Tyron ”The Chosen One” Woodley kunde den 30:e juli, 2016, erövra welterviktbältet när han på tio dagars kort varsel gick om bältet mot Robbie Lawler. Woodley har sedan dess försvarat sitt bälte två gånger mot en och samma man, Stephen ”Wonderboy” Thompson. Enligt källor från Bloodyelbow samt BJPenn.com vill Woodley fortfarande möta Demian Maia men det tycks som att brassen inte skrivit på kontraktet ännu då han ryktas ådragit sig en skada.
Tyron Woodley vs. Demian Maia is happening. Tyron wants it on UFC 214, just waiting on Demian Maia to accept that date#UFC
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) June 15, 2017
Genom BJPenn.com samt Bloodyelbow menade Woodley att han inte vill vänta på en potentiell match mot brassen om den inte sker under 2017.
He wanted to fight in 2018 from the looks of it but I can’t wait that long. July 29 is a great date for me with the belt, so if you want it, let’s get it.
Yea you know I was offered Demain Maia (for UFC 214) and I accepted the fight. A lot of people in our sport like to profess that they are ‘anywhere at anytime’ type of fighters. But that turns out to be complete BS. A lot of those ‘anywhere at anytime’ people have not accepted the fight. They have been offered a fight with me and they haven’t accepted it. I mean here is a person who supposedly wants a title shot so badly, this after winning seven fights in a row. When you get a chance to prove you are the best in the world… You take the opportunity. You didn’t see Michael Bisping say ‘No I can’t take this fight on such short notice’. You haven’t heard someone who really wants to fight for the title say no.
I was offered Robbie Lawler on ten days notice in April of last year and I accepted it. I did that because I was the challenger and I was willing to give the respect to the champion and if that was the date that he and the promotion wanted me to fight him, then that is my date! You know, you have to take that moment when it comes. (As the challenger) You don’t set the tone. You don’t say ‘Oh I want to fight in October’ or “Oh I need a break’. If you think you’re the best in the world then you don’t need a break. It is just funny to me how all of these guys Conor (McGregor), (Michael) Bisping, Nate and Nick (Diaz), Georges (St-Pierre), all of them are ‘anywhere at anytime’ fighters until it comes to me. And then I am the one who gets the scrutiny when it is all said and done.
Woodley svarade även på ryktet om att Maia skulle ha skadat sig under hans match mot Jorge Masvidal, något Woodley kallade för grappling-tävling och inte en MMA-match.
What! Maia has got a hurt… Get out of here. He was in a grappling match. What did he hurt in that grappling match? I’m not trying to hate on his style. His style has obviously been very effective, that is why he’s been able to rattle off seven wins in a row. But he did not get in to a grueling ‘fight of the night’ type of war. He didn’t endure punishment and bad cuts or spilled blood. He had a fight that game plan wise and style wise was in his favor. He put Jorge Masvidal in to his jiu-jitsu world and won. So what does he need a break from?
Woodley försvarade sitt bälte den 4:e mars mot Stephen Thompson. Woodley har ett fighterfacit på 17–3–1 där majoriteten av hans vinster varit genom knockout och domslut (sex stycken var).
