UFC 174’s Tyron Woodley thinks he can still swipe title shot from Brown-Lawler

While UFC officials have pegged next month’s UFC on FOX 12 headliner between Robbie Lawler and Matt Brown as a title eliminator, Tyron Woodley thinks that may not hold up for long.

Woodley (13-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC), who fights Rory MacDonald (16-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) this Saturday in UFC 174’s pay-per-view co-headliner at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena, believes he can still jump ahead to become the next contender for Johny Hendricks’ welterweight title. All he needs is the right type of performance this weekend.

“I don’t think anybody is getting awarded anything,” Woodley told MMAjunkie Radio. “This is the UFC. You don’t think they can switch that and change the promos on the spot? I think it’s performance-based.”

Time and time again, fighters have been promised a title fight only to see another contender cut the line. Woodley’s is familiar with such a situation.

Initially, his fight was dubbed a title eliminator, but those plans changed. Woodley, though, thinks that could change. He also thinks, on some level, UFC officials are doing this on purpose to ensure each fighter is properly motivated.

“I think they’re trying to put a fire underneath me, underneath Rory, underneath Robbie and Matt,” Woodley said. “They told me I could get a title shot. I guess they told Robbie and (Jake) Ellenberger (prior to their UFC 173 bout), and now Robbie’s fighting Matt Brown.”

With Hendricks sidelined until the fall with a torn bicep, there’s plenty of time for clarity in the welterweight title picture. More often than not, a top contender is determined based on his methods of victory and the strength of his competition.

Woodley already knows he’s facing a strong opponent. Now he must deliver the right type of showing to push his name to the top of the list.

“I think the best performance is going to get a title shot,” Woodley said. “My goal is really to focus on beating Rory MacDonald in a dominant fashion – to go up to Vancouver and do my thing. Everything else, whether they give me a shot or not, I’m eventually going to win the world title. I’m going to be in the title picture.

“But I just need to focus on this kid because if I go out there and I don’t win, then I’m not getting a world title anyway.”

For more on UFC 174, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.