For all intents and purposes, both Carlos Condit and Tyron Woodley agree: their co-main event showdown at UFC 171 should determine the next challenger for the UFC’s welterweight strap.
Though that hasn’t stopped the division’s No. 4 ranked contender, Rory MacDonald, from campaigning to fight the winner of UFC 171’s championship main event between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler.
“I think Rory needs to get out of here, to be honest,” Woodley flatly said on a Thursday media conference call. “Carlos finished Rory. He has a very skewed memory. He got finished by Carlos, and he just lost to Robbie. In the event that Carlos wins, or the event that Robbie wins, where does Rory stand then? He lost to both of those two guys.”
MacDonald initially staked his claim to fight for a world title following a bounce back win over Demian Maia in February. Since then, the Canadian has been willing to reiterate that sentiment to anyone that will listen.
“He did look good against Demian Maia, who’s a good fighter,” Woodley acknowledged. “He stepped forward, he didn’t get a lot of scrutiny about being overly conservative, and having his style of fighting that really didn’t open up as (much as) when he first came in.
“But I hold everybody [fighting in UFC 171’s main and co-main events] in high regard. For me to defeat Carlos Condit, that’s more important than him defeating Demian Maia any day of the week.”
While it’s only natural for Woodley to take exception with a peer he perceives to be cutting the line, it’s the timing of MacDonald’s comments that irks Woodley the most.
Prior to his loss to Lawler, MacDonald encountered more than a few opportunities to push his name towards title contention, and each time without fail, the 24-year-old declined to do so because of an overwhelming reluctance to fight friend and fellow Tristar training partner Georges St-Pierre.
Now, Woodley says, MacDonald is just going to have to wait his turn.
“The people on this card have the ability to go out there and fight a certain type of way, especially that fans want to see, that fans want to pay to see,” Woodley said in closing. “I’m honored to be on the card, I’m honored to fight this guy.
“[MacDonald] should’ve taken that chance when he had it. You were ranked the third welterweight in the world, being the gatekeeper, beating top guys. And then when it comes down to fighting GSP, you didn’t want to do it. I’m pretty sure Carlos has had some training sessions with GSP at Greg Jackson’s camp. When came down to fight him, he stepped up to the plate and he was trying to take his head off. I think that’s where the ball kind of dropped in his court, and I think it’s kind of comical that he thinks all of a sudden he’s just going to jump in front. Same as (Nick) Diaz, he’s thinks he’s just going to jump in front. I think they’re sharing the same bag of weed.”