Stephen Thompson says Tyron Woodley on board for immediate rematch

Onetime UFC welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson believes champ Tyron Woodley is game for an immediate rematch after their majority draw at UFC 205.

“I know Dana White definitely wants to see that instant rematch, and as of right now,” Thompson told MMAjunkie Radio. “I think Tyron Woodley’s on board with us, as well. We know it’s going to be us. We just don’t have a set date yet.”

Woodley (16-3-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, but Thompson (13-1-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) is optimistic he’ll be fighting again for the welterweight title within the first quarter of 2017.

“We’re looking at late February, early March,” he said. “But it’s definitely going to happen.”

For his part, Woodley had a simple response.

“I haven’t spoken with Thompson,” Woodley said.

Thompson doesn’t remember much about the fight after Woodley knocked him down with a punch in the fourth round of the Nov. 12 co-headliner at Madison Square Garden in New York City. He was snapped back into reality by a guillotine choke that looked like it would produce a tap. The rest is something of a blur.

Thompson did emerge from the fight with a goal, though, and that’s to come into the next fight heavier. He said he walked around at a lighter weight prior to the bout and was only able to get to 178 pounds after making weight for the title bout. That hurt him when the two clashed.

“I didn’t get heavy at all, and Tyron felt every bit of 200 pounds,” he said. “If we ever step out there again, I’m definitely going to be walking around heavier. That’s just something I feel I have to do in order to fight him again.”

UFC President Dana White said immediately after UFC 205 that a rematch made sense for the top welterweights. But as of yet, the promotion has yet to announce Woodley’s plans.

Thompson’s draw snapped a seven-fight win streak where he beat many of the top 170-pound fighters in the UFC’s marquee division, including onetime title challenger Rory MacDonald and ex-champ Johny Hendricks.

Woodley, the No. 1 welterweight in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA welterweight rankings, hasn’t committed to any bout. He said he’d do a rematch or fight whomever the UFC wanted. He’d even take on his recently created rival Conor McGregor if the lightweight champ wanted to try for another UFC belt.

It’s a crowded division, so there are a lot of options. Time will tell whether Thompson gets his rematch.

For more on UFC 205, check out the UFC Events section of MMAjunkie.

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