In the co-main event of the evening, Rory MacDonald thoroughly outclassed Tyron Woodley to further his quest for a UFC welterweight title shot. While it was a missed opportunity for Woodley to shine, MacDonald took advantage of the moment and proved that he, at the very least, is working his way closer to an eventual title shot.
Tyron Woodley came into UFC 174 riding a two-fight winning streak. His Canadian opponent was coming off a unanimous decision win against Demian Maia, and both competitors needed a big showing on Saturday night to prove themselves worthy as title contenders.
Sadly, that was not the case on fight night, as the two engaged lightly, but did not provide the barnburner that many fans wanted to see. Woodley looked uncomfortable in the striking department against MacDonald, who peppered Tyron with a variety of strikes. MacDonald even took Woodley down in the third round and dominated him with top control for a good portion of the round to the crowd’s delight.
Official Result: Rory MacDonald def. Tyron Woodley via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
What was the high point of the fight?
While it was a relatively lackluster fight, the entire third round was a dominant display by MacDonald, and it certainly emphasized his dominance over the former Strikeforce fighter.
Where do these two go from here?
This was certainly a missed opportunity for Woodley, who had been very vocal about how he deserved a title shot over Robbie Lawler and Matt Brown. He looked very flat against MacDonald, which only makes his case for a title shot all the more ridiculous. On the other hand, MacDonald is in a prime position to push himself to the top of the pack if he can pick up one more impressive win over a top-ranked opponent.
Watch now, later or never?
Later. While the fight shows a clear improvement in MacDonald’s game, it was far from the most entertaining fight on the card.
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