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When Ubhi mentioned the viral back-and-forth between he and Conor McGregor; Danis' training partner and the most famous fighter in the world, he explained: "That's what I mean. There's no point in me fighting YouTube boxers, let me just go this MMA route the same as Jake."
It appears a deal with Woodley was relatively close at one point, with Danis more likely to face Logan Paul before he picked up an injury during his WWE match with Roman Reigns in November. The former UFC welterweight champion claimed that there were issues with a rehydration clause, and shared screenshots of his contract on the eve of the Danis fight being announced.
"You are a whole b***h! @KSI," Woodley tweeted after Temper was announced as the replacement opponent. "No one picked up the phone to execute the contract you sent me. Needed NO NOTICE! @Temperrr You are a G! All my love to you. You are my brother! Whip this h**'s a**!"
