Tyron Woodley revealed which fights he wants to see in the UFC in 2026. He pointed to key matchups that could draw significant fan interest. The former welterweight champion said these bouts are not just exciting but necessary.
The UFC has received plenty of attention, particularly for the quality of the upcoming White House card. Some fans criticized the quality of the overall card, especially after reports of matchups that fell through.
Woodley believes the UFC needs to prioritize two fights before the end of the year. He said Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria is too big too pass up. That bout was reportedly in the works for the White House, but fell through.
“You gotta make Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria happen,” Woodley exclusively told Heavy Sports via TalkSPORT BET.
‘The Chosen One’ also wants to see new signing Gable Steveson immediately put to the test.
“I would like to see Gable Steveson vs. Ciryl Gane because I feel like Cirly’s mostly a striker, but It’ll give him a chance to see if he can use his wrestling against a strong striker, or is he going to out strike him?” Woodley said. “[Steveson’s] not scared to get in, he’s learning real well. So, those are the people that I want to see fight.”
Tyron Woodley Claims the UFC Only Has One Star
Tyron Woodley also did not hold back when discussing the UFC’s current roster and claimed the promotion lacks stars. He said it has reached a point where there is only one legitimate star.
Woodley competed in the UFC during a period when the promotion’s popularity reached an all-time high. There was plenty of depth in each division, a mix of veterans and surging contenders, and consistent pay-per-view success. The promotion was sold, and ESPN became a media rights holder, which marked a significant moment for the sport.
Now, the promotion has faced criticism from fans over the quality of its numbered events. Woodley believes this stems from a lack of star power.
“Ilia Topuria is the only star in the UFC right now,” Woodley exclusively told Heavy Sports via TalkSPORT BET. “You got a lot of fighters, you got a lot of fighters you don’t know.”
Woodley Shares Take on Fighters Becoming Stars
Woodley also shared his thoughts on what it takes for fighters to become stars. He said outside distractions often prevent many fighters from building larger profiles because they lose focus.
The former UFC welterweight champion believes Dagestani fighters, known for their discipline, present difficult matchups. As a result, Woodley stressed the importance of building a personal brand.
“If the fighters that are the Dagestani fighters that are more focused on fighting, less on the fashion, less on the drama, less on the clout, they’re gonna beat you. And now you have a lot of the champions that may not speak English,” Woodley exclusively told Heavy Sports via TalkSPORT BET. “[UFC] may not be able to pair them up with another entertainer, art, music, streaming, right? So you need those different details to be able to become a star.”
He added: “The bigger your platform is, overall, the entire roster, the bigger the brand platform is. So they don’t have that right now.”
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