Don’t get too excited!
On Monday evening, a rumour began doing the rounds that UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor was set to jump weight classes once more for a title fight at UFC 213 this summer.
It was suggested that ‘The Notorious’ was set to jump up to welterweight to take on reigning 170lbs kingpin Tyron Woodley, who had just revealed on Instagram that he had started training camp.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BS_X2poFzV9/
It’s believed that Woodley will defend his title at UFC 213, the pay-per-view which will take place during international fight week, and the fact that McGregor had claimed that an announcement on his next fight was imminent is likely what kick-started the rumours.
Conor McGregor teases fans on Instagram about his next fight https://t.co/68IZsevkRI
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) April 18, 2017
The Irishman has previous with Woodley, having had an altercation with ‘The Chosen One’ during the weigh-ins for last November’s UFC 205 card.
Below is the tense exchange, which was followed by a back-and-forth on Twitter and, after both men left UFC 205 with world titles on their shoulders, talk of a champion vs. champion clash was rife.
https://twitter.com/MMAMadDale/status/797094517618966528
And the speculation mounted.
“I’m going to talk with my management and see what is next for me,” Woodley said at the UFC 205 post-fight press conference.
“I don’t know if Conor wants to go for a third belt. Looks like he was talking a lot of noise in the back so we’ll see.”
International fight week is typically reserved for some of the biggest fights of the year and there is not a bigger star on the UFC roster than McGregor.
So with McGregor admitting that a fight announcement was on the way soon and Woodley revealing he had started training camp, combined with their history and the drawing power of ‘The Notorious’, it’s easy to see how a rumour like McGregor vs. Woodley can get started.
But it doesn’t seem to be on the cards!
Shortly after talk of that bout started doing the rounds on Twitter, BJPenn.com‘s Chris Taylor reached out to Woodley for comment and the response seemed rather dismissive of the idea.
I just texted Woodley about the reports that he was fighting Conor McGregor at #UFC213. His response "LOL"
— Chris Taylor (@CTaylor_96) April 17, 2017
On the MMA Hour that evening, well-connected reporter Ariel Helwani gave short shrift to the rumour.
“That’s absolutely not true,” Helwani said.
While talk will inevitably return to McGregor’s next opponent being 49-0 boxing great Floyd Mayweather, it begs the question – Who is Tyron Woodley fighting?
Top welterweight contender Demian Maia is slated to fight Jorge Masvidal next month, the returning Georges St-Pierre is expected to meet Michael Bisping for middleweight glory and Robbie Lawler has a date with Donald Cerrone for July.
Woodley’s next opponent remains a mystery so watch this space.
