Tyron Woodley, a UFC welterweight champion who previously campaigned for a fight against Nate Diaz at December’s UFC 219, but the UFC was unable to schedule the fight.
Due to of that Tyron Woodley underwent shoulder surgery and currently doing a rehab. Now he is recovering well and planning a comeback fight this July, and he thinks there is no better option than Nate Diaz.
“I think that fight will happen,” Woodley told ESPN’s, Brett Okamoto. “I think it will happen this year. I think it’s way more likely than people realize. There are conversations about Nate and I fighting in July. The UFC has offered Nate that fight. They just have to make it worth his while.
“I think I’ll fight Nate this year, and I think it will be my return to the Octagon. If I had to bet the house on it, that’s my next opponent.”
Nate Diaz hasn’t fought since losing a majority decision to Conor McGregor at UFC 202 back in August 2016.
Regarding worthy contenders at welterweight, Nate Diaz would rank far below ex-lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos, who has defeated Robbie Lawler, Neil Magny and Tarec Saffiedine since making a move to 170 pounds division.
From past few weeks, Nate Diaz implied that he’d be making a return later this year. This week Diaz showed interest in saving the main event of UFC 222, but UFC president Dana white shuts down rumors that he is not an option.
“In four weeks? No. I wouldn’t fight him,” Woodley said. “If we’re fighting, I’m pretty sure it would have to be for my belt. Now, if they want me to fight him at a catchweight, not a title fight, I’m gonna have to drop to my knees and make a prayer to the most high for something like that.
“At this point in my career, if it’s a fight that’s not for my belt, I’m willing to step out of the box and do some different things.”
Woodley told ESPN that he is willing to face an opponent such as dos Anjos, but it sounds like a high-profile brawl with Nate Diaz would interest him more.
Woodly is confident that the UFC will be able to come to an agreement with Nate Diaz to put that fight together.
“Do I think Nate will fight me? Yes, for the right amount of money and the right time in history, I do,” Woodley said. “Is it a good fight for him? No. I’m a lot faster. I punch a lot harder. I can take him down. He’s not going to submit me. That said, it’s not a good fight for him. So, they have to make it up to him in dollars and cents.”
Do you think Nate Diaz and Tyron Woodley would end up fighting this July?
