Woodley retains UFC welterweight title in 5-round snoozer vs. Thompson

This is one rivalry that won't be heading to a rematch anytime soon.

In an otherwise forgettable victory, UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley successfully defended his title with a majority-decision win over Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson after five listless rounds in the main event of UFC 209 on Saturday in Las Vegas.

The fight was a rematch of their encounter at UFC 205 last November that ended in a majority draw. Following his second consecutive title defense, Woodley is now unbeaten in his past five bouts.

It wasn't until the closing seconds of the fight that the champ asserted himself, badly rocking Thompson and nearly getting the finish that would have saved the bout from going to the scorecards.

Unfortunately for both men, this fight is more likely to be remembered for its monotonous pace and dearth of significant action than its fast-paced conclusion.

Thompson's karate stance appeared to mystify Woodley in a way that it didn't in their first fight, and Woodley was hesitant to make a move in the opening rounds. The challenger couldn't capitalize, only throwing the occasional strike to back Woodley off.

That hesitance proved costly for Thompson as he lost the first clear-cut round of the match when he was taken down and controlled in Round 3:

Thompson continued his strategy of striking from distance in the fourth, arguably putting together his best frame, punctuated by a snapping head kick:

Beyond those bursts of activity, highlights were few and far between for both fighters, who will likely look to move on to other matchups as soon as possible.

After his seven-fight win streak was snapped at UFC 205, Thompson's record took its first hit since losing a unanimous decision to Matt Brown in April 2012.