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22nd March 2018
04:57pm GMT

UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley is currently recovering from a shoulder injury, granted, but he is expected to be fit to defend his 170lbs title in July which makes the rumoured discussions for an interim welterweight title fight all the stranger.
BJPenn.com's Chris Taylor reports that talks are underway to have former lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos meet the trash-talking Colby Covington at UFC 224 in May with the interim welterweight title on the line.
The event is expected to be headlined by the women's bantamweight title fight between Amanda Nunes and Raquel Pennington but, having seen recent cards like UFC 222 plunged into jeopardy by an injury to a headliner, the matchmakers were keen to have a championship co-main event as insurance for the upcoming Rio show.
In the short-term, making interim title fights is a feasible way to conduct business as a bout with gold on the line is more appealing to potential viewers than a fight without. But in the long-term, the willy-nilly manner in which interim straps are currently handed out will only serve to dull the shine of undisputed titles.
UFC belts ought to be special. They used to be.
And it's safe to say that fight fans were not impressed after learning of the UFC's plans.
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