Tyron Woodley vs. Gilbert Burns Targeted for UFC Fight Night 173 Headliner on May 23

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A welterweight clash between Tyron Woodley and Gilbert Burns is likely to be the UFC Fight Night 173 main event.

UFC president Dana White confirmed that the promotion is targeting the matchup on ”UFC Unfiltered” podcast.

“Before I came into this interview, I got a text from Woodley that said, ‘I’m looking for [UFC matchmaker] Sean [Shelby]. I want to sign this contract right now. I want this fight on the 23rd.’ That’s what Woodley just told me before this interview, so we’ll see what happens,” White said. “… Burns is the opponent we’re looking at.”

UFC Fight Night 173 takes place on May 23 at an undisclosed location. The card will likely air on ESPN and ESPN+. Thus far, the event also includes a light heavyweight clash between Jamahal Hill and Klidson Abreu and a strawweight tilt pitting Mackenzie Dern against Hannah Cifers.

Woodley hasn’t competed since relinquishing the welterweight crown to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 in March 2019. The American Top Team Evolution product captured the championship with a first-round knockout of Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 and defended the belt four times before falling to Usman.

Burns, meanwhile, enters the matchup on a five-bout winning streak. That stretch includes victories over Demian Maia, Gunnar Nelson and Alexey Kunchenko since moving up to 170 pounds from lightweight.