To hear Tyron Woodley tell it, fellow welterweight Rory MacDonald is just about out of his mind if he thinks he deserves a title shot after beating Demian Maia at UFC 170.
Woodley, who faces former interim champion Carlos Condit at UFC 171 next weekend, says that a win over Condit should hold far more weight than a win over Maia.
“I hold everybody [at UFC 171] in high regard,” Woodley said during a Thursday conference call to promote the pay per view card. “For me to defeat Carlos Condit, that’s more important than him defeating Demian Maia any day of the week.”
Condit said during the call that he’s been told he’ll receive a title shot if he beats Woodley. Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler meet in the main event later that evening to determine the next UFC welterweight champion after former champion Georges St-Pierre went on hiatus late last year.
Woodley said it was MacDonald’s decision not to fight St-Pierre while his teammate held the belt that factors into his position in the division now, with St-Pierre gone.
“He should’ve taken that chance when he had it. You were ranked the third welterweight in the world, being the gatekeeper,” Woodley said. “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 it’s kind of comical that he thinks all of a sudden he’s just going to jump in front.
Woodley compared MacDonald’s request for a title shot to another controversial welterweight.
“Same as Diaz. He thinks he’s just going to jump in front,” Woodley said. “I think they’re sharing the same bag of weed.”
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