Tyron Woodley says he’s getting shoulder surgery after all

Tyron Woodley is getting shoulder surgery after all.

Woodley, the reigning UFC welterweight champion, suffered a partial labrum tear early in his recent title defense over Demain Maia. “T-Wood” has been undecided on whether to go under the knife to repair the injury in the months since, voicing a willingness to fight through the injury if it meant a Dec. 30 dance date against lightweight superstar Nate Diaz. But with the Diaz talks having fallen through, Woodley has decided to ultimately go through with the surgery that will sideline him for several months.

“I’m going to go ahead and get this shoulder repaired,” Woodley said Wednesday on TMZ. “I’ve been saying, ‘You know what, I don’t want to get it cut on, I don’t want to get it repaired.’ But if there’s no fight that really makes a ton of sense for me to take the risk, to not be 100 percent with my shoulder, then I’m going to go ahead and have it repaired. They’re not going to do a full orthopedic rehabilitation, but they’re going to do a scope and they’re going to anchor down some sides. Then I’m going to get some PRP (platelet-rich plasma), some stem cells. I’m doing everything.”

Woodley said earlier this month at UFC 218 that he was reconsidering getting his planned surgery and was “highly considering going a different route.” In the end, though, with the welterweight division lacking an clear-cut No. 1 contender, Woodley will indeed get shoulder surgery and allow the weight class to figure itself out in his absence.

Woodley defended his 170-pound title twice in 2017, winning decisions over Stephen Thompson and Demian Maia — tying him with three other fighters for the most active 2017 schedule by a UFC champion.

As it stands, the next No. 1 contender for Woodley could be decided this weekend when former UFC titleholders Robbie Lawler and Rafael dos Anjos collide at UFC on FOX 26. But without mentioning Lawler and dos Anjos by name, Woodley said he was unworried by the challenges that could face him when he returns, and he continues to set his sights directly on one man: Former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

“All these fights are warm-up fights now. I beat all of the tough people. They’re all a warm-up fight,” Woodley said.

“I want to fight Georges, man. I offered to go up and fight him at middleweight and he faked some backside injury, and now he’s vacating the belt. So, I don’t know, man. I’m going to get my shoulder fixed and I’m going to watch the game be as ridiculous as it’s been and see who’s next.”