The UFC Welterweight Title is going to be on the line in the main event of UFC 228 according to Ariel Helwani of ESPN as Tyron Woodley defends the gold against #2 Darren Till.
Helwani is also reporting that UFC Interim Welterweight Champion Colby Covington was unable to compete at UFC 228 due to undisclosed reasons, which may lead to the promotion stripping the interim champion of the title.
A separate report from Brett Okamoto of ESPN is stating that Covington is going to be stripped of the interim welterweight title. However, it is going to be done in a similar fashion as to when the UFC stripped Tony Ferguson of the interim lightweight title before the bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Al Iaquinta at UFC 223.
Covington did state recently that he would be ready to fight at the end of the year, naming UFC 230 as a possible landing date for a return to the Octagon.
Woodley (18-3-0-1NC) is going to be making the fourth defense of his championship, last defending it against Demian Maia at UFC 214. Woodley became the UFC Welterweight Champion back at UFC 201 when he defeated Robbie Lawler by first round knockout to claim the gold. Woodley hasn't suffered a defeat in over four years, with that last loss coming to Bellator MMA Welterweight Champion Rory MacDonald at UFC 174.
Till (17-0-1) has already picked up a total of five wins under the UFC banner, last defeating Stephen Thompson by decision in the main event of UFC Fight Night Liverpool. Till may be headlining his third straight UFC card, as the welterweight headlined UFC Fight Night Gdansk and the aforementioned UFC Fight Night Liverpool event. Till has gotten just one blemish thus far in his professional MMA career, which was a majority draw against Nicolas Dalby at UFC Fight Night 76.
UFC 228 takes place on Saturday, September 8 from the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas with Tyron Woodley and Darren Till headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
