While everyone is focused on UFC 257 tonight, there has been some news that has come out this evening. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani is reporting that the promotion is currently targeting a fight between Tyron Woodley (19-6-1) and Vicente Luque (19-7-1).
The welterweight clash would take place at UFC 260 which of course already contains two title fights. The card is being headlined by the heavyweight title fight between Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou while Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega will serve as the co-main.
Now, it appears that the UFC is close to finalizing this welterweight showdown for the main card. It is worth noting that the fight is not finalized at this moment, but there is growing optimism that the fight will be booked.
This would be a massive opportunity for Vicente Luque. Luque is currently ranked tenth in the UFC‘s welterweight division and he’s riding a two-fight win streak. He’s only lost twice since 2015.
Those two losses came against two of the best fighters in the world. He lost to Leon Edwards in 2017 and in 2019 he lost to Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Luque will finally look to break through against elite competition when he takes on the former UFC champion.
Redemption for the former UFC champion?
It has been a pretty steep fall from grace for the former UFC welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley. After Woodley stopped Darren Till at UFC 228, many were wondering who would be able to stop the champion.
He had the power in his hands and the grappling ability to be a problem for anyone. Woodley was building his resume as one of the greatest welterweights to have ever lived. However, he’s fallen on really hard times.
All of this started at UFC 235 when he was completely dominated by the current champion, Kamaru Usman. After Woodley lost to Usman, he took a year off before he returned to face Gilbert Burns back in May.
Burns completely dominated Woodley and the UFC champion had lost ten consecutive rounds in competition. Desperate for a turnaround, Woodley took a fight against his biggest rival and former interim champion, Colby Covington.
Again, Woodley was completely dominated in this fight. Woodley lost all four rounds before getting finished in the fifth round by Covington. Woodley is still ranked sixth in the division, but it’s shocking to see how much he’s fallen in the last two years.
This will truly be a do or die fight for the former welterweight champion. If he’s able to defeat a hungry Vicente Luque, he might have one more run left. However, if he loses, it’s probably time for him to hang up the gloves for good.