While the mixed martial arts (MMA) world awaits a new division No. 1 contender, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley, was expected to undergo shoulder surgery to repair a nagging injury.
Lately he’s been having a change of heart.
“I don’t think I wanna do it,” Woodley told reporters about his scheduled shoulder surgery. “I feel strong, I feel good. The game needs me right now, I don’t want to be away from it. I’m highly considering going a different route.”
And by “different” he means “different division.”
“I’m not going up to middleweight because I think that will boost me on the pound-for-pound list,” he said. “I want to fight Georges (St-Pierre), and he’s not fighting me at my weight, so I’ll come up and see you there.”
Woodley has been pining for a St-Pierre showdown because it’s likely to return beaucoup bucks at the box office. A win over “Rush” — widely considered the greatest welterweight of the modern era — would also go a long way in transferring that title to “The Chosen One.”
But unfortunately for Woodley, this happened and St-Pierre was sent north, where he captured the division crown before exiting stage left to handle some health issues. When he comes back and who he fights remains to be seen, but I have a hard time imagining this guy doesn’t have first dibs.