Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley 1 and 2: The Rivalry Recap

Updated: October 2026

Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley was the rivalry that turned a novelty act into a pay-per-view commodity. Across two fights in 2021 — a split-decision win in Cleveland on August 29 and a devastating sixth-round knockout in the Tampa rematch on December 18 — Paul went from a 3-0 curiosity to a 5-0 attraction with genuine one-punch power. No two fights did more to build the Jake Paul brand than this pair.

Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley 1: The Verified Facts

The record book entry for the first fight: Jake Paul defeated Tyron Woodley by split decision on August 29, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio. It was Paul's fourth professional fight, moving his record to 4-0 at the time. Woodley is categorized in the verified record as a former UFC champion — a wrestler-turned-striker with genuine knockout power in MMA and a championship pedigree.

The split decision is the detail that defines this fight. Unlike a unanimous decision — where all three judges agree — a split decision means the cards were divided: two judges for Paul, one for Woodley. That is as close as a win gets without being a draw. For the first time in Paul's career, a fight was genuinely competitive on the cards, and for the first time, skeptics had a scorecard-based argument that he had been pushed to the limit.

Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley 2: The Verified Facts

The rematch, less than four months later: Jake Paul defeated Tyron Woodley by knockout in round six, at 2:12 of the round, on December 18, 2021, in Tampa, Florida. Paul's fifth professional fight; record moves to 5-0.

The contrast between the two results is the entire story of the rivalry. Fight one: a disputed, grinding split decision that left questions hanging. Fight two: a conclusive sixth-round knockout that answered every one of them. In boxing, the rematch is where narratives get settled, and Paul settled this one in the most emphatic way the sport allows — his opponent unable to continue, the debate over.

Why the Woodley Rivalry Built Jake Paul

Three things made this two-fight series the foundation of Paul's career:

• It provided the first real adversity. The split decision in Cleveland was the first time Paul had been genuinely tested. A 4-0 record with a disputed win looks very different from a 4-0 record of blowouts — it suggested vulnerability, which made the rematch a real event rather than a coronation.
• The rematch delivered the signature moment. The sixth-round knockout in Tampa — a single, conclusive punch at 2:12 of the round — became the clip that defined Paul's power for years. It remains arguably the most visually spectacular knockout of his seven career KOs, the one replayed whenever his punching power is debated.
• It established the rematch formula. Close first fight, conclusive sequel — Paul would return to this structure throughout his career. The Woodley series proved he could handle the pressure of a rematch and improve on a previous performance, a trait that served him well in the long build toward the Tyson and Chavez Jr fights.

Woodley 1 and 2: Reading the Two Results Together

Taken individually, each fight tells a limited story. The split decision says Paul was beatable, even vulnerable, against a former UFC champion with real power. The knockout says Paul could end that same man violently when it mattered most. Taken together, they say something more valuable: that Paul could learn, adjust, and close the show.

That arc — doubt, then destruction — became the template for Paul's early career marketing. It is also worth noting where the rivalry sits in the larger 12-2 record. The Woodley fights were bouts four and five of fourteen; everything that followed (Silva, Fury, Diaz, the journeyman phase, Perry, Tyson, Chavez Jr, Joshua) was built on the commercial foundation these two nights poured. Without the Woodley rivalry, there is no mainstream Jake Paul — just a YouTuber with a few quick knockouts over non-boxers.

The split decision also deserves a final note for what it taught. Paul's two split decisions — the Woodley win and the Tommy Fury loss (February 2023, Saudi Arabia) — are mirror images: one went his way, one did not. Close fights on the cards are a coin flip, and Paul learned both sides of that coin early. That education mattered when the unanimous decisions started piling up later — Silva, Diaz, Tyson, Chavez Jr — because by then, Paul had learned how to leave nothing to the judges' interpretation.

FAQs

Who won Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley 1?

Jake Paul won by split decision on August 29, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Who won Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley 2?

Jake Paul won by knockout in round six, at 2:12 of the round, on December 18, 2021, in Tampa, Florida.

What is the difference between the two Woodley results?

The first was a split decision — two judges for Paul, one for Woodley, a genuinely close fight. The rematch was a conclusive sixth-round knockout, leaving no doubt.

Why was the Woodley rivalry important?

It gave Paul his first real adversity (the close split decision) and his signature early knockout (the rematch KO), establishing him as a legitimate pay-per-view attraction.

What was Paul's record after the Woodley rematch?

The knockout moved him to 5-0 at the time; his professional record now stands at 12-2 with 7 knockouts.

The Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley rivalry remains the two-fight series that made everything else possible: the close call in Cleveland that proved Paul could survive a real test, and the thunderous answer in Tampa that proved he could end one. Split decision, then knockout — doubt, then destruction. It is the simplest and most effective story in Paul's 14-fight record, and the one his entire career was built on.