Tyron Woodley Says UFC Missed Huge Opportunity With Nick Diaz

UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley is set to face Stepehn Thompson again at UFC 209, it will be a rematch from their majority draw at UFC 205.

Woodley wanted to fight Nick Diaz at UFC 209, he also says the UFC missed a big opportunity.

“I think it’s a missed opportunity for the UFC to push someone (Nick Diaz) that is a legend for the sport,” Woodley said to MMA Fighting. “An all-time top five welterweight, someone I saw a lot in Strikeforce and always, it was more of a respect thing that, I think someone who has done that much for the sport, it was getting to the point where the platform was higher than the paycheck, he probably should have been able to fight.”

Woodley also knew he was going to face Thompson again, especially after their first fight ended in a draw.

“It’s my goal to be the best welterweight ever,” Woodley said. “I always knew I’d have to fight him again, but I didn’t feel obligated to have to fight him next. Even if I had held out, or took another fight, or he fought somebody else, I knew I’d have to fight him again, he’s a high-level guy and he got here for a reason so he’d probably beat the other person to get here. So I knew i would fight him again but I didn’t feel I had to fight him next.”

UFC 209 takes place on Saturday, February 4 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson headlining.