Tyron Woodley wants to make money and he wants to make it ASAP.
The newly crowned UFC welterweight champion waited a matter of hours to offer a title shot to his first potential challenger.
Woodley claimed the 170 lbs title by knocking Robbie Lawler out in round one of the UFC 201 main event on Saturday night and, in the post-fight press conference, he announced the man he wants to face next and claimed that he wants to do so in just three weeks' time.
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After dismissing talk of meeting number one-ranked Stephen Thompson, 'The Chosen One' announced he is keen on welcoming Nick Diaz back from his lengthy suspension, on the card that is headlined by the rematch between Diaz's younger brother Nate and Conor McGregor.
“I want to make some money – I’ll be honest,” Woodley said. “Goal one is to be the welterweight champion of the world, but I put in too much time, (and) I’m away from my family way too often. This is a sport where we can make cash now, so instead of just saying, ‘This person deserves it,’ I think Nick Diaz comes off suspension in two days. I would love to fight him [at UFC 202].”
Diaz's 18-month ban for testing positive for marijuana metabolites last year comes to a close in the coming days and Woodley believes he is just the kind of draw that could add up to the biggest payday of Woodley's career.
And if the Diaz fight doesn't come to fruition, which it almost certainly won't, the new champion is hopeful of meeting one of the greatest of all time, Georges St-Pierre, in New York this November.
“He (Diaz) puts a lot of butts in seats, (sells) a lot of pay-per-views, so why not put him on the card with Conor and his brother?” he said. “I know he’s training already. Let him cash out. I’m willing to give him the opportunity. Or, I would like to fight Georges St-Pierre in New York City (at UFC 205).”
You have to admire a man with a plan.
