UFC: Tyron Woodley wants to fight Khabib at catchweight – ‘I gotta see what it feels like’
- Former welterweight champion thinks his takedown defence would make for an interesting fight
- ‘He’s only got one or two more fights that make sense for him at lightweight’
Tyron Woodley wants to fight UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at a catchweight after he “handles business” in the welterweight division.
The former welterweight champion is looking to return to the Octagon after a one-sided unanimous decision defeat by Kamaru Usman in March.
While his eyes are on getting the title back, he admitted he wanted to take on the “impossible” challenge of beating the Russian.
“I wanna fight Khabib. I have the best takedown defence in the history of the sport,” Woodley told TMZ Sports. “He’s dope – there’s not too many guys around like that. He’s a once in a lifetime athlete. I’m a fan of his.
“The good thing about it, he’s only got one or two more fights in that division that make sense for him. He struggles to make 155 [pounds].
“I gotta get my belt back before this fight even makes sense. He doesn’t have to come up, we can meet at a catchweight, 165. I barely can make that, but for the right bag …
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“I just like Khabib, he’s a beast,” Woodley added during a fan Q&A session at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver. “I think right now in my life and career I need the impossible, the stuff nobody can do, the thing that motivates me beyond measure. I think that he provides that.
“I can never make 155, and I’m already alluding to handling business at welterweight and going up to middleweight. It would have to be a catchweight. But I don’t know if it’s something he would be interested in.
“He’s on top of the world right now, I might not be an option. It’s more out of respect for what he can do. And I know Dustin [Poirier]. Dustin’s sparred middleweights, light heavyweights … for him to put on a performance like that against Dustin, I gotta see what it feels like.”
