Tyron Woodley believes that the UFC is running on reserves when it comes to stars, and he is ready to step up to the plate.
“The Chosen One” is ready to fill the void left by Conor McGregor’s hiatus, Ronda Rousey’s potential retirement and inactivity and Jon Jones’ remaining suspension. Tyron Woodley is confident that he has the skills, appeal and the x-factor required to stand atop the podium of genuine UFC superstars.
In fact, Woodley believes his time is ready to break through sooner rather than later:
“You know the UFC doesn’t have that many stars. They have a lot of great fighters, but as far as actual stars, there is not very many of them in the UFC,” Woodley recently stated during an interview with BJPenn.com. “So with that said, I think that I am one of the guys that is right on the cusp of breaking through and becoming that star.”
The incumbent champion at 170-pounds is targeting his next title defence at UFC 213, which is part of International Fight Week 2017:
“I think the UFC will put their heavy hitters on that card,” he said. “I don’t know exactly what they have planned, but I talked to [UFC president] Dana [White] not too long ago, and he asked me when I want to fight, and I told him that I want to fight then. So with that said, I think that is going to be a go. That is what we are shooting for.”
In an era which is slowly becoming the cross-divisional, super fight period of fighters placing money over the “rule of two”, Woodley feels that he is deserving of the chances fighters like Conor McGregor and Georges St-Pierre have been afforded:
“I am at a point where I am greedy. I want the fight that is going to cement me as the legend, the greatest of all time,” he said. “There is two guys right now, where if I could beat those two guys I am then the greatest welterweight of all time. If I can beat Nick Diaz, if I can beat Georges St-Pierre, then nobody can say I am not the best welterweight fighter to ever step in the Octagon. It would make me better than Georges, better than Matt Hughes. I would be the best of all time.
