3 Potential Contenders for Tyron Woodley

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The year of 2018 has been beneficial for multiple fighters who desire a title shot against Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley. While a variety of names come to mind, here are three potential suitors for Woodley’s next chapter in the octagon:

3. Kamaru Usman

With an upcoming bout on November 30th against former Lightweight Champion Rafael Dos Anjos, Kamaru Usman has been on a 12-fight win streak leading up to this point. Within the mix, Usman has overcome fighters such as Leon Edwards, Warlley Alves, and Sean Strickland.

With his outstanding wrestling and power, Usman has been vocal about wanting to fight for the title. If this scenario comes to light, the country of Nigeria may receive their first UFC Champion.

2. Santiago Ponzinibbio

With a recent knockout victory over Neil Magny, Santiago Ponzinibbio has been cementing himself in the Welterweight division as of late. The Argentina native has maintained a 7-fight win streak over the past 3 years, and has surpassed fighters like Court McGee, Gunnar Nelson, and Mike Perry.

Ponzinibbio holds a lot of knockout power, and has improved upon his endurance. He is in line for a title fight, and could make for an interesting matchup for a fighter such as Woodley.

1. Colby Covington

In comparison to the rest of the roster, Colby Covington is the fighter that the UFC needs to challenge Woodley for the title. After defeating Dos Anjos at UFC 225 to become the interim Welterweight Champion, Covington was then stripped due to medical reasoning.

The American has been stacking wins over the last several months, and his 6-fight win streak includes flashy performances against Max Griffin and Dong Hyun Kim. With more than enough bad blood at hand, it certainly seems like the UFC could plan this bout at some point in 2019.

All three potential suitors deserve a shot at the title, and at some point next year, it’s entirely possible that all the aforementioned fighters get their opportunity to earn the Welterweight belt.

Featured Image: Sherdog