UFC 229: Tyron Woodley Wants Conor McGregor To Win, Compete For Welterweight

While Tyron Woodley expects Khabib Nurmagomedov to keep his lightweight title at UFC 229 next month, he is hoping Conor McGregor emerges victorious at the same time as well.

McGregor takes on Nurmagomedov on Oct. 6 in Las Vegas in an attempt to win back the lightweight title he never lost. It will be his first foray into the octagon since November 2016 when he became the first simultaneous two-weight champion and the fight is expected to break non-boxing pay-per-view records.

Most believe it's a two-way fight. Either McGregor can finish the fight with a knockout punch or Nurmagomedov will take down the Irishman and put a beating on him.

As for Woodley, he is particularly impressed by Nurmagomedov's confidence and believes the Dagestan native will win. However, he wants McGregor to win so that they both could fight next in a title bout.

"I'll be there [at UFC 229]. I'll be working the (commentary) desk...," Woodley said on TMZ. "I would think that if Khabib's really about that action, he's going to do what he says, it's going to be really tough for Conor to have any lead in that arm to throw that knockout punch in the fourth or fight round, so I would say Khabib to win."

"But just for selfish purposes, if Conor wins, then the only fight that makes sense is for him to fight me. Try and get a third belt. From an analyst hat, my mind says Khabib but my bank account and my legacy says Conor. I would take that fight in a heartbeat."

Woodley, of course, is the welterweight champion and fights 15 pounds above McGregor. However, McGregor notably fought Nate Diaz at welterweight twice and has spoken in the past of potentially winning a belt in a third division as well.

The two also have some history as fighting on the same UFC 205 card two years ago, they butted heads after the weigh-ins as McGregor was incensed with Woodley recording him during a press conference.

Should that fight actually happen, how would it go for McGregor?

"I would smash him," Woodley said. "He's too little, he's got one punch. What fighter have I ever fought that's been able to beat me with one tool?"

Woodley is not entirely wrong. While the Missouri native lacks the striking of the 30-year-old, he is certainly the most well-rounded fighter McGregor would have ever faced and definitely the most powerful one as well.

He has also been a betting favorite over McGregor in the past and to put it simply, there's a reason why nobody outside the welterweight division wants to fight Woodley either.

Woodley most recently ended Darren Till's unbeaten run via a D'arce choke earlier this month in the main event of UFC 228 in Dallas.

He is expected to fight heated rival and former teammate Colby Covington next but any plans for it to happen in the main event of UFC 230 in November are off after Woodley will require 8-12 weeks off due to impending hand surgery.