Tyron Woodley: I feel like I’ve surpassed Georges and that’s why I want to go out there to fight him and prove it

UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley will be facing the winner of the exciting UFC on FOX 26 matchup between Robbie Lawler and Rafael dos Anjos. Either opponent will make for an exciting fight against Woodley. However, “The Chosen One” still wants to prove his skillset against former UFC welterweight kingpin Georges St-Pierre who is returning to the Octagon next month after stepping away from the sport for nearly four years.

“Some guys have medium speed, medium power, good wrestling, good attacks,” Woodley recently said on his Morning Wood Show podcast (transcribed by Jed Meshew for MMA Fighting). “I’ve been blessed to have maximum speed, maximum explosion, maximum power, and then [Din Thomas] and Duke [Roufus] have helped me add the other stuff, economy of motion, knowing when to explode, when not to explode, how to fight five rounds. . .

“They don’t want them problems, man. He had a chance to fight me and he said no. . .

“Georges has been away for three years, almost four. By the time he gets in there, it’s gonna be just a few days shy of four years so the sport has caught up. Whatever advantage he had, whatever degree of separation he created by being such a great martial artist, people have played catchup. I think I’ve surpassed him. He was a person I looked up to but skill for skill, mindset, explosion, power, wrestling ability, timing, strategy, all those things, I feel like I’ve surpassed Georges and that’s why I want to go out there to fight him and prove it.”

If St-Pierre wins, many think that “Rush” will call out Conor McGregor, which would make the most sense at 170 pounds. However, Woodley says that would be ridiculous with him being the champion of the division.

“No, that’s a disrespect to me. . .

“[St-Pierre] probably [will call out McGregor], but he’s gonna have to be honest with the fans and say, ‘I’m here for money.” And that’s okay. There’s no shame in that. . . Just know I’m gonna call him out on that. Win, lose, or draw, I’m gonna want to fight the winner of that fight, Bisping or Georges. Then I’m going to want to come back and see all this fresh new talent in the welterweight division and I’m gonna want to show them a lesson too.”

on 10/16/2017.