Tyron Woodley, a UFC welterweight champion continually expressed interest in defending his title against Nate Diaz in past months. Recently, Woodley told ESPN, that he believed his next fight would be against Nate Diaz, adding that the UFC has offered Diaz the fight.
UPDATE: Dana White says Tyron Woodley vs. Nate Diaz isn't happening, but a Woodley vs Rafael Dos Anjos is the fight the UFC is trying to make. https://t.co/yAIKjR1ZHs
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) February 8, 2018
UFC president Dana White vehemently denied the fight was ever discussed telling UFC Tonight that the welterweight champion Tyron Woodley is full of shit. (Via MMAFighting.com)
“[Woodley’s] full of sh*t,” White said. “That fight was never made, you couldn’t be more wrong, he couldn’t be more full of sh*t, and it’s absolutely not true. It’s so not true that our lawyer hit him up today and said he needs to stop saying these kind of things, because it’s absolutely not true.”
“Dos Anjos is the fight we’re looking at for Woodley,” White said. “That’s the fair fight, he just won a great fight against Robbie Lawler and looked good and what I love about that fight is dos Anjos will bring it. He will come after Tyron Woodley and it will be a great fight. That’s the fight that’s gonna happen.”
Instead, Dana White says the UFC is working on a fight between Tyron Woodley and Rafael Dos Anjos. Anjos who is coming off a victory over former welterweight champ Robbie Lawler this past December is next in a line for the title shot.
White also repeatedly mentioned that Nate Diaz had turned down several fights with lightweight opponents:
“We’ve offered Nate Diaz five or six fights in the last several months and he’s turned them all down,” White said. “I’ve said many times over the last several months that I don’t see Nate Diaz fighting. Will he fight this year? Maybe he’ll come out and see he wants to fight eventually, but no, he’s turned down every fight we’ve offered.“
The idea was first brought up back November when the promotion was in search of the main event for UFC 219. Not only did the fight never come to fruition, but White said it was never offered despite claims by both Woodley and Diaz that it was.
After hearing the Dana White’s recent remarks though…Woodley was less than flattered.
🤷🏽♂️ pic.twitter.com/ln2Cpz8We8
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) February 8, 2018
Cause Dana has never told a lie in his life🤔. Maybe we should ask @NateDiaz209 if they offered me him. https://t.co/jdPpiPjjQl
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) February 8, 2018
Who has a history of being full of shit. TW or DW? 🤔
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) February 8, 2018
Tyron Woodley hasn’t fought since last July at UFC 214, where he beat Demian Maia by unanimous decision. Meanwhile, Dos Anjos is riding on a three-fight winning streak since moving up to welterweight.
Let’s not blame Woodley too much for this situation. It’s not as if the UFC hasn’t done similar things in the past.
How many of you are interested in seeing Tyron Woodley vs Rafael Dos Anjos?
