Tyron Woodley and Amanda Nunes have been friends for 9 years. The former UFC welterweight champ and current UFC bantamweight and featherweight champ first met each other during their days as Strikeforce fighters, and got close during their time as stablemates at American Top Team in Florida.

The pair opened up on their close friendship on Twitter over the weekend.

Nunes got the conversation started, explaining how she met Woodley.

https://twitter.com/Amanda_Leoa/status/1129450093998956544

“I came from Brazil for the first time and had nobody here in America,” Amanda Nunes wrote in a Twitter post that included a picture of her and Tyron Woodley. “My first fight for Strikeforce his family was the only ones I could hear from the crowd. We have been friends since that moment until today. 9 years later. Also…his beard smells good.”

Woodley was quick to respond from this kind message from Nunes, explaining how the two-division UFC champion has influenced his career.

“I love [Amanda Nunes] She inspires all of us, and she was the true def of when talent & hard work meets,” Woodley wrote about the Brazilian star. “Love coming up from nothing with you and seeing you develop into the greats female fighter of all time!”

Woodley also shared some kind words with Nunes’ fiancee, UFC strawweight contender Nina Ansaroff.

“Awwwweee,” Ansaroff wrote in response to Woodley’s message to Amanda Nunes.

“Don’t beat us up,” Woodley joked back. “You gave us a pass. Lol you know I love me some Nina too. You keep our ass in line or completely out of control #NoInBetween lol.”

Needless to say, Tyron Woodley and Amanda Nunes, two of the very best fighters in modern MMA, share a pretty awesome friendship.

Nunes is scheduled to return to the cage at UFC 239, where she will defend her bantamweight belt against Holly Holm. Woodley, meanwhile, recently withdrew from a rematch with Robbie Lawler with a hand injury.

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 5/17/2019.