Rafael dos Anjos will get his wish of fighting for UFC welterweight gold, per Dana White.
The UFC president said on FOX Sports 1’s UFC Fight Night 124 post-fight show Sunday night that the Brazilian contender will get the next crack at 170-pound titleholder Tyron Woodley once the champion is healthy.
Woodley is currently recovering from shoulder surgery. “The Chosen One” injured his shoulder in his most recent title defense, a decision win over Demian Maia at UFC 214 last July. The operation was not absolutely required, but after contemplating the pros and cons of both sides, he opted to get the procedure last month.
“As soon as [Woodley] is healthy, obviously RDA is the fight to make, especially the way he looked in the Robbie Lawler fight,” White said when asked whether dos Anjos or Colby Covington would get the next title shot. “So we’re just waiting for Tyron to get healthy.”
Dos Anjos last defeated Lawler by dominant unanimous decision in the UFC on FOX 26 main event in Winnipeg, Manitoba last month. The win over the former welterweight champ, whom Woodley finished in July 2016 to capture the title, marked his third straight victory at 170 pounds.
Dos Anjos decided to move up in weight after a rough stretch in the lightweight division in 2016. He lost the 155-pound belt to Eddie Alvarez in July 2016 and fell short to Tony Ferguson a few months later. Since the weight jump, dos Anjos has also bested Neil Magny (by submission) and Tarec Saffiedine (by decision).
It isn’t clear at this time exactly when Woodley will be fully recovered and available to defend his belt for the fourth time against dos Anjos.