How Will UFC 174 Affect The Welterweight Title Picture?
UFC 174 has a variety of interesting bouts on it’s five-fight PPV main card, and each has their own set of implications. The ‘Fight to watch’ de jour is going down at welterweight, and between two red hot prospects. I’m talking about the battle between the number two and three of the hectic division; Rory MacDonald and Tyron Woodley.
‘Ares’ and ‘The Chosen One’ for what could very well be the next title shot at Johny Hendricks, even with the scheduled UFC on Fox 12 contender bout between Matt Brown and Robbie Lawler. ‘T-Wood’ can often be quoted talking trash, but I think he was on to something when he said an impressive win at UFC 174 could get a title shot.
The truth is that in the game of title shots, you’re only as good as your last win. Ask Rory MacDonald himself; the young gun was on a four fight tear in the UFC, including a win over Nate Diaz and future hall of famer BJ Penn, and then came his chance at a title contender match. UFC on Fox 8 was the scene where MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger put on a three-round snooze-fest. ‘Ares’ was thrown in to a risky fight with ‘Ruthless’ at 167, and subsequently lost his standing.
After an impressive turn around bout against Demian Maia at UFC 170, MacD finds hiself once again on the brink of a title fight, but has a very stern test in the form of Woodley. The former Strikeforce welterweight challenger holds impressive wins over Tarec Saffiedine, Paul Daley, Andre Galvao, Jordan Mein, and since joining the UFC ranks has racked up a 3-1 tally.
‘The Chosen One’ made very quick work of Jay Heiron in his promotional debut, and his three round slip against Jake Shields was quickly overcome with a very exciting, and satisfying, starching of Josh Koscheck. Woodley got his chance at a big name fight, as he stepped up to fight Carlos Condit at UFC 171. The subsequent TKO by injury win for ‘T-Wood’, and Johny Hendricks being unable to defend the title due to an injury of his own, meant that the former All-American wrester would have to put it all on the line again.
The welterweight division is so stacked with top level talent right now, and making predictions would be pretty hard at this stage. Nonetheless, I’ll give it a shot; Woodley beats MacDonald by decision, Lawler kocks out ‘The Immortal’ at Fox 12 and secures the title shot against Hendricks, Carlos Condit returns and gets the rematch with Woodley. Any takers?
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